I HAVE been reading the item about plans for the revamp of Ringwood market place and am in favour of what is proposed.

I moved to Ringwood in 1962, having lived there ever since.

I can remember going to the cattle market when it was on the Waitrose site and also visiting the auction in the market place – which was always good fun especially if you wanted a bicycle and purchasing various items from the many stalls in the market, including several fruit and veg stalls and haberdashery, wool, leather goods, fabric to make a dress for my 21st birthday party.

I can also remember going to the cinema for films and bingo and visiting the arcade shops and the Italian restaurant below. It is such a shame to see that lovely building left as is it although a rescue plan had been put in place – but sadly failed.

On leaving school I worked for one of the banks in the High Street and also at Waitrose for a while.

Ringwood has a wonderful community – we are extremely lucky with all the events that are put on and especially now with all the clubs and societies at Greyfriars, The Barn etc.

We need some more affordable shops for those that don’t have the means to spend at the high end clothes shops in The Furlong, especially with

M & Co likely to leave and the recent roadworks on the A31, which were necessary and the closure of the West Street exit haven’t helped the closure of several shops, including Johnny Junks aka Ringwood Surplus Stores which I can remember when it first opened, and with much less passing trade.

My only worry is that access for disabled must be maintained for those that cannot walk from the main car parks.

Especially for those wanting to attend services and other events at the parish church and other shops and restaurants in that area, with plenty of disabled parking spaces that are not being abused by those that do not need them or the other disabled parking spaces in the rest of the town.

VALERIE RENYARD

Poplar Way, Ringwood