I AM probably not alone in being both perplexed and saddened by the proposed changes to the Victorian Market Hall, changes that appear to have the tacit approval of Bolton Council.

A plan intended to attract high-end retail names to Bolton would be worthwhile, were it not for the damage to be inflicted upon the popular indoor market and the distinctive character of Bolton as a shopping centre.

The scheme outlined for the market indicates that the town would be competing with Manchester by offering leading brands and products for the young, the trendy, and the well-off. But should such a commercial policy be brought at the cost of the market hall traders - local businesses and family enterprises - who satisfy a demand for basic goods and services, and help to attract so many visitors to Bolton?

The consultants and planners who ultimately shape the town's development should look to trends elsewhere, rather than Manchester. Fine open markets for fruit and vegetables are to be found in Bury, Chorley and Wigan, while the ubiquitous supermarket is to be found everywhere. Wigan even offers a monthly Farmers' Market where small and speciality growers and producers sell their own produce to the public, thereby tapping into the growing awareness of "healthy eating" and the problem of obesity.

I freely admit to behaving in an irrational manner by following in the footsteps of my parents and shopping for groceries in Bolton, although I live outside the borough. But how many other shoppers travel some distance into town because they are accustomed to the amenity Bolton has to offer?

The Market Hall is a part of that distinctiveness, and the stallholders a feature of the town's welcome. If the unique Market Hall ceases to exist, becoming another bland shopping experience, then I fear for the vitality of the other stores and retail outlets.

Shopping habits are not fixed, and a false step now could be paid for in the future, as the volume of business in Bolton stagnates, with the movement of discerning shoppers elsewhere. A vision of the future that builds upon solid commercial foundations is the best way forward. But to displace the traders from the historic Market Hall in favour of so-called quality retailers smacks of folly.

P W Pilling

Bolton Road

Adlington