I READ with dismay your front page article (SA, May 27) informing us that Forward Swindon had decided not to show England’s football World Cup games on the big screen in Wharf Green.

I served for many years as a director of the former regeneration body, The New Swindon Company and was there for the decision to support the installation of the big screen in Wharf Green, and I remember commenting at the time about how, due to timing, we had just missed a similar sporting occasion, and it was widely agreed that this would have been the best way to have launched the new innovation.

The regeneration of the Swindon town centre is not just about new buildings, but is also about getting more people into the town centre in both the day time and the evenings. The regeneration of Wharf Green was to be one of the centrepieces of the public realm renewal, its design and layout was created with the big screen in mind, and I am sure that many of the board at the time that this decision was made thought that occasions like the football World Cup was the ideal time for the citizens of Swindon to benefit from this investment and achieve the company’s aim of getting more people into the town centre.

The decision by Forward Swindon not only reneges on the spirit of why the screen was installed in the first place, but also stinks of elitism. As your article pointed out, many other towns and cities will be using their screens for the World Cup, they have overcome any perceived safety concerns and why if there is little interest has the BBC, who supply the screen, made a deal with ITV to show all the games? I personally feel that those involved with Forward Swindon don’t want the football screened, as they think it will bring into the town noisy, possibly even drunken fans, which goes against the upmarket cultural centre image they are striving for.

There is time for a change of heart however I am sure what we will see next is Forward Swindon saying they are in favour of the screening, and then blame the police for the decision, the police will blame the council and the council will blame the BBC, and so on. All in turn saying they support the broadcasting of the games, but by then it will be too late! This can be avoided, the council leader Rod Bluh or one of this cabinet colleagues is the council representative on Forward Swindon, and Coun Bluh also serves on the Police Authority. I ask that he intervenes in this decision. I, for my part, will offer him my full support if he is willing to take action to reverse this decision.

KEVIN SMALL Jennings Street Swindon