I was speaking to a trader this morning in Aberdare, and he was telling me that this work is going to drive many shops to the wall. It's going to continue for nine months altogether, and I suppose you could argue that it will be to the long term betterment of the town.

Unfortunately, some businesses are going to fold because of it, as people will not want to come to shop in what looks and feels like a bomb site.

Still, when did that ever bother this local council of ours? Thriving businesses in Aberdare were never top of their priority list, so if some go to the wall, well, that's the way the cookie crumbles as far as they're concerned.

This is an attitude that the Labour council has always had towards business. You win some, you lose some. But I definitely think that there's more than a touch of envy in attitudes towards business in Aberdare.

If you're in business, you're automatically assumed to be rolling in it, when nothing could be further from the truth, and those who hold to this idea will not be dissuaded otherwise.

Maybe therfore that's where the Labour council gets its ideas from with regard to business; it's part of a general attitude that assumes you're a millionaire if you're in business and can ride out the storm that the town is being battered with for the next nine months.

Ah well, when the shops close down and half the town is boarded up, maybe someone in the council chamber will begin to realise that they were pursuing the wrong policy after all. However, I wouldn't hold your breath on that score.

And the latest labour weapon, MY ABERDARE leaflet wow what thinking, waste more money on singing all about aberdare town centre improvement.

I passed the ones by the Black Lion the other day about 4.45pm and outside was swarming with people under the influence of certain substances. My guess is folks would rather pee their pants than try and pass these vermin.