Sir I read with interest and with a degree of scepticism, Stroud District Council's future plans SNJ 11/05/22 it could be regarded by the cynical as an exercise in gaslighting the general public, the clock is nothing more than a horological novelty and should be seen as such.

Should you wish to be offended by tributes to slavery consider the statute to Enfunroye Tinabu (slave trader) that stands in Lagos Nigeria.

Stroud has an impeccable record on its stand against this trade try Paganhill for starters. I appreciate there's little political mileage in going to the root of the subject.

So I fully expect the protesters will have their way once more fulfilling George Orwell's 1984 prophesies .

Francis Ray (Stroud)