The Chairman of Cumbria Tourism Eric Robson has described the axing of the Cumbria Council County grant to Cumbrian Tourism as illogical and ill conceived (Gazette, November 20, 'Tourism chief slams cash cut').

He is being kind, it would best be described as an economic disaster.

To compare a one-off cycling event, however popular, which generates £4 million to an annual turnover totalling £2 billion makes no financial an economic sense.

Tourism in Cumbria is a 12-month business, employing 56,000 full-time and part-time staff, almost 20 per cent of the county's total employment.

South Lakeland District Council may have ambitious plans for Waterhead and Ferry Nab but were only recently making plans to close the Tourist Information Centre in Windermere, until a late intervention by the private sector to keep it open and Kendal, the principle town in the district, can boast not one public toilet.

If we wish Windermere and the Lake District to become a World Heritage Site our current local political leaders seem devoid of ambition and common sense and have no idea of the world wide impact which Cumbria Tourism can provide.

Mel Mackie

High Casterton