Hereford'S Commercial Road has been described as 'tasteless Tatterville'.

Harry Chadwick, chairman of Hereford Civic Trust was comparing it to yesteryear when it was a broad, tree-lined thoroughfare of the more conventional kind of shops.

In the trust's news letter he said the trees were still there, but there was now a whole street resembling a 'take-away run'.

Mr Chadwick reflected that development everywhere was greater now than at any time, and this applied in Hereford too.

The added importance locally however was that Hereford was an historic city whose social and physical character could be easily upset, even changed irrevocably for the worse.

Mr Chadwick referred to other pieces of what he called visual banality dotted all over the city centre and further out housing estates with nothing distinguished about their design.

He admired the Courtyard Theatre and Left Bank restaurant, both buildings being a thrilling sight by night-time with their interiors open to view.

Say in future

All Saints Church also came in for praise, its new interior a delight to experience.

As for the development of the former Wyelands Caravan Park and the ASDA/Eign Enterprises project Mr Chadwick believed the site was so important the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment should be called in by Herefordshire Council for advice and consultation.

He was concerned about the large tract of council-owned land at the Cattle Market and Edgar Street, a site occupying an area as large as that of the Cathedral and its precincts.

The public needed to have a say in its future development.

Mr Chadwick said there were many things to be involved with and in accordance with the trust's aims the first was the encouragement of high standards of architecture and town planning in Hereford.

He asked people to make their views known saying there can be praise or blame and disagreement need do no harm - it could set debate in motion.