Why does City of York Council not want Burgins perfumery to protect its premises in St Helen's Square (Dis-scent over shop, February 25)?

Residents in Haxby have seen what happens to businesses that cannot keep up with the cost of replacing vandalised windows. I refer of course to the Chapmans store, which shut last year.

Would the council rather see yet another empty property in the city centre? Perhaps they would like it to become another coffee bar, fashion sportswear shop or Italian eatery to go with all the ones we've already got.

The suggestion of putting the grille inside the window rather defeats the aim of preventing the window getting broken in the first place, and if the reason for removal of the offending shutter is that the building is a listed building, well the damage is already done now.

Richard Greaves,

Morehall Close, York.

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