Sir – I find the varying reports on the retail developments, proposals and shopping in Skipton send out very mixed messages.

I agree with Skipton Town Council and question whether the retail/industrial park near Sandylands and Waltonwrays is needed.

Does Skipton need yet another supermarket and/or hotel?

These, coupled wtih the proposed new farm shop at the roundabout will take trade away from the town centre. And with the reported closing of the Russian Tea Rooms and moving the Handpicked Hall due to quietness in the town centre NOW (as with other town centres, which is obvious sometimes), and also people shopping online, does Skipton need more shops like the development at the top of High Street? Is this coming too late? Will it attract people into the town centre?

The other thing is that people coming from the south will probably visit Aldi and not go any further into town.

I also agree that it would not be very good to have a retail park next to Waltonwrays. I visit the garden of rest from time to time and find it very peaceful.

Would it be so if a noisy retail park with lots of traffic was nearby?

I have said for many years, surely there has got to be a saturation point with all these supermarkets. Surely they cannot all carry on indefinitely.

The government and local authorities keep passing plans and allowing these and other shops and businesses, but afterwards they aren’t interested if places go quiet and shops and businesses have to close.

The authorities will have had their share of the cash through business rates etc, and probably still even receive this money when the shops remain empty!

I see that the local traders are also being urged to say yes to the BID for funding, but have another one per cent put on to their business rates in order to hopefully have funds put back into the local economy for the next five years. They need reasons to be able to say yes.

I would urge Craven District Council to think about Skipton town centre and not pass plans for “out of town” shopping. But, saying this, if the car parking rates in town were brought down, it would encourage more people to come into Skipton town centre.

Helen Reid, Settle