SWINDON needs people like me. Now I'm not being arrogant or egotistic when I say this, I'm just reiterating what our council is telling us all regarding the 30-year vision of regeneration for our town centre.

You see, I am an example of exactly the sort of person they are trying to entice with a vision of a rejuvenated, vibrant town centre of which we would all be proud: I'm a single young professional who has invested in an apartment at Plaza 21. I'm also a commuter who travels to work in the City of London every day on our (decidedly unreliable) train services. So I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with the people of Swindon what 21st century living actually entails in Swindon centre 2002.

I'd also like to invite our council to enlighten us with how they plan to ensure that this revolution is not going to run out of steam, like so many other of the council's big ideas in recent years!?

Firstly, Plaza 21 is in itself a fantastic place to live I can walk to the station in five minutes, I'm close to the shops, and it really is ultra convenient for our town centre facilities hang on a minute though, what facilities will they be then? Building a luxury apartment complex is certainly a huge step forward for a town renowned for its planning disasters and its soulless architecture, but unfortunately we must all realise that in itself, that is simply not enough to make Swindon centre a great place to live.

I am so frustrated by the fantastic potential that Swindon possesses, but fails to realise on every occasion.

When will the council realise that permitting a quality development such as Plaza 21 without encouraging any improvement in facilities and cultural attractions is not going to solve the problems of our desolate town centre? The council must also play a vital role in attracting and retaining people in the town centre, and simply allowing more residential units to be built is not going to work we need better facilities!

I would like to know what the council believes I should do with my precious leisure time? Because it would seem that from the innovative recent phase of regeneration at Fleet Square that being a young professional means that I want to spend every evening drinking in one of the ever increasing bars and clubs that are springing up in the centre of town.

Now that's all very well for the occasional night out, but I'm afraid that alcohol alone is not going to keep someone with a degree interested in living here for more than five minutes!

Where are the facilities that people like myself require? Where can I find a quality restaurant in the town centre? Why is there no cinema, no bowling alley, no concert hall, no quality library, no jazz club, no late-opening convenience shop, no off licence all of the things that anyone would assume were present in what is supposed to be a city? WHAT A JOKE!

D ROOM

Sanford Street

Swindon