I REALLY must take issue with Saturday's We Say headlined "Time to think of the next 275 years".

My wife and I attended six of the seven Worcester festivals between 1981 and 1999 as visitors and having fallen in love with Worcester we moved here five months ago.

The great thing about the festival is the variety. Where else would it be possible to hear an item from Cats and Allegri's Miserere in less than 24 hours?

As far as encouraging the next generation is concerned, Worcestershire County Council was adventurous in subsidising tickets for the under 25s at the final concert that you described as "mediocre".

I would also like to point out that many young people helped in the Festival Club which I am sure will encourage them to find out more about the festival in years to come.

I feel you do a disservice to the musicians, Cathedral staff and everybody who helped behind the scenes by describing the festival as dull and mediocre.

OLIVER S ORR,

Worcester.