IT IS obvious Dartford Council is looking at what it has to cre- ate and is not happy with what it sees.

Before 1920, Dartford was 90 per cent green, a small, very rich market town aided by lots of industry.

Then the first estate was built.

It was the beginning of meltdown and decay.

The first estate was followed by the second, and others followed.

Farming had gone, the cattle market closed.

The heavy industry closed, the brewery closed, soon to be followed by Marks & Spencer, Woolworths, the gents' outfitters and now the Co-op.

The bandstands were destroyed too.

Strangest of all is, the present generation of Dartford people don't seem bothered.

They seem quite happy to wander around the town and don't miss the beauty of Central Park.

Maybe this is because most of these people never saw it before the Second World War.

C BRISTOW
Dartford