I came to Sheffield on May 1 for a few days and could not believe the terrible mess in the city, it looked like it did in the Blitz.

The skyline from afar looks like dockland with all those cranes - it has the look of a third world city, all rubble.

Not only is the city a mess, but the roads are a disgrace. I have never driven on such bad roads, more holes than road. Heaven only knows what the council are about.

I hope by the time I come next year things may look a little better.
Mrs BL Spencer, Taunton, Somerset

DO you agree? Post your comments below.

M Beaumont says (Viewpoint, May 1) that, in order to compete with Leeds and Manchester, Sheffield should "knock down the old, environmentally unfriendly Victoriana as Sheffield needs multi-storey steel and glass towers."

Anyone who has visited Leeds and Manchester will have seen that they have, in fact, preserved far more of their old buildings than Sheffield has, while still managing to create vibrant and innovative city centres. A successful and progressive city values its past and is wise enough to cherish its heritage - not demolish it.

M Beaumont's opinion does not represent "the view of the majority of the 540,000 sensible occupants" of this city and, contrary to the claim that "The Star has given countless disproportionate column inches to those who wish to live in the past" (of which he names me as one), it has, in fact, accurately reflected the depth of feeling Sheffielders have for the city's lovely old buildings, which is clearly obvious from all the many readers' letters on the subject.

This is also my city but, I am incensed to see the place in which I was born being destroyed, due to the disregard for our heritage, which is reducing Sheffield to a soulless city without any character.
Susan I Richardson, Westminster Crescent, Sheffield 10

READ MORE
Your letters.
Today's features.
Latest sport.
Main news index.