HAS Mrs J Thornley (Letters, January 26) or any of the other complainants about Darwen, taken into consideration that it is not just the increase in rents that cause the closure of small businesses, but the fact that we have about five supermarkets, besides other cut-price stores, which take away trade from small traders?

As far as I am concerned, Darwen, for its size, is a thriving little town and a pleasant one, too.

We can't expect it to come up to near-city standards.

It has a decent market and market hall, with very few, if any, empty stalls and with more variety of goods for sale than we have ever had.

I hate to see letters running down a thriving town. When we walk around Darwen we always see friendly faces we know, which we don't get in a larger town or city.

People are so ready to blame councillors who are only human beings like ourselves -- prone to making mistakes.

If we think we can do better, then we should put up for election ourselves -- because we cannot do without councils.

I am a Blackburnian by birth, but have spent most of my life both working and living in Darwen and I know which I prefer.

MARGARET WILSON, Bowling Green Close, Darwen.