Cameron Courtenay-Hunter, of Gestridge Road, Kingsteignton, writes:
My wife was a spectator at the crowning of the carnival queen last Saturday in Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot.
She enjoyed the new venue, but would make the following observations for participants and spectators alike – which, incidentally, were shared by several others standing with her at the time.
First, it was far too long. Second, it was so necessary to use a microphone for everyone. We completely lost anything said by some of the adults. Third, was it necessary to subject so many small children to such a long ordeal? I am sure they had no understanding of what was going on and I was sorry for the mothers having to try and keep them quiet at the appropriate times. There seemed to be an unnecessary gathering of so many of them, really serving no seeable purpose.
The presentations of the bouquets was so tedious it almost spoiled the event.
I must say that I saw last year's crowning and thought it far, far better than this one, which was a bit of a disappointment.
Most spectators have only a limited time before having some other appointment or a bus to catch, so something shorter would have been greatly beneficial to everyone.
I was totally unable to understand the purpose within the scheme of the awful inapproppriate dancers at the end. why were they there?
Perhaps next year it will improve.