IN RESPONSE to Mr and Mrs Hodges, owners of the Montville Hotel in Mount Pleasant (Advertiser, April 4). I lived at the top of Parsons Road for 27 years, covering the years 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s.

In those years, the now Montville Hotel was just an ordinary large house, owned or rented by a Mr and Mrs Budgin and family. As to whether they took in lodgers or guests, I don't know. I suppose the house could well have been of Victorian origin.

Later we moved further down Parsons Road as our previous house and others down to number 10 were up for demolition as the outbreak of war was near, making the site available for a huge static water tank to be used in case of incendiary bombs. It was never used to my knowledge.

I regret I cannot remember a public air raid shelter someone spoke of.

DE Sly

Batchley Road