I READ with interest in the Adver that Swindon would be featured on German TV’s first channel ARD, as I speak German and have lived there. The report was part of a magazine programme called Europa Direkt, shown around lunchtime on Sunday and started off quite positively showing parts of the old town, including Christ Church. However then it went on to explain that many of the working practices to be found in Swindon would be illegal in Germany and described how one local man just about survived on a zero hours contract.

Then it went to a food bank and to someone who lived in rather depressing multi-occupancy accommodation.

There was no mention of the outlet centre or successful local businesses like Honda, Intel and Nationwide. Nothing either about the thriving arts and music scene or even the football club. While the report did outline the problems that do exist there was nothing to suggest that Swindon is a good place to live for many.

I would, of course, sadly have expected this kind of thing from the BBC or London-based media but was very disappointed to see this on a German TV channel. What German businessperson would invest here after seeing that?

JONATHAN SHELDRAKE Priam House Rodbourne