IT was with great dismay that I read of the closure of the Okehampton office of the Okehampton Times. I hope this decision is of a temporary nature and we do not lose our local reporter/photographer/receptionist. It is important to so many local organisations that need truly local publicity and reportage of events. It is the life blood of our charities, our clubs and societies. It is all very well to say that coverage will be given by somebody in Tavistock... but Blackdown, especially in winter, may be a barrier too far! Especially when the event is the mayor giving a cheque to a local good cause. Is it worth the man hours, the fuel etc. To have someone on the spot to record this event, to put it in the local paper, for local people to see that X charity has been given a donation by the people of the town, this is the glue that holds communities together. Please don't let our town become even less publicly visible, please keep an Okehampton Times office open within the town of Okehampton, Jan Goffey Simmons Close Okehampton OH dear, what is this grumpy old man going to do now? I've just read that you are closing your Okehampton office on Friday. As you and a few locals know, I like to sit down and write the odd letter just to wind people up from time to time. But after reading your statement about closing, I just don't know what I'll do. I always drop my letters on your desk, or put it through your letter box on the way down to town for a few pints on a Saturday night. Before anyone asks, no I don't do emails and I'm not on this broadband thing either. I only use my computer for typing, which is very handy for grumpy old men like myself to let off steam. What with the price of first class stamps, I can't see myself posting many letters to the Tavistock office. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. David Luckhurst Okehampton