I REFER to an article published in The Times on November 29.

I could not believe the rubbish spouted about the market town of Evesham. This was obviously an account by one greengrocer, unable to move with the times in an ever-changing market.

It reports generations of youngsters leaving the town through boredom and lack of opportunity. Of course these generations leave, they are going to university to build upon the excellent education that they have received locally. Once qualified they have the pick of many jobs available across Europe, and many do return.

At the age of 23 I have completed my degree in Birmingham. I now run my own business in Evesham, and have done for the last two years. I sell and rent commercial and residential property in the town and my business has grown from strength to strength over the two years that I have been established. I am also the youngest ever chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of Evesham Town Council. I am not a special case, there are many people of my generation who live and work in the town, and who are involved in its day-to-day running.

Average unemployment across the West Midlands is 4%, where as Evesham has an unemployment rate of just 2.3% in October of this year.

It refers to a lack of community and complains our cinema will now close. It is true the cinema has been put on the market by its owners but this in itself has generated an enormous community response. The people of Evesham have formed a trust to purchase the cinema for the town. At a public meeting held recently more than 150 people attended and the committee is well under way in its feasibility study and cash-raising.

Much was made of the lack of opportunities in our town. How ironic then that advertised at the foot of the page of the article, alongside Fujitsu Siemens, Compaq, Hewlett Packard and Tiny Computers was evesham.com.

Evesham.com employs over 520 people and has a turnover in excess of £84 million. This firm started in the town centre and was established by an Evesham man less than 15 years ago. The firm is now in £4.5 million headquarters on Evesham's Vale Business Park. I let many properties to employees of the firm who re-locate to Evesham from as far afield as Munich and Dubai.

This business park has only been established over the last six years but its developers have sold more than 60 plots at land prices in excess of £180,000 per acre. Occupiers include the likes of Murley Agriculture, Christian Salvesen, Fujitsu and many more. Offices are being let quicker than they are being built at rents equivalent to Worcester, Stratford and Cheltenham.

The town centre has recently had over £15 million spent on its shopping centre by private developers. In 1989 only 39.4% of units were occupied, today only two of the 33 units remain without tenants. Occupiers include Woolworths, Hawkshead, Clintons, Next, Famous Army Stores, Body Shop and Our Price. Rents in the town centre have consistently increased since the economy nationally climbed out of recession.

It complains about the lack of a sports centre or swimming pool. Evesham boasts a leisure centre less than 10 years old with 25 metre pool, basketball courts, gym, squash courts and many more facilities. All of these are available free to young people attending Evesham College. The town is also host to the Worcestershire Centre of Excellence for Cricket.

I play basketball for the town in a team that has been running for more than 30 years. More than 40 youngsters below the age of 16 regularly turn up for training every Friday at Prince Henry's High School, and this for a minority sport. Our football, rugby, hockey, swimming and cricket clubs, along with many more, are equally well attended.

Evesham is not dead, it is alive and kicking. Greengrocery is dead, thanks to the competition from the supermarkets. Do not tar our town with the same brush.

ROBERT JOHNSON BSc (Hons) Est Man ANAEA, Johnsons Property Consultants and Evesham Chamber of Commerce.