NO ONE in York should be despondent that the city is at number 26 in Experian's retail ranking (Queue for shopping, March 23). To be in the top 50 of the ranking (out of 1,100) signifies a first-class shopping location.

The ranking is relative, so improvements in one location, such as a new shopping centre, will boost its position but doesn't mean those which drop a place as a result have declined.

The biggest change this year was in Birmingham with the opening of the new Bull Ring, but several other towns saw their ranking improve as new developments opened. Sometimes a town drops down the ranking as it pulls down an old shopping centre for redevelopment.

We fully expect more movement from other towns next year as other developments in the pipeline come on stream. Of course retailers want to be in York - it's in the top three per cent of retail locations in the country.

Peter Brooker

Director, Public Relations,

Experian,

Talbot Street, Nottingham.

Updated: 10:57 Tuesday, March 30, 2004