Letters: Save this business

Has the council any idea what it would be giving up, if it lets this unique resource go when the Pattisons are keen to stay? Richmond Garden and Farm Supplies is a treasure trove, supplying local residents, local business folk and visitors with a huge range of items for their pleasure, leisure, domestic and business tasks alike.

You would have to travel a very long way to find such a resource elsewhere. If the council does let it go, it will also remove from Richmond a facility which keeps people shopping in the town.

We plead with the council not to be so short-sighted. Should we end up having to travel to Darlington for the things we usually buy at the garden centre, then we may as well do the rest of our shopping whilst we are there.

We request that the council thinks very seriously before finalising a decision to give priority to more "leisure facilities" instead of this irreplaceable resource.

SUSAN HOLDEN and ANNE

CURRIE,

Station Cottages,

Richmond.

Sir, - At a time when scarcely a week goes by without another business closing in Richmond, Richmondshire District Council appears to be trying to close the Richmond Garden and Farm Supplies at the old station.

It seems a confused situation but as I understand it the council has either refused to renew the lease or imposed an unrealistic rent, apparently because the building is in an area designated for leisure use.

If this was a new planning application there might be some weight to this argument but the old station has been used for this sort of business for some 27 years.

Richmond Garden and Farm Supplies provides an essential service making some 20,000 products available to the town and to local farmers. If the business closes the nearest equivalent must be in Darlington or Northallerton and here we have it on our doorstep and with adequate parking.

The centre not only provides a service to the community but it is also a very good use for a fine listed building which was seriously at risk before its present use and will almost certainly be at risk again if the council is unable to find anyone to develop leisure facilities in it.

I cannot believe that the council has thought this through and would urge it to do so. If it goes ahead it will:

l lose 14 jobs;

l put an historic building at risk;

l send a significant volume of business outside the district;

l further inconvenience hard- pressed farmers in the district;

l be defying its own policy of supporting local business.

It would be interesting to hear the counter arguments but if it needs an reason to reverse its decision it surely must be that the centre also caters for DIY and gardening, the largest leisure activities in the country.

MARK WHYMAN

Bargate,

Richmond.

Sir, - Does Mr Harry Tabiner not realise that people need food in their bellies before they can enjoy leisure activities?

To increase the rent of the Richmond Garden and Farm Supplies by 100pc is an underhand way of forcing Mr Pattison to give notice.

The loss of this centre will affect everyone in this area sooner or later. And what about Mr Pattison, his 14 members of staff and their dependents? Are they to be thrown on the scrapheap by the apparently ruthless desire for yet more leisure options? Does Mr Tabiner think they can live on fresh air? Whatever use this building is put to at the end of this year, the staff required will not be the existing garden centre staff I am sure.

And so another shop bites the dust. The attractiveness of Richmond deteriorates every time a business closes. How long will it be before Richmond becomes a "non-retailing town?" When people have to go further afield for something, they usually take advantage of the chance to buy groceries etc whilst they are out.

BETTY E ROBERTSON

Vicarage Road,

Hipswell.

Sir, - I hear with great sorrow of the pending closure of Richmond Garden and Farm Supplies. This comes as no surprise to me as I, an original partner in the creation of this business, was informed by the authorities of that time that it would be nothing more than a "blot on the landscape".

In those days, certain members of our illustrious council would have much preferred a museum. At last by devious means they seem to have achieved their purpose. By making it impossible for this much needed business to carry on, the council has turned its back on the needs of the community and in so doing has hastened the demise of Richmond as a market town.

J SUMNER

High Glee,

Hudswell,

Richmond.

Two wrongs

Sir, - The USA and Britain are agreed on the eye for an eye policy to avenge the atrocities in New York and Washington. It is old fashioned to say it, but two wrongs certainly don't make a right.

Accordingly to a Christian aid worker who was interviewed on the BBC, most Afghanis are only concerned with survival in their drought ridden country, and don't even know or care about Osama bin Laden.

Now thousands more will doubtless be killed for something that has nothing to do with them. This will solve nothing and draw the world into a war where we are all losers.

Muslims and Christians alike should be praying now for peace, for the sake of our children, who will no doubt be traumatised, even if not directly attacked.

ANDREA NADER

Wellbeck Street,

Darlington