OUR local Business Improvement District (BID) business manager reports that a study has shown that our percentage of empty shops, in Salisbury, is far less than than many other towns and cities and below the national average of 10.4 per cent.

Casual observation will reveal that, in Salisbury, we can stop and have coffees, sandwiches and meals to refresh ourselves as often as we wish as we search amongst the charity shops, estate agents and phone shops for the real retailers that people seek.

Little wonder that many local people visit Southampton, Winchester, Basingstoke, Poole and many of the surrounding towns and cities when they actually need to shop. It was reported earlier this year that the footfall in shopping malls had increased I think this may well have been thanks to the Barons Trail rather than people coming to Salisbury to shop. Thank goodness for the tourists.

BRIAN FORD Salisbury