MORE than 60 per cent of our website readers believe Eastern Europeans are not an asset to Huntingdonshire. Thirty-two per cent believe they are an asset to the town. The online poll follows a feature in last week s Hunts Post assessing the impact of th

MORE than 60 per cent of our website readers believe Eastern Europeans are not an asset to Huntingdonshire.

Thirty-two per cent believe they are an asset to the town.

The online poll follows a feature in last week's Hunts Post assessing the impact of the influx of Eastern European workers to Britain.

About 2,000 Eastern European people, mostly from Poland, have settled in Huntingdonshire since 10 states joined the EU in May 2004.

Many Huntingdonshire businesses believe these new workers have been an asset to their company and to the local economy.

John Hoskins, managing director of the Huntsbridge Group, which owns the Old Bridge Hotel, in Huntingdon, and provides English-speaking coaching to staff who need it, said: "I believe our service standards have got better and better since the influx of new labour."

John Bridge, chief executive of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and a former Huntingdon businessman agrees.

He said: "A lot of businesses have found it a great blessing, especially in the construction and hospitality sectors.

"Their approach and attitude to work are very different. They are willing to go the extra mile and are very flexible in their working arrangements."

INFORMATION: Visit www.huntspost.co.uk for this week's online poll.