Sir, I was heartened to read in your pages of a renewed plan to upgrade the currently drab Worcester Street area of the city.

A tastefully designed new development with a re-opened and active canal basin as a central feature, would do wonders for an unlovely part of Oxford with its untidy and featureless car park. I owned an ex-working narrowboat for many years and ran it commercially as a hostel boat. I visited Oxford many times but mooring at the abrupt end of the canal which lacked all facilities, was always an anti-climax for all on board. How much nicer to have been able to tie up near the heart of this historic city in a safe and secure environment for which we would have gladly paid for the privilege. I look forward to reading of further developments on this exciting and enlightened scheme.

Oliver Lovell, Moreton-in-Marsh