CONGRATULATIONS to Darius Laws for lighting up Jumbo for a few days.

However I am sure he would agree that what is called for is professional floodlighting to properly highlight the spectacular architecture of the tower.

Floodlighting Balkerne Gate was a good start. 

The floodlighting of the nearby Jumbo would echo this perfectly. 

It would also transform the Balkerne Passage area from a gloomy dark space to one of colourful enchantment, and would complement the Mercury Theatre in its modernisation programme.

This does not need to wait for the Colchester Building Preservation Trust scheme for Jumbo to get under way (which hopefully will happen soon). 

It could be achieved quite quickly by agreement with the owner and an effort of will by the borough council. It could remain a permanent feature whichever scheme is adopted for Jumbo.

I enclose a photo of Everton water tower which is floodlit by Liverpool Council. 

This gives some idea of how glorious Jumbo could look, given a similar treatment. 

Surely this is something worth making a special effort for.

Brian Light Chairman, Balkerne Tower Trust

I AM writing with reference to Pearl Burton’s heartfelt plea to keep Friday Woods free of housing and as public open space.

The whole of the Roman River Valley where it skirts Colchester also needs to be protected from undue development as it forms a lung for the town.

This green corridor will give some definition between where the town ends and the next settlement begins.

Colchester’s rapacious growing needs will include green open space for general recreation and not just the odd playing field.

Landowners in the area should be encouraged to continue to farm the land wherever possible to re-enforce and enhance the scene.

Great care needs to be taken over any development of the Middlewick Ranges.

Housing estates as far as the eye can see, with only little paved play areas for small children, is not the answer.

Friday Woods and the often steep Roman River Valley make an excellent boundary to Colchester to the south and a walk could be made to encircle the town centre by joining up with the existing green corridor of the Colne and the Castle Park to the to the north of the town centre.

I well remember Bill Burton’s lovely views of Friday Woods and, of course, his very famous golden sunset at Mersea Hard.

Let us hope we are left with something more tangible than just memories.

Sarah Shehadeh High Street, West Mersea

  • We need Austria’s anti-austerity

Having visited Austria several times, I can confirm the view of Mrs R Curtis the cleanliness of every town, village and open space is litter free, community cared, and exactly as she described.

Of course, what Austria hasn’t suffered is six years of a right wing Tory government, and the banquet of consequences is well documented.

Nobody wishes for a police state, but what all would like is a state properly policed.

The horrors of austerity breed crime, and the trashing of towns like ours is proof of it.

It’s not just a leaf out of Austria’s book we need to take but the whole book itself.

The drill was simple; pay your taxes and get the services, which any civilised countries needs for quality of life.

We need to rise above the dross dumped on us by think tank tyranny, and show opposition to what is happening to our country.

The Algerian writer, Albert Camus said: ‘We have art in order not to die of life.’ Austria is awash with culture, and we need to mandate anti-austerity parties at the ballot box, if we are to change the skeletal nature of our country.

Collin Rossini Main Road, Dovercourt

  • Authorities must deal with menace

Dumping rubbish in the environment is wrong on every level.

The solutions to this problem are there. If strong examples of this lousy behaviour were made, maybe the low intelligent people that carry them out when named and fined would think twice.

We are dealing with a person who comes to our neighbourhood and dump rubbish behind my fence.

If said person is challenged the police are called and to my amazement no positive is taken.

It would seem the so-called authorities have the abilities to deal with this issue but making them actually do so is a whole different matter.

Mrs K Meads Merrilees Crescent, Holland-on-Sea

  • Cyclists are no less important

David Mills in his caustic letter about cyclists seems to forget we are all people whether we are walking, cycling, driving or catching public transport.

He refers to cyclists as “they” but they are not a homogenous group.

Like drivers, cyclists do what they do for many different reasons – health, money, pollution, parking.

Not one of us is more important than any other, even if we are driving a big shiny new car, and therefore should all be considerate to each other.

Mrs B Parrick, Odd One Out Mersea Road, Colchester

  • Town centre needs more bobbies

We agree with other readers about no bobby around the town.

We are fed up with every other shop doorways people asking for money, it’s time they were moved on.

J Neal Military Road, Colchester

  • Plant a tree for every death too

I AGREE agree with Shaun Boughton who suggested every birth should be marked with a tree planted.

We should also have a tree planted at the end someone’s life, to give back a little of what we have taken out of the planet.

I have buried more than 3,000 people, mostly at Wrabness, each one gets a broadleaf tree.

There are 800,000 deaths and 700,000 births a year so 1.5 million trees would be planted.

John Acton Wrabness Hall, Wrabness