MADAM,

Retail businesses which wish to display goods/ street furniture outside will, in future, have to reach agreement with MCC. The reason is to ensure public safety by avoiding trip hazards and the council will be charging a fee of £62.50 to cover the cost of administering the scheme.

However, businesses will also be required to purchase a licence; making this additional charge does nothing to improve public safety and is surely just another source of income for the council.

Many retail businesses are struggling at present: Herbert Lewis of Chepstow recently announced it will close soon and John Lewis will be closing some Waitrose stores after issuing a profits warning. High overheads and internet shopping have created very tough trading conditions on our high street

I sincerely hope that the council will abandon the licence part of this scheme as many of our local shops are already facing an uncertain future.

Diana Price

(Monmouth)