SO, Waitrose is to close. Goodbye to another specialist store in Kidderminster.

In recent times, this town has lost a dedicated bookshop, record shop, family-run electrical business and sports shop.

That seems to be OK, however, because most of the supermarkets are able to cater for best-sellers in books, the top 100 albums, electrical goods and sports clothes for the armchair athletes and dedicated followers of fashion.

So what is left for the shopper who wants quality and value? Where are the shops to attract the individual that sell a more diverse range of goods? Where are the independent businesses and how long is it before the big supermarkets take over this town?

Has anyone noticed that the town has lost its centre. It now stretches from Crossley Retail park to B & Q with Tesco roughly in the middle of a series of car parks surrounded by large, bland stores. Everything looks the same and the majority of shops seem to offer the same type of goods and services to what seems to me to be a undiscerning buyer.

It it not about time this town tried to attract a few quality stores for shoppers who don't just want to shop for the top 10 or most popular items?

For a start we need a record store or bookshop because at the moment it seems the town has become a succession of pound shops, phone shops, discount clothes stores and, of course, supermarkets.

What will be next to go? The town has become, in my opinion, a mediocrity with a very dull and limited choice in shops . It also seems that those people who do want to shop here are attracted by a handy car park.

Perhaps the town should twin with Tesco or Sainsbury's.

M CALDWELL

Chester Road North

Kidderminster