What a sad and shameful state of affairs

Sir,

I despair reading the council's intentions for our town.

Cirencester was a jewel of a proper English market town. The renowned centre contained a fishmonger, a famous test cricketer, a wonderful ironmongers / hardware shop (Henry Tovey ), a famous jeweller (Leonard Jones), a tailor etc. 

Now thanks to a suburban hunger for pedestrianisation and shared spaces, the town centre is occupied by small multiples selling bad pictures, mobile phones and woollens.

People are tripping over badly laid paving which will become more hazardous with bicycles joining in the fray and it will be much more, not less, dangerous for children.

Local people used to shop in their market town. They now drive in from surrounding countryside to find expensive or no parking, aggressive wardens, and a place designed solely for visiting tourists and not them.

What a sad and shameful state of affairs. This can only harm local traders. 

Michael Henriques
Cirencester