Madam,

In response to the anonymous response to my letter regarding Aberystwyth becoming an “identikit” town (Good mix of local and chain shops), nowhere in my original letter did I say that I do not want Aberystwyth to progress.

Just because I am criticial of the nature of the new building and am immensely critical of the council’s handling of the new building, this does not mean that I am anti-progress. That was not the tone of my letter and to just say “oh here’s another chap who wants to keep Aberystwyth in the dark ages” is neatly missing the point.

The unnamed correspondent also states that we are not as lucky as people living in Ambleside, Cumbria, as they are only an hour away from big shopping centres. That would be Carlisle then, which is not an easy hour away, just the same as Carmarthen is not an easy hour away from Aberystwyth.

In fact, people in Ambleside have to travel to Keswick to use a bank, something we do not have to do in Aberystwyth. I could have gone for a coffee in Costa, or Starbucks or bought a Subway in Ambleside, but just like other places of historical interest around this isle, say Looe or Polperro in Cornwall or even Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, the main street is not dominated by the “usual suspects”.

There is a scattering and you may find them down side streets, but the main street is in the majority given over to local business. Our main street in Aberystwyth is becoming predominantly national chain.

In Aberystwyth, the local business is forced down side streets because of the ridiculous business rates in the main street.

Then we have the situation of signage boards in the streets to point them out which are a danger to the visually impaired and then people start moaning about it. However, if the signs are not there, how are people to know about the interesting local enterprise that is lurking down side streets?

What I want to know is what the local council is doing to promote and encourage local enterprise, to help the local economy grow and prosper and, yes, progress.

As I originally stated, local business supports local business. Sam McKenzie-Grieve ran a warm, friendly cafe that supported local business, obtaining produce from butcher Rob Rattray, for instance. That has now gone because of this “cafe quarter” where people can walk straight out of Tesco or M&S, have refreshment and go home without the need to investigate Aberystwyth any further, and yet that is supposedly “progress”.

I have some friends in Leicester who when visiting had a ritual: fish and chips in the Dolphin (well, that’s no longer there) and a pork roll from Morgans. They did this because it was the local flavour, something different from Leicester.

Yes, a balanced mix is required, a balanced mix I do not see happening.

Yours etc,

Marc Perry, Llanafan.

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