LEIGH Business Partnership certainly believe in using 'brass' tactics where their criticism of charity shops is concerned.

Their proposals for a more varied shopping centre can only result in less freedom of choice for shoppers. Lack of competition among retailers will inevitably create an opportunity to increase prices and more to the point - increase profits.

In the present economy people can no longer afford to patronise high priced retailers. The simple reason that charity shops survive is because they are what people want.

The fact that high business rates are crippling small businesses does not justify Leigh Business Partnership's allegations that charity shops - who also have high overheads - are contributing to the downfall of our town.

In their remarks that charity shops are proliferating the town centre, the Partnership have chosen to overlook other commercial organisations much more likely to be adding misery to the situation, eg. a dozen or so pubs, take aways, amusement arcades etc.

The demise of Leigh has not been caused by a few charity shops but by the lager louts, drug abusers, litter louts and vandals, who will no doubt gain the same pleasure from demolishing the proposed heritage centre, Victorian bollards and railway arches as they do from robbing the charity shops of a few pounds whenever they feel like demonstrating their 'community spirit'.

The character and goodwill of a town can only be instilled by those who put people before profit, something that critics of voluntary organisations might find is in their own interest to remember.

Bargain hunter

Leigh

(name and address supplied)

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