I FELT I must write in response to the front page article on January 3, regarding trade losses in Kidderminster over the holiday period.

I decided to take my children Christmas shopping after school on the Friday of the week before Christmas.

I found parking relatively simple and when I got to town I knew why.

Come 5.30pm most shops had shut up and although some were open, the town was so depressing and uninviting that we just went to McDonald's and then home.

I don't particularly want to go to Merry Hill, as it is so manic, but I don't think Kidderminster traders can solely blame parking as the problem.

There are a lot of changes going on at present in the town which, hopefully, will bring our town kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Maybe next Christmas traders will think about staying open until at least 6.30pm.

I was also glad to hear Bewdley and Stourport had improved figures and Bewdley did try, by extending opening on a Wednesday, though this was poorly advertised.

MRS D BUTLER

Woodthorpe Drive

Bewdley