Following on from Julia Grint’s letter in last week’s Courant, I have to agree with most of what she says. Hexham town centre is already diabolical.

What with empty shops and failed businesses, which will produce even more vacancies, and the litter and mess that abounds, we are facing a poor lookout for the future. And now we have McDonald’s and other out of town shopping looming up, which will only exacerbate the problems.

Difficulties perhaps started with things like the mart moving out but even worse was the opening of Tesco.

Tynedale retail park’s planning permission excluded the sale of food, but Tesco seem not to have that restriction?

Odd eh? If the big boys can overrule the rules, what chance for smaller businesses? Come on councillors, save our town!

DAVID DIXON

Hexham