SIR: Mrs Compsty could not be more wrong in her letter, supported by the paper's headline, blaming the Council for Boydell's closure.

There is a national problem; these local toy shops have been hit hard by large chain stores on out of town sites. Bolton cannot buck such a commercial trend, I am afraid. Bolton does not set the business rate or rateable value of business premises, the Government does, but we have to collect it. Every property pays rates, whether there are children or not.

The Bow Street car park would have been modernised years ago, but capital restrictions have pushed the idea down the list of urgent plans below schools, housing and economic development. My understanding, as reported recently, of the problem for Boydell's was a difficulty with their landlord, not the Council. They were not allowed to re-negotiate their lease and, therefore, decided to close.

We are doing a great deal in partnership with traders to improve the Town Centres of Bolton, Farnworth and Westhoughton. Give me a call Mrs C and I will give you the facts.

Cllr RL Howarth,

Town Hall, Bolton.Fact

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.