What's the point here?

He outlines a brief history of Stokesley High Street over the last few months, has a complaint about the democratic process involved in the Stokesley Neighourhood Plan which as I read it, is asking for residents of Stokesley what they actually want, then makes a rather arrogant statement that he knows all about the Mill Riggs Farm Development because he signed the agreement.

Johnson's Dry Cleaners did not close out of choice, I am led to believe the owners of the building wanted an alternative arrangement for their property. The Spar closed because there was never any stock on the shelves when you went in there.

The Save Our Stokesley campaign was a reaction from the small businesses of Stokesley High Street seeing their livelihood being threatened by the introduction of a huge superstore being built on the outskirts of the town.

Perhaps he should visit Bishop Auckland, as I am told it has become a ghost town now that all the big supermarkets have opened 24hr stores on the outskirts of the town.

As for Stokesley being a surviving market town perhaps again he should visit any weekday lunchtime to see all the Stokesley schoolchildren spending their money in a variety of shops or attend the farmers' market which has won national awards.

Lotties Tea Room, which Mr Jopling failed to mention, opened recently and is thriving, the new fish and chip shop which opened is thriving, Chapters Deli is thriving, Chapters Hotel is thriving, Olivia's Bakery is thriving, Howards is thriving, all these businesses are bringing in people from outside of Stokesley. Both butchers and the two fruit and vegetable shops are always busy.

What is the real reason for the letter, sour grapes? Please don't hide behind the façade of thinking you are doing the residents of Stokesley a favour with the Mill Riggs Farm Development. The real reason I suspect is as Del Boy used to say, you can see "a nice little earner."

ANDREW ROBINSON

Stokesley.