I hate shopping with my wife, I hate Christmas shopping. Put the two together and you can imagine the rest. But last Sunday I braved the cold, put on my best smile and did my annual Christmas shopping day with my wife.

What a pleasure it turned out to be. Ample and varied shops mostly indoors, completely pedestrianised city centre streets (no bikes or disabled vehicles!), a Christmas parade through the streets complete with reindeer to mark the turning on of the lights, clearly marked plentiful and secure parking and what's more free all day on a Sunday.

That's probably given it away. We weren't in York but one hour away in Middlesbrough.

York could do worse than take a leaf out of their book.

Keith Allan,

Whitethorn Close,

Huntington, York.

Updated: 11:17 Friday, November 26, 2004