I AM astonished at the outpouring of grief, over the closure of the Waitrose store.

If the store had been competitively priced, and attractive as an alternative to Sainsbury's, Tesco et al, then I am sure the store would have been re-considered as a candidate for closure.

Instead of bleating about what is an ultimatum, I would suggest that the real effort should be put in to persuading the district council that this is an ideal opportunity to attract shoppers into the town centre, by using the space for an indoor market.

The indoor market should, of course, have been put into the old Marks & Spencer store, but it wasn't.

The real reason why Kidderminster town centre is failing is the lack of car parking.

I, for one, am not prepared to get up at the crack of dawn to secure a space in the Weavers Wharf car park, and I don't suppose I am alone.

NIGEL PREECE

Birchfield Road, Kidderminster