'Graffiti is like rotting teeth' - Your Letters: April 9

Graffiti is like rotting teeth. It leaves a bitter-sweet taste of decay.

Birmingham Queensway has been abandoned to the graffitists. Bin bags are stacking up in Birmingham suburbs. The two are not unconnected. Council staff have lost pride in their city. Why should they keep it tidy when graffitists deface it with impunity?

A stopping train from Wolverhampton to New Street is illuminating. Network Rail has removed graffiti from stations on the way. At Cosley there are flowers, and a fine mosaic of swan, fox and pool on the wall. The large wooden doors of a store, show an image of the front of a steam engine emerging from its shed. Coseley is ‘Adlestrop’ to New Street’s ‘Gotham City’.

Wolverhampton is blighted by graffiti. We will follow Birmingham into bankruptcy unless the rot is stopped.

The Art Gallery takes due pride in its Pop Art collection, but fostering graffiti on the streets is no way to stay ahead in the culture game. Wolverhampton’s Central Library has an exhibition of graffiti art. Take a look. One of them could soon be coming to a wall near you.

John Rowley, Castlecroft

REMINDER OF SCHOOL REUNION

On February 26 a letter was published “Looking for old schoolmates”, unfortunately there was an error in the email contact at the end of the letter which should have read: [email protected], and as a consequence the emails bounced back. We have received a couple of responses from determined people but have probably lost a few.

A recap of the letter: In September 1956 the Regis School in Tettenhall took in its second intake group of about 210 pupils. Those, then 11-year-old, students have recently turned or will soon turn 80 years old. We were part of that group joining Class 1N and would spend seven years at the Regis School before leaving to attend university and/or begin our adult lives.

David Blest and David Barnes, Class 1N

SHAME OF THE EMPTY FACTORY

A city centre factory empty and now derelict, for almost 50 years? How many thousands of pounds in business rates has the city council collected (or not collected) over these decades? Why wasn't this "re-purposing" undertaken immediately the factory closed? It could gave provided useful accommodation for decades… and substantial council tax revenue.

William J Read, Stafford

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