I HAVE lived and shopped in York for six years and it has never ceased to amaze me the lack of respect and the miserable attitude which most shop staff display to customers.

I had always thought it was the fact that I expected too much having spent years as a retail manager.

It was not until I returned to my home town for the first time in years that I realised just how poor the attitude to the customer really is here.

What has happened to customer service?

A smile costs nothing - or is it just that nobody in this city really cares?

S Carpenter,

Evelyn Crescent,

Clifton, York.

Updated: 11:26 Saturday, December 01, 2001