AFTER reading LET (November 3) I was astounded that the council, who have previously applied for city status for Blackburn, appear to think that by restricting the town's business growth they are protecting an already declining market trade.

Surely encouraging any business will have a knock-on effect.

It will create competition, giving rise to tighter price control which will entice more shoppers to the area, thus pushing up evert traders takings and that in turn will encourage more business to look again at Blackburn and invest money.

It will create new jobs and more wealth. Surely this can only be a good thing.

Let's get people talking about Blackburn again and not just for football.

It can be done. Other towns do it and so can we, given half a chance.

KAREN HARGREAVES, Willow Trees Drive, Lammack, Blackburn.

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