It WAS with extremely mixed feelings that I read (Oxford Mail, December 16) that Dawson Street is at last to be tidied up and closed to traffic. There is no doubt that these works will much improve the appearance of the area.

But the decision by the city council’s east area committee to contribute £19,000 of public funds towards the costs is, in my opinion, appalling and a betrayal of the public good.

The original closure of Dawson Street, during the refurbishment of Cowley Road, presented a unique opportunity to create a much needed green, viable, off-street public space.

And had the public good been paramount, Mr Pugh’s adjoining cafe would have been allowed to place tables and chairs on the edge – leaving the bulk of the space for free public use.

Mr Pugh’s effective annexation of public space was presented, in the early days, as a “planning gain”, as he would pay the full costs of landscaping.

It now emerges that a substantial area in the middle of the available space is to be ceded to Mr Pugh for his private commercial gain, leaving us, the people, with two benches in the residual space – for which we are to hand over £19,000 to Mr Pugh.

This feels like insult on injury. Thomas Dawson, the philanthropist (after whom Dawson Street is named) who left his lands in an “inalienable trust in perpetuity” for the people, must be turning in his grave.

Erica Steinhauer, Oxford,