The article on the closure of shops in Locksbottom (News Shopper, September 23), has prompted me to draw attention to a similar situation in Shortlands.

When I moved here 30 years ago, there were three grocers, three butchers and one hairdresser. Now there is one grocer, a butcher and three hairdressers.

We have lost the wool shop, linen shop, ironmonger, chemist and bank, even our post office is under threat.

I am sure all these closures were for sound economic reasons, but what about social considerations?

How many able-bodied people, let alone the elderly and infirm, have the time and energy to climb Martin's Hill to the High Street or take a bus into Beckenham to do their shopping?

Having drawn attention to this problem, it behoves me to suggest a solution, which is: to organise a street market (we already have a wet-fish van on Thursdays).

Space is limited by cars but the grassy area by the junction with Station Road could be used. A market would need to be carefully controlled and supervised, and should be for useful items only, such as haberdashery and ironmongery, not the arty-crafty goods which such markets often attract.

With luck, it might generate some social life in Shortlands before it becomes just another featureless part of the urban sprawl.

Richard Thompson

Shortlands

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