SIR,

I doubt if we will ever hear the last of the stories regarding the shopkeepers blocking the pavements to display their goods.

I would like to ask: Do they pay rates to the Council to use the pavements?

If their premises are not big enough to display all their goods, perhaps they should buy or rent larger shops, perhaps the environmental officer from the Council should police these shops to see if there are any bird droppings, mice, rats or other pests, even dogs mess near the food outside.

What if every shop in Monmouth decided to display all their produce outside, what's good for one should be allowed for everyone.

There was a great improvement when the A Boards were moved away, but I see a few selfish shopkeepers have moved them back outside again.

Now, if Monmouth Police and the County Council get together and can do something about the cars and lorries mounting the pavements, and parking on them (perhaps they could start in St Mary's, St., it is very narrow and you always have to walk in the road), then Monmouth could become a safer place to shop in.

R.Smith

(Coleford)