FOLLOWING complaints about charging on Elms car park, Whitefield, I would like to make readers aware that the owner of Total Fitness (and presumably, owner of the car park), the one and only Albert Gubay, failed to make the top 10 in the list of Britains top earners last year.

However, his showing was very creditable - 11th, with estimated earnings of £80 million. Add this to his existing fortune of some £600-£700 million and people should realise that you don't make that sort of money by allowing free parking for reasonable periods (e.g. as previously, for one hour).

Think of all those people who used to use the car park (me included), attended the Elms surgery and stayed for up to one hour. Think of all the electricity wasted lowering and raising the barrier, and the paper wasted printing tickets, all for no revenue.

Obviously that couldn't be allowed to continue. Mr Gubay, as usual, has got his way.

It would be interesting to know what damage this new restriction is causing to the businesses on the precinct, especially at the chemists.

Does anyone seriously think that it is possible to attend an appointment at the surgery, then go and get a prescription, all in under 15 minutes? I thought not. Able-bodied people like myself will use Green Lane to park on, and walk the extra distance.

And what about the less physically-able? Does anyone want to bet that the next ploy will be to shut the gate between the fitness centre and the surgery, thus forcing people to endure a long detour from the car park?

Perhaps, when the businesses begin to fail, and the shops are vacated, someone might turn up on a Saturday morning with a mechanical digger - as they did once before - and start demolishing the whole lot.

Or am I being facetious?

PAUL TAYLOR,

Tamworth Avenue,

Whitefield.