A FEW decades ago very few small town and village shops changed hands or closed.

In recent years the changes or closures have been unceasing.

Everywhere we go now in our surrounding towns we are very saddened to see the closing of shops we visit. These are good, well-stocked shops, which sell necessary goods.

When asked why they are closing we are told of the rising costs of rent and business rates and that people are travelling to larger supermarkets and stores for cheaper buys or more variety, and free car parking close by.

Indeed, the larger supermarkets which are flooding our country are killing small traders' business.

Lack of adequate parking and excessive car parking charges are also high on the list for people now shopping at supermarkets.

Accordingly, we do not agree with Mr Baillie's comments in the Shuttle/Times & News of April 29, that Bewdley traders are not selling what people want and that they are bringing about their own failure to succeed.

Years ago, shopping was a joy in this area, but it isn't any longer for those on low income, the less mobile or ill, for one has to have one's running pumps on to shop in case one runs over time in the car park - that is, if one can find a place to park close to town.

Instead of putting the blame on shop owners, I would place the blame elsewhere and would ask the council to help these small businesses by planning adequate car parking places, providing cheaper car parking to encourage tourism, and reducing rates to those small shops suffering hardships because of regular road works or flood defences. However, I might be asking too much.

To the public I would say, support your small shops, for if you do not one day when you need them they won't be there, and who wants to do all their shopping in large supermarkets?

H WOOLDRIDGE

Buckeridge

Rock