I HOPE Darlington council gets some expert advice to retrieve our town.

Once, we had a marvellous town, known all over the North-East as the place to go for bank holidays. People even came to stay for a bank holiday weekend.

We had a town full of shops from the market right along to Albert Road, as well as Bondgate, Priestgate and Crown Street.

There was a great variety, from furniture, bikes, DIY, clothing, handicrafts, opticians and lots more.

Then came the ring road which cut the town in half.

All that is left now beyond that ring road is takeaway food and cafes.

Darlington is known as a market town, so people should have easy access to all stalls, yet it is not easy for those with disabilities and the elderly to walk the length of a street market.

That is why Stockton is so popular. It also has a marvellous block of free toilets right in the centre of its market.

Sylvia Green, Darlington