I WAS a steward at a recent Saturday Open Church at St John's Church, Bromsgrove. We were pleased to have visits from two small groups of ladies from a historical association in South Wales. They were on a day's outing, visiting Bromsgrove in the morning and Hanbury Hall in the afternoon.

These elderly ladies had made the effort to make their way to the Tourist Information Office. I was dismayed to be told by them that when they had enquired what there was to be seen in Bromsgrove, both groups had been told "Nothing - only shops."

The two groups each obtained a leaflet about Bromsgrove district, which mentioned the 12th century St John's Church and they set about finding it. They were surprised not to have been given a street map of the town which they said was always the custom in other towns they visited.

Without a street plan to guide them, they took the longer way round to the church access in Kidderminster Road, whereas if they had been given a map, and some guidance, they could have used the shorter route through Crown Close.

When I spoke to them about the history of Bromsgrove, our visitors, strangers to the town, were further disappointed not to have been told at tourist information about the town's excellent museum on the premises.

It is very clear that this official lack of promotion is yet another example of the "dumbing down of Bromsgrove" that I hear talked about these days.

Josephine Hearne

New Road

Bromsgrove