MADAM,

I would like to express my profound dismay on hearing that proprietors of the shops in Church Street, Monmouth are to be charged a levy for displaying their goods on the pavement.

I am thinking particularly of Munday’s fruit and vegetable store which adds so much to the life of the town. On a sunny day it transports us to the delights of a continental outdoor market, and on a dismal day the display lifts the spirits.

As a recent incomer and elderly at that, I have plenty of time to observe how charmed visitors are by Church Street, its shops and cafes and general atmosphere.  I strongly believe that the retailers feel their position is threatened. They were badly affected by the hike in business rates and wonder how they can keep trading. Charging for outdoor display may be the last straw for some.

Monmouth traders do not deserve this treatment.

Diana Turnbull

(Monmouth)