I'm glad City of York Council is still trying to push for further retail development in York, in the same way it pushed for a big wheel.

Recently I was shopping in Manchester, where the big wheel has returned next to the world's largest Next store. The queue for the wheel was too long to wait in - I think the York wheel will be equally popular.

York desperately needs a retail development of some kind in the city or a Meadowhall-style development outside the centre.

When some relatives visited me from a small town in Cambridgeshire, we went shopping. After no more than two hours, my cousin asked me: "Is this it? I remembered there being more shops in York".

York now has Zara and H&M chainstores, but has a long way to go to be counted as a 'shopping city'. The city's Debenhams store is disappointingly small and doesn't even have a caf or toilets.

Maplin Electronics is a well-known store, with outlets in places as small as Barnsley - but no store in York.

Fancy some "finger lickin' good" chicken? You will have to go out to a small run-down hut on Blossom Street to find it, it's just opposite that shabby-faced cinema.

Other major chains missing from York include Primark, House of Fraser and John Lewis.

York's shopping is on a par with Derby and... Middlesbrough. Actually, from what I've heard, Middlesbrough is slightly better because it has malls so you can shop without getting soaked when it rains.

York cannot rely solely on historic value to bring in tourists. If people keep saying "no" to any kind of development, people who can afford to change location will move to cities that cater for their needs. Something needs to be done... and quickly.

Chris Nelson,

Byland Avenue,

York.

Updated: 09:44 Monday, March 27, 2006