IAPOLOGISE to Mr R Russell (Letters, September 6) for not appreciating the need for one or two pubs between the Whalley/Burnley Road junction and Church Street, in Accrington -- deemed by him to be a 'vital link.'

I must have missed the dehydrated corpses of those who have succumbed on the 400-yard trek along Broadway.

The 'spreading out' of drinkers to reduce trouble is all very well, but won't it stretch the thin blue police line beyond practicality.

Muggings on Broadway are, I think, rare, if not totally absent, thanks to CCTV.

The 'shoppers' pub on Union Street (in the Broadway area) shut down through lack of daytime trade.

Another two or even one more town-centre pub will, if they make a go of it, simply shut down one or more of the present ones.

Accrington once had a thriving outdoor market and shoppers pouring in from miles around. All that has gone, thanks to council greed and misreading of the situation.

Trying to recoup by allowing yet more pubs is a bankrupt policy.

What is needed is car-friendly access and free, secure, parking.

That is the name of the game and Accrington had it in spades and threw it all away. We don't need drinkers; we need shoppers and pubs on Broadway won't help.

D PRATT (Mr), Plantation Street, Accrington.