Childhood holidays by the seaside are the source of some of our most enduring memories. John Guillaumier reminisces about his summer of 1956 (November 21).

Going through his article took me on a trip down memory lane and brought back to me wonderful and long forlorn memories of when I, too, remember Buġibba as he knew it then. Our summer residence too was on Islet Promenade and had the same wonderful views. It was a safe and healthy environment for kids, somewhere we could go off on our own and play for hours with friends.

It is no coincidence that I also spent most of each day of my summer holidays in the same manner as described by the correspondent. At one time, we had a very small rowing boat, which used to thrill me for hours on end.

The few people who resided there in the summer months knew each other quite well. There was no need for any type of security or to keep any look-out. Police presence was unthinkable and a care-free atmosphere reigned supreme.

Buġibba was a very quiet and relaxing place at the time and continued enjoying this privilege until the early 1970s when the bulldozers and the cement mixers arrived.

No trace of our house is left today because, like many other others, it has been swallowed by sky-reaching, uniform apartment blocks.

Every time I visit, I am deeply saddened by what has happened. The once picturesque seafront has gone and the beautiful row of colourful house façades has been brutally erased. There is little sign of what was once a thriving town at the heart of the Maltese tourist industry.

There are still some beautiful spots around that area and the wonderful panoramic views of St Paul’s Islands are still magnificent but the glorious place of my childhood has largely been left to rot.