WHAT a shame people choose to put Pontypool down. I have lived here for just over 12 years.

That’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere since leaving home for college in 1969.

I like Pontypool and want to see it grow again. John Howells complains ‘cash struck Torfaen spends £350k on the White Hart’ while others complain it should have been spent on other things.

The money was a grant ‘only’ to be spent on heritage regeneration of the town. It will not be just ‘another pub’ but also a quality restaurant with accommodation.

Mike Harris complains Superdrug is leaving, putting its seven employees out of work. I spoke to Brighthouse, the new business going there. It assured me they will employ 12 people and are very interested in hearing from present Superdrug employees.

I have passed this information to them and I wish them every success.

Work has started to regenerate Pontypool town and market. Let’s be positive about it – it’s worth being positive about.

John Killick, Park View, Councillor, Pontypool Ward, Labour candidate 2012