I hate to say "I told you so" but the news that the listenership of BBC Southern Counties Radio has dropped by around one third since former managing editor Neil Pringle carried out his hatchet job on the station last spring (The Argus, May 11) comes as no surprise.

As Mr Pringle's counterparts at BBC Radio 4 have learnt only too well over the years, regular listeners do not take kindly to massive changes, particularly in this instance where three successful and much-loved presenters were shown the door to make way for, it seems to me, far lesser personalities, including the boss himself.

But more importantly, Southern Counties has all but lost its local radio status in Brighton and Hove since Sarah Gorrell's excellent weekday breakfast slot dedicated to the city was axed.

Surely the key to raising the figures of a radio station is to first keep the listeners you already have, then make gradual but impressive changes without alienating tens of thousands of past loyal fans such as myself.

We listened to Southern Counties Radio, so why didn't it listen to us?

  • Darryl Marks, Eaton Road, Hove