Following the publication of another Daily Telegraph article dismissing Southampton as a worthy destination and it's place in UK history, 'Your Green Breakfast' presenter Xan Phillips has written this response to the editor Chris Evans.

Dear Mr Evans

It pains me to bring this to your attention but one of your journalists made me “spit fire” during my breakfast show on Southampton’s Voice FM

In the article “An honest review of Southampton, Britain’s worst city”, Greg Dickinson demoted Southampton’s contribution to the defence of the UK during World War II as “a bit of Spitfire manufacturing”.

If Greg had made time to visit Solent Sky museum on his recent tour of the city, he would have realised that the Spitfire was designed and built in Southampton by RJ Mitchell, and the last of 24 planes he created here between 1920 and 1936.

This includes the beautiful Supermarine S6, a great example of Art Deco design and engineering.

At a time when the popular mode of transport was horse and cart, not only did the S6 fly at over 400 miles an hour, the pilots were known as the 'Kings of Speed', and a million people lined the Solent to witness the 1931 Schneider Trophy air race, in which the S6 was victorious.

Greg is right to point out how badly Southampton was hit during the war, however it was the Spitfire factory along with the port that made it such a key target compared to other cities outside London.

Another issue is the Telegraph’s headline “An honest review of Southampton, Britain’s worst city”.

The initial article that prompted Greg’s visit was headlined: “Britain’s 20 biggest cities from worst to best.” and had Southampton at 20th for visitor appeal.

With there being 76 cities in the UK, and Southampton the birthplace of the Spitfire, one of the few airplanes that evokes such joy when seen and heard in flight, maybe the Telegraph should review what it means by "worst", mathematically and historically.

Yours sincerely

Xan Phillips
Director and presenter, Voice FM

Original article is here
 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/southampton-honest-review-britains-worst-city/