I AM beginning to get the feeling that the Coppergate development is like something out of a low-budget horror movie - you kill it off, only to find that it revives itself later on, in time for a sequel.

And being the prophet of doom that I am, I have a little scenario to share with your readers.

Let us imagine that City of York Council accept a plan to develop this area of the city centre. More shops are built and Clifford's Tower is practically destroyed from the point of view of being an historical monument and tourist attraction.

So York has more shops. But we're still not as "good" as Leeds, which is after all only 25 miles away... So the serious shoppers will probably still go there.

But the tourists who were originally coming to see "historic" York will probably also now go elsewhere, especially if the coach park at Union Terrace is converted into Arc Light II and they only have Kent Street at their disposal.

Added to this, locals will lose a valuable car park for when they wish to spend an evening in town. So now Coppergate has not only not attracted shoppers, it has deterred tourists and, what with the car parks disappearing, the locals are staying away too.

I admit that this is a rather gloomy picture and that things probably won't turn out to be so bad. But can York afford for things to get half as bad as this?

Tourism is about all York has left and I would suggest we try not to lose it, let alone wantonly throw it away.

York may want more shops but it certainly does not need more shops. Please City of York Council, develop York city centre with extreme care.

Dr Richard Greaves,

Morehall Close, York.

Updated: 09:21 Tuesday, March 28, 2006