ROY Templeman, on behalf of the city council, tells us that unless more shopping space is provided (and by this he means Coppergate II) retailers will desert the city centre in droves ('Major shops could leave York', June 27).

We have never found any evidence to suggest this would be the case and Mr Templeman apparently "does a Gilligan" and declines to reveal his sources. Clearly the council is getting nervous before the Coppergate decision is announced. Why?

Philip Crowe,

Chair, York Tomorrow,

Stonegate, York.

Updated: 12:08 Friday, July 11, 2003