I WAS reading the letter by Ben Ord referring to only £600,000 being available to pay for the redevelopment of Festival Walk, in Spennymoor (HAS, Aug 22).

As the town centre is less than inviting and if it’s a case of trying to smarten it up, wouldn’t it be far better to demolish this depressing unkempt eyesore and start again this time using architects and companies who know what they are doing?

I have purchased property in the past and renovated it, and I have demolished and built from scratch, coming to the conclusion to raise to the ground an eyesore and raise something from the rubble like a Phoenix from the ashes is far more cost-effective and rewarding than throwing money at and trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse.

Spennymoor seems to be the poor relation although Durham County Council (DCC), in its wisdom, have decided to relocate the remnants of the DLI museum there – why ?

Sadly, the £600,000 will probably only translate into a couple of flowers beds if the disastrous Thinford roundabout and other over-priced under-planned projects are any indicator.

J Richardson, Shildon