Readers' letters

I WAS intrigued by recent letters to the Echo published under the headings 'Councils have failed us over big stores' and 'Somebody, please stop the planners'. The correspondents, although on a similar subject, take a different approach, but seem in agreement that major national stores should be allowed to expand in the county town to offer a wider range of goods for sale. I am amazed that memories are so short. When Tesco was allowed to move to an out-of-town site Dorchester town centre was devastated, with many long-established businesses closing, never to reopen. The Charles Street area remained as something akin to a bomb site for a considerable time, and while it has now found a use as a car park, the original plans for a new and improved town centre have never come to fruition. As well as the town centre shops affected, many other businesses have gone to the wall as a result of Tesco's ancillary businesses such as the filling station - which, having produced cheap petrol for a limited time is now as expensive as the other few garages which still remained. Evidence of this can be seen at King's Road filling station, which was one of the tidiest sites in the town but now presents a sad picture of a weed-infested area where once well-tended flower beds abounded. It may have escaped the notice of the correspondents that the present policy from central Government is to encourage town centre stores rather than out-of-town shopping complexes. I came to Dorchester 52 years ago and in all that time I have always been able to purchase my immediate needs in the town. Personally, I do not want Dorchester to become a clone of Poole, Bournemouth, Yeovil, Exeter, or Southampton. Nor do I want to see the town centre as I know it devoid of shops which have been converted to living accommodation, which would appear to be inevitable result of further expansion of the major supermarkets in out-of-town locations. To both correspondents I would say: if you want this immediate 'choice' in your shopping, swallow the cost of petrol and wear and tear on your vehicle (and your nerves) and drive to these larger centres, but leave Dorchester with what remains of the west country market town I once knew, trading on its unique blend of specialist shops and historic centre. D READ Casterbridge Road Dorchester.

WHY DO DOGS RECEIVE A BAD PRESS?

I REFER to the letter published on Monday, March 1 by Colin Muckley: 'Ban dogs all year from certain areas of resort'. While I sympathise with Mr Muckley and, indeed, everyone wishing to go for a walk on the beach without having to worry about walking in dogs' mess, I feel that to ban dogs from certain areas is not fair on responsible owners. I have three children and a dog and we often go to Weymouth beach for a stroll at the weekend. We always clear up after our dog and there are so many bins provided on the esplanade that there is absolutely no excuse not to. One thing the council could do is put small plastic bags by the bins, as dogs are unpredictable and, with the best will in the world, even if you take a handful of bags with you on your walk there are times you may not have enough. I have run out before and had to leave my eldest child on the beach guarding the 'deposit' while I have run into a shop to ask for a carrier bag. Unfortunately, in this world there is always a minority who will always spoil things for the majority - litter louts, vandals and hooligans, to name a few. It is sadly a fact of life, but punishing good citizens is not the answer. And why do dogs get all the bad press? Cat faeces is equally dangerous to our health. But who stops cats from coming into my garden and doing what they like in my children's sandpit? Perhaps cats should be stopped from wandering the streets freely. Now there's a thought. AMANDA SYMMS Green Lane Crossways

NEW PARTY WILL TARGET EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

ON SUNDAY February 29 I attended in Weymouth the local launch of a new national political party - Respect, the Unity Coalition. Respect has been born out of the Stop The War movement and is a coalition of those disillusioned with the three mainstream political parties, especially New Labour. What unites those in Respect is opposition to the Iraq war, top-up fees and hospital privatisation. We support a sustainable environment, the empowering of the community and equality. It is the intention of Respect, co-founded by George Galloway MP, to field candidates in all constituencies in England and Wales in the forthcoming European elections. We intend to make the election a referendum on Tony Blair's premiership, while locally holding South Dorset MP Jim Knight to account for his unwavering support for Blair. The European election provides an excellent opportunity to challenge the policies of New Labour, as votes are counted under proportional representation. This will allow electors to vote with their conscience in the knowledge that every vote will count. BERNY PARKES Fortuneswell, Portland

JOB DESCRIPTION TAXED MY MIND

GLANCING through the Dorset County Council Opportunities ads in last Wednesday's Echo, one ad in particular caught my eye: 'Diversity Officer', salary up to £26,646 plus relocation package. I wondered what such a person does, so I read on: "We are looking for a knowledgeable professional to take a pro-active role promoting diversity throughout the county council. You must be resourceful and forceful in seeking to embed diversity and encouraging ownership of the issues, by managers staff and elected members". None the wiser, I rang the number given but only got an answer-phone message. Never mind folks, when you are wondering how you are going to find the next inflation-busting council tax rise you may feel reassured to know that there is a diversity officer out there waiting to leap into action on your behalf. R HOWSE Redcliff View Weymouth

OUR POST OFFICE IS STAYING OPEN

THERE has been some confusion about which post office is closing on Abbotsbury Road in Weymouth. There are in fact two post offices in Abbotsbury Road. The closing post office is Westham PO, which is at the town end of Abbotsbury Road. Abbotsbury Road Post Office at the Admiral Hardy/Adelaide end is staying open. Under the Post Offices Network reinvention scheme we will be developing the post office side of the business, extending our counter opening times and installing an additional counter. We are committed to the future of the Post Office network and believe the network will be stronger after rationalisation. PETER BASSETT Sub-postmaster Abbotsbury Road Post Office Weymouth