The life, colour and sound the folk festival brings to Chippenham for the weekend is nice. I have never bought a ticket because it’s not my thing. I just happen to live here.

I’m sure it brings the local traders in town extra revenue but I’m sure this is no early Christmas present, this is necessary just to keep themselves going throughout the tough times the rest of the year.

So when Mr John Conley’s letter last week was proposing that local traders should dig deep, maybe he should consider the struggle traders have the rest of the year in Chippenham’s town centre.

Also his comment on “wasting money” on the skate park and Doorway charity I find incredible.

The skate park, should it ever happen, would bring a lot of pleasure to the young people of Chippenham all year round, not just a weekend. Doorway works very hard every day for people in the Chippenham area who are very thankful for their assistance.

Mr Conley proposes that the visitors are more important than our residents.

As for asking us to donate £2 a week to keep the festival going, this is absurd.

If Chippenham people were that keen they would buy a ticket in the first place. The festival is not put on for the people of Chippenham, it’s put on for fans of folk music and dance in Chippenham.

You don’t see Peter Gabriel begging the good people of Malmesbury for £2 a week.

If its costing too much then, just like everyone else, the organisers will have to tighten their belts.

Bryan Angelinetta, Malmesbury Road, Chippenham.