SIR – I refer to your comment piece in last Thursday’s edition of the Worcester News where you imply that the proposed Worcester Woods retail park would compare with the regional shopping Mall that is Merry Hill. I fail to understand how you can make that comparison; firstly the Worcester Woods scheme proposes 10 units whereas Merry Hill has about 250 in a scheme of 1.6million square feet and secondly, Merry Hill is a fully serviced covered shopping centre with retail, leisure and restaurant units, Worcester Woods is proposed as an open retail park! It is interesting to note that the ground floor size of Worcester Woods, without the food store is 141,250 sqft. Blackpole and Elgar retail parks total 221,000 sqft. I have also read the conditions offered by the applicant which make it clear that the park will be a ‘home and lifestyle’ destination not a ‘fashion’ park.

This is Worcester’s chance to cement its position on the retail map and give those who don’t currently visit the city a reason to come rather than spending their money elsewhere. Of course it would be great to see John Lewis in the city centre but this is not going to happen, they have made that abundantly clear over the past five or six years. Next and M&S are already in the city centre and wish to remain but they also wish to invest many more millions by securing an additional out of town store. It seems a win win to me.

Many of your readers are, I believe, in favour of this scheme so it is important that they are presented with the facts. To convey an inaccurate message of fear about the destruction of the city centre is not balanced in my view.

Rob Champion

Halls Commercial, Worcester

Cats should be kept inside

SIR – I was dismayed to read about the fatal shooting of a cat in Hindlip by airgun attackers (“Pet killed by airgun yobs”, Worcester News, June 6) My heart goes out to the Parker family at the sad loss of their beloved feline friend and I hope the yobbos responsible are soon brought to justice and given the maximum penalty for their evil crime.

This tragedy should be a reminder, however, that such death and suffering to cats and heartbreak for those who care for them could easily be avoided if the cats were kept as indoor animals and not allowed to roam.

This would not only save the lives of the cats, but also of the many birds and other wild creatures they kill when they are allowed outdoors.

Some may claim that it is not natural to keep cats indoors, but the outside world in this country, with all the traffic, cat-haters and other dangers, is an equally unnatural world for creatures that are not native to this country and originated in the arid lands of the Near East.

I have a number of rescued cats who are perfectly happy living indoors, as I provide them with plenty of toys, climbers and several litter trays.

Increasingly, cat welfare organisations are advising people to keep their moggies indoors and I would urge everyone who cares about their cats to heed this advice.

Jane Hargreaves

Stourport

Our future is unitary

SIR – Worcester Mayor Paul Denham is quite mistaken in believing (Worcester News, June 10) that “The radical idea of a [unitary] South Worcestershire Council has never been properly considered...”

A South Worcestershire was indeed one of a number of options which was evaluated and discussed in great depth around two decades ago. I have only recently sent for recycling a pile of papers about 35 cms deep which informed those discussions, including some on foolscap paper from the previous reorganisation over twenty years before that (and pre-A4 paper).

Wychavon, for instance, was very keen on a unitary council for the south of the county, and what stymied it was the belief of Coun. Denham’s party in Worcester that it could never gain power in such an authority. Worcester City Council’s preference, at the time, was for an expanded (and, arguably, too-small) unitary Worcester City, taking in some of the surrounding villages. I do agree, though, that the future is unitary (as in Herefordshire and elsewhere), whether for Worcestershire as a whole or for just the south. What is key is that, in order for this to work properly and not to become too “remote”, there should be a comprehensive network of small “community” councils (not dissimilar to parishes).

David Barlow

Worcester

Mayor has done top job

SIR – Now Cllr Roger Knight has come to the end of his term in office as Mayor of Worcester, I would like to wish him and his wife well and long may he continue as a conscientious councillor.

He has done an excellent job with his wife in his term of office, he also officially opened Meadow Court and took time to have a chat and laugh with the residents.

Our best wishes to him and his wife.

Rosemary Webley

Worcester

Happy alone in my flat

SIR – Mr Phillpott I spend 80 per cent of my time, day and night alone in my flat, as happy as Larry (June 4)!

George Cowley

Worcester