The Locarno

On one hand, it allows Swindon people to see for themselves the utter dereliction of this once proud part of Swindon’s architectural heritage.

It allows everybody to reflect on the abject failure, year after year and decade after decade, of anybody in authority to do anything useful to protect that heritage.

It allows everybody to speculate as to whether that failure is down to wilful neglect or simple, devastating ineptitude.

It allows everybody to think back on every official announcement of exciting plans for the Locarno, every meeting, every focus group, every artist’s impression and every promise, and to realise precisely what it all amounted to.

The latest promise is that something will happen soon. Frankly, we’ll believe that when we see it.

On the other hand, the fencing being down makes the wrecked structure even more of a threat to life and limb than it was already.

For as long as the remains of the building are readily accessible, there is nothing to stop adventurous people - most likely children - from exploring and potentially being in mortal peril.

It is for this reason that we very much hope the fencing will be reinstated as soon as possible, and preferably in a form which will not allow vandals to lay it all but flat with relative ease.

It is tragic enough that the building is in this state, without risking far greater tragedy.

What a thoroughly disgraceful state of affairs this is.