Editor

Re : £300,000 plans to “boost” market town. I read with considerable interest the idea which has been thought up by councillors relating to the above supposed improvements to the amenities in Lampeter.

The footpath itself seems a good idea, to cut vehicle usage, though of course it may well be little-used, as more mature people cannot carry a lot of shopping and the young are not much interested in shopping in town anyway. I can only say that at least one paving stone must be gold plated to take £100,000.

Although I understand that a good market is an asset to any town, as seen in Cardigan and other places, I cannot understand at all the idea mooted re: market stalls in Lampeter. It would appear that councillors have not noticed that the wonderful market which was on the Common several years ago has long since finished and the farmers’ market of more recent years has also closed. Why would that be? It is obviously not a question they have even thought of.

Surely, to make a market of any kind work you now need to put it in a dry and warm place where traders can leave their goods overnight and where shoppers can roam in comfort and which can be open more than a few hours on one day a week/month.

Yes, the dream of a nice day with stalls under trees is wonderful but what about the winter weather? Also have councillors noticed what happened to the shrubs planted near the supermarket – all gone.

Why can’t this huge sum be spent on putting stalls in one or both of the large vacant shops in College Street and High Street? Yes the council would have to pay rent, unless they bought the premises (it may have been better to have done this and converted those buildings to offices rather than building on the edge of town) but equally the stallholders would also have to contribute.

Has anyone asked the wonderful shops which remain in Lampeter how they feel? Perhaps they would welcome some relief business rates for a year or two. I also cannot understand why you want to remove more parking as many people who are unable to walk a long way need a short-stay place without having to rummage through their pockets to pay a fee.

I would suggest that a radical rethink of the spending of such a large sum of money needs to take place. It is also rather odd that £300,000 can be accessed for a scheme such as this, but no money for essential services particularly for the elderly.

Dinah Gibbons Address supplied

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