Speaking as the fiancee of Neil Eastwood, an ex-Lancaster Market Hall stall holder, I am writing to express my sadness at the article "A Market Of Opportunity" in "LA Views", a local magazine produced by Lancaster City Council, and delivered through my door at the weekend.

Neil was one of the very people management now seem to be wanting to attract to the Market Hall. At the age of nineteen, Neil set up his business with the assistance of the "Enterprise Allowance Scheme". He successfully ran his business for ten years until the pressures of extortionate rents and a poorly-designed Market Hall meant that Neil had to close his business before serious financial difficulties sealed his fate. This has caused more pain and distress than can be imagined. I feel extremely angry that more was not done to help him stay.

I should like to urge readers who are interested in taking up this scheme to consider their long-term prospects, not just the short-term benefits.

Julie Nicholson

Lancaster

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.