IT was deeply disappointing that Bolton's planning committee had approved the controversial development plan for the Market Hall.

No-one can fault the logic of the need for dramatic improvement in this 150- year-old building. Of course it needs a large amount of money spending on it, and of course the town needs to demonstrate positive encouragement for future developments, like the one planned around nearby Central Street.

But, it is a fact that by approving a scheme which plainly rules out the majority of current stallholders and replacing this rich retail mix with a faceless modern shopping centre, we are still sacrificing an important part of the town's history and leaving a shell behind.