ON October 30 you carried a front page story about Bewdley under the heading "Shops Desert Ghost Town".

As you know, we are deeply involved in the regeneration of Bewdley which is vital for the future of the town and surrounding area.

Whilst appreciating the perceived air of neglect associated with empty shops in town we are frankly surprised that you portrayed Bewdley as a town in decline.

Bewdley is no different to many small towns where movements in and out of retail businesses are part of a varied economy.

The Shuttle/Times & News has an excellent reputation for fair and balanced reporting and although last week's Letters Page has gone some way to redressing matters, to find our "newspaper of the year" hindering local progress is very much out of character.

By focussing on selective viewpoints you have antagonised and enraged a number of business traders and residents. We believe the report has unjustly bruised Bewdley and undervalued our hard work which you have so often reported positively in the past.

Despite the empty shops, Bewdley is not in decline and we would like your readers to know that our organisations are continuing to collaborate to raise Bewdley's economic and tourism profile.

The key messages for Bewdley are:

l We are committed to promoting and improving the vitality and viability of Bewdley. We have been successful in obtaining funding through the Market Towns Initiative and the Rural Regeneration Zone for short and long-term investment in Bewdley. A total of approximately £800,000 has been secured or achieved.

l We are ambitious for Bewdley. A 15-year Master Plan has already been formulated and is under active discussion. With the collaboration of all partners, businesses and residents, we are confident that Bewdley will prosper as a small town. And it will become one of the stars and gems within the West Midlands region.

l A number of changes have already taken place in Bewdley and there are further initiatives in the pipeline. These include new signage, skate park study, cycle route study, Wribbenhall quayside improvements, parish survey, footpath survey, improvements to buildings, community ICT, CCTV study, grants to organisations, business support package, new play area at Shaw Hedge Road and proposed improvements to Severn Side South.

HOWARD MARTIN, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council

FRANK BAILLIE, Bewdley Town Council

JOHN ILES, Chairman of Opportunity Bewdley

CHRIS WILDE, Chairman of Bewdley Chamber of Trade

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Shuttle/Times and News always strives for fairness and balance and this report did not rest solely on the views of two struggling traders.

It is good journalistic practice to obtain a view from an umbrella group and a chamber of trade spokesman was quoted in the story.

His words were: "Everybody is struggling. There is a gut feeling that Bewdley could end up as a 'ghost town' because we are struggling to make ends meet."

This person then sent a thank-you e.mail to the Shuttle/Times and News office on a "good" story the day after publication.

Balance was further achieved by comments from a well-respected estate agent who put forward the view that Bewdley has always had "quite a high turnaround" of shops.

I am glad that this newspaper's positive coverage of Opportunity Bewdley has been recognised.