HISTORIAN Sir Roy Strong slams Hereford as a city 'past redemption' in an edition of a national magazine devoted to the county.

In his article Herefordshire: The Green and Golden County Sir Roy says that beyond the obvious attractions of the cathedral, Mappa Mundi Museum and Left Bank, visitors will find nothing but 'B&Q, Tesco, Sainsburys, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds'.

"The rest is past redemption. The brutal handling of what once had all the charm of an ancient cathedral city is enough to set your teeth on edge," he says.

Sir Roy writes in Country Life that the real delights of a county 'as golden to me as the great valley which runs through it' lie outside its capital, with Ross-on-Wye - featured on the cover - Leominster and Kington, in particular, compensating for what has happened to Hereford.

Country Life appears to agree. There is plenty of praise in its pages for what is being done across the wider county - from the restoration of Eardisley Park to top-of-the range gastro-pubs.

Only over the state of Hereford does the upbeat tone go astray.

Magazine writer Rupert Uloth describes a 'down-at-heel cathedral city with its traffic jams and drug problems' in his article on long-time residents Albert and Monique Heijn.

The Heijns' key contributions to Hereford - Left Bank village and Castle House Hotel - are said to stand out like a 'water meadow in a desert'.

The Heijns themselves speak of wanting to re-develop more rundown areas within the city centre and hint at 'big ideas' for the Golden Valley.

l Country Life featured Herefordshire in its edition of February 5.