REGARDING your article (LET, March 6), 'Trader hopes to turn the tables on planning ban,' I would just like to say that I always do my shopping in Darwen, and would like nothing better than to be able to sit outside with a cool drink in the summer months.

Geoff Hindle is only asking permission to use three or four tables, he is not asking the earth.

As for them being a hazard, well, I think the fairground rides are far more hazardous and we've seen these on the same site throughout the year.

So I say to the market management: get off your hobby horses, stop being so petty and let's brighten the place up a bit.

J FISK (Mrs), Blackburn Road, Darwen.

REGARDING your story on trader Geoff Hindle. The benches in the surrounding area of the bus station and market are full of drunks, spitting and throwing cans all over the place.

Cigarette butts are thrown on the floor and the whole area is a mess.

Decent people can't sit on the forms for these drunkards and drug addicts and the council has the cheek to say Mr Hindle's furniture is a public hazard!

N J HAWTREY, Ellenshaw Close, Darwen.

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