In reply to Tom Ridout’s letter in last week’s Salisbury Journal “Leaf-picker left me open-mouthed".

Firstly, Mr Ridout’s comment regarding “The often unwelcoming little square off The Maltings". I take it Mr Ridout was referring to Priory Square. Let me point out that Priory Square is well kept, clean and tidy, with benches for the public to sit and chat and, on most days, when it is not raining, people come and eat their lunches. It is surrounded with five well kept and inviting shops.

The cleaner Mr Ridout was referring to is not a council employee but an employee of a local cleaning firm, who the Maltings employ to keep the shopping centre in a clean and spotless state.

The uniform the cleaner was wearing was blue and the council’s uniform is green, and the cost to clean The Maltings does not come out of Mr Ridout’s pocket as he stated.

My cleaner takes pride in his job to the extent that after he finishes the hours that he is contracted to do you will see him working extra hours in his own time to keep the centre as clean as it is.

Yes he is supplied with a brush, two in fact, which if Mr Ridout had observed were attached to his barrow along with a shovel, black bags and other implements needed for his job, which he uses.

The cleaner in question has been working in The Maltings for over two years and in that time he has been complimented on his work hundreds of times, but never criticised. I know his working practises may not be as orthodox as other peoples but “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it."

Bill McConnell, Centre Manager, The Maltings