Sir, Clr. Michael Williams is absolutely right to question the £20,000 that the County Council reportedly grants the company that runs the Long Course Weekend (Observer, July 12). Such a grant of public funds to a commercial company needs to be justified - not with vague assurances about the value the event brings to the area, but with some hard facts and figures. If these are not forthcoming, a freedom of information request should flush them out.

To talk airily of the benefits to local businesses is to ignore those who were unable to open at all as staff were prevented by the road closures from getting into Tenby.

Like so much that happens in Tenby, the Long Course Weekend depends heavily on the goodwill of the residents. That goodwill should not be taken for granted, nor exploited.

Keith Clarke,

Tenby.