ON Tuesday morning I carried out a brief survey to quantify Mr Barnes's concerns about the state of shopping in Acomb (Letters, October 26).

In the space of a mile between the top of Gale Lane and the Regent buildings, there are seven estate agents, seven charity shops, two amusement arcades and two bookies.

With development proposals for another arcade and another bookies, Acomb is in danger of becoming another identikit shopping area.

However, there are still a few independent shops worth visiting including, a furniture and household goods shop, a musical instrument shop, a traditional toy shop, a food store, clothes stores and numerous hairdressers. Sadly, existing shop owners, and members of the public will have to rely on the common sense of the planning inspector after the arcade proposal went to appeal following York council's rejection of the plans.

I hope the building owners can come up with something more imaginative and unique for their development, perhaps even kick-start a regeneration of the area.

Paul Cunniff,

Front Street,

Acomb, York.

Updated: 09:39 Friday, October 29, 2004