Harwich is, and has been since the end of “the Boat Train”, the poor relation of Tendring, which is a real shame as Harwich is a nice place and most of the people here are okay.

But Harwich is at the end of the Tendring food chain when it comes to investment in the infrastructure for the locals, although money seems to be found to build houses all over the place to ship in the overspill from other places.

The Harwich shopping experience is now a visit to one of our supermarkets or a walk through the bomb site masquerading as the town centre.

Tourism is a memory from days long ago, although every now and then an effort is made to do something, but it is never followed up on once the event has happened.

There will be a lot of people saying tourism is ongoing, but we all know that is not what really happens.

A great deal of interest is being placed on the town centre upgrade, if we are honest we all know it will not happen, or only a token attempt at something may occur.

It is always the same, and has been for years.

We get promised all sorts of things, everyone gets excited then suddenly there is no money left to carry our what was promised.

Isolated communities such as Harwich would probably prosper from devolution so the town took care of itself, where our councillors elected by the residents could make real choices as to how the area should progress.

Steve Holmes

Stour Close, Harwich