I lived in York some 11 years ago, and often returned to visit - during the day.

Recently I visited York in the evening and was horrified at how it had changed: at 6.30pm there was already fresh vomit on the pavements; many traditional pubs and bars had been converted into alcopop/shots bars and nightclubs, complete with bouncers, and the streets thronged with groups of drunks.

The atmosphere then was fairly unpleasant; by the time I left at 10.30pm it had deteriorated and was threatening.

I would guess your police are busier than formerly and that many tourists who came to York in the past will now stay for shorter periods (if at all).

I checked out my thinking with the landlady of an excellent small city-centre pub, who confirmed my fears. The decision by local hotels, bars and clubs to welcome hen and stag night parties may have done wonders for their profits, but at what cost to everyone else?

The apparent plan to turn York into the nightlife equivalent of Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester is fundamentally flawed and you may find the damage irreversible; I understand some small tourist-based shops are already closing.

It seems this is a change proceeding all over England; big brewery and leisure companies make money while contributing to degenerating behaviour and attitudes in every town centre.

Meanwhile Governments of all political persuasions will relax licensing laws, take the tax revenue generated and wring their hands about "binge-drinking" and "antisocial behaviour".

As long as bars designed to maximise fast drinking and fast customer turnaround are allowed to flourish, these problems will persist. Don't let York replicate other city centres and become a no-go area for regular people for the sake of short-term easy money.

David Jones, Cleveland Avenue, Darlington, Co Durham.