Town centres need to be given a new lease of life - Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Michael Storey, Brighouse.

I always read and value articles by Daxa Patel and Ismail Mulla. Their articles in TYP of September 25 were both spot on.

Daxa was very sensibly having a dig at Earl Spencer and his digging up ancient history regarding Princess Diana. As Daxa has written, “the media's responsibility is clear; act with proportion and focus their efforts on what matters”. We have all had enough of the Earl's moans.

Ismail wrote about his visit to his home town Dewsbury and its renovated Arcade and suffering market. As a boy in the 1940s and 50s, I was taken by my mother most weeks to Dewsbury Market and wandered round the various big shops in Dewsbury, Burton's, Woolworth's, M&S etc.

As Ismail has written “perhaps it’s time for fresh thinking”. How true. His comments apply to many town centres in the West Riding, and elsewhere. Getting the balance right is a tough job for town planners. I wish I had sensible suggestions - being nearly 90 - very unlikely!