I WAS most interested in the report commissioned by Kendal Futures about Kendal in the evening and no doubt paid for from our council tax (Gazette, May 25, 'Town receives a wake-up call').

My husband and I have lived here for 38 years and in that time I have noticed many changes to our town, but not often for the better.

The lack of social interaction in the evening has many causes; little public transport and quality dining experience, as well as difficulties in parking.

The Brewery has a varied and attractive programme but is often seen as a meeting place principally for the young.

I think, however, that Kendal has many more active societies, including choirs, that meet in the evening, than most towns of this size. The members arrive by car and go home straight afterwards.

I see lots of other problems. The much consulted-over redevelopment of the Market Place seems to have ground to a halt. I suspect the main object was to remove the wagtail roost in the silver birch trees, which were felled in the early morning to avoid protests.

The lights have been replaced but there is no sign of new trees or paving.

A former shop next to Middletons, which I understood was to become a night club, seems in no fit state for another tenant. It is in a prime location and at the moment gives a poor impression.

No one who lives here can regard the K Village as a success. Since the floods at least the flats have been used for residents displaced from their homes.

The unwelcoming road frontage has never given much idea of the shops that lie behind, but our planners must have given planning permission for this. Many of the shops are now empty and the site would have made a much better site for Sainsburys supermarket than Shap Road.

I also seem to remember the costly widening of the pavements along Kirkland and Highgate to allow for pedestrian traffic from the K Village into the town centre.

I couldn't resist a smile at the proposal for a dining experience at Kendal Castle with lifts or cable car. I seem to remember a half-baked idea for a tea garden on the New Road car park. It is still a car park despite the wishes of our local councillors and a much-needed free one at that. More money wasted on feasibility studies no doubt.

I find lots more to be depressed about including the closure of a much-loved family butchers shop but we must try to look to a better, more prosperous future.

Those who have opportunity to change things must get together and put forward some realistic ideas for the way ahead.

The new houses that seem to be being built everywhere will hopefully have occupants who will provide more customers for local businesses in addition to the visitors who now come all year round.

They are a bonus as we live in a low wage area as can be seen by the proliferation of charity and betting shops.

We need people of vision to run our town if it is to be successful.

Angela Royle

Kendal