I WRITE in response to your front page news (Oxford Mail, May 14), that Cowley Road Carnival is once again off.

I, along with many others, am completely dismayed about this decision. We dug into our pockets at last year’s carnival to ensure that it went ahead this year.

For those of you who were there last year, you will remember that the carnival was cut in half, one bit being in Cowley Road and the other in South Park.

While in Cowley Road we had the feeling of the good old atmosphere of the carnival of old – apart from the policeman trying to stop anyone drinking in the street.

But, in the carnival in the park, everyone was greeted by security guards, who refused entry to anyone who had a drink or a dog with them – resulting in people sitting outside refusing to throw their drinks away.

This surely marked the beginning of the end of the great Cowley Road Carnival.

For goodness sake, if the funds are not there, then at least let’s just keep the carnival on the Cowley Road where it began.

Individuals will set up sound systems, we will not be met by security guards, the atmosphere will still be there and people will have a happier time than those outside the park last year.

By the way, I am not a young person but a 62-year-old who cares about East Oxford.

MAGGIE BROWN, Walters Row, Morrell Avenue, Oxford