YOUR correspondent F L Jones appears to confuse the very different issues of corporal and capital punishment in bygone Worcester. (You Say, May 9).

Corporal punishment proved to be detrimental to trade, hence objection by local shopkeepers. Moreover, there was always a risk of re-offending.

Conversely, capital punishment proved popular and public hangings could be quite a gala occasion, attracting large numbers of visitors to the city.

I never knew of any objection by local traders and the risk of any re-offending seemed greatly reduced.

JOHN HINTON, Worcester.