WEDNESDAY night's serious fire at Costcutter in Dunnington makes a point about sustainability in York.

Despite the village expanding for the past 30 years, the same period has seen the number of grocery shops steadily decline until Costcutter is effectively the only one selling most of the basics of life.

This is modern retail economics and no criticism of Costcutter which provided a convenient, modern store.

However, those without a car, including the elderly and mothers with young children, now have nowhere local to buy bread etc and the Dunnington store was also the post office.

Having nearly all your eggs in one basket is poor sustainability.

York's Without Walls consultation exercise on the future of the city seems to be focused on development (and sustainability?) within the outer ring road, but seems to have little to say about development and sustainability in the villages - issues which should be addressed here too.

Dennis Martin,

Cedar Glade,

Dunnington,

York.

Updated: 10:43 Friday, July 18, 2003