Having emigrated four years ago to Spain, it has been an absolute privilege to watch the wonderful pictures of the Olympic Sailing events from my hometown, Weymouth, on the television.

However, after following the news reporting and individual comments online for some time via the Dorset Echo website, I felt the need to write and express my own opinion.

Do not blame the Olympics for the lack of holidaymakers, blame the Olympic organisers and local authorities for not having the intelligence to realise that this is solely and fundamentally a legacy for the future.

Having these Olympic sailing events beamed around the world from Weymouth Bay and Portland harbour is fantastic.

Millions of people are watching the exciting racing in a beautiful, picturesque bay against a magnificent backdrop of cliffs, rolling green countryside and an historic Georgian seafront.

Who would not want to visit Weymouth in the years to come?

Sailing is not a spectator sport.

It is best viewed on TV watching images delivered from cameras mounted on the vessels or in helicopters hovering overhead.

This is the first time in the history of the Olympics that there has been a ticketed viewing area for the sailing events, so how can you predict with any degree of accuracy the number of visitors who will arrive solely to experience the sailing?

The maximum capacity of the Nothe ticketed site is 5,500 individuals. On a good summer’s day Weymouth Beach from Bowleaze Cove to the Pavilion can have 100,000 or more. In other words, Weymouth copes with huge numbers of people every single day every summer, so why the need to completely re-work the traffic system?

Over the years Weymouth has held many events on the beach during the summer as an added incentive to attract more visitors (I know, I have worked on many of them), and the Olympics should have been no different.

This was the most wonderful opportunity to attract visitors, not a reason to discourage them or make unnecessary changes to the town. Monies saved on these changes could have gone towards making the town look even more stunning for the TV cameras or, if possible, more urgent projects such as the harbour wall.

Let us hope that those responsible for these failings will at least stand up and be counted.

Do not hold your breath...

Simon De La Mare Cerros Del Aguila Mijas Costa Malaga Spain