I have been shopping with my family in York, and to say that the customer service in some of our top stores is appalling is an understatement.

Woolworths, Fenwick, the Bhs restaurant, the Yorkshire Bank and Index Stores all showed the poorest levels of basic customer care.

Many stores have temporary staff who have no interest in their work and very little knowledge of the products they sell.

More worrying is that, in a year where sales are soaring and the busiest time is upon us, there were no sign of smiles, manners or the basic ethic that the customer is king.

I made a conscious effort to support my local stores this year and I am very disappointed by the experience.

Of all the stores I visited Marks and Spencer's food store must be complimented for a helpful assistant and a very friendly check-out operator. Well done to them both.

With new stores planned soon in York the rest must really pull their socks up - or suffer the consequences.

Bill Schofield,

Terry Street, York.