Council should stand up to bullying

The reality is that the current Warwick District Council proposals start from what land is being thrown in the pot by land owners, and the financial incentives and assumed potential revenue for local government from, for example, the supermarkets - whose financial structures give them a uniquely privileged position amongst present and potential local businesses, rather than a vision of what we want Warwick to look and feel like in the foreseeable future.

Such pragmatism, rather than clear policy structures - which to be fair were at least recognisable in the previous local plan - places inevitable bias in the planning process, resulting in the town centre being stuffed full of charity shops! I can’t be alone in frequently having been asked by tourists in the Market Square where the centre of Warwick is. I sometimes have to wonder myself.

Well - I’m just off to downtown Woodbury to buy some fruit and veg in the local greengrocers. The last one of those in Warwick centre is now a building society. But I do believe that Sainsburys, Tescos, Morrisons, Asda, Lidl, and soon the Co-op, sell such produce - some on multiple locations around the town. So we’re OK. - Dr Barry Meatyard, USA, via email.