I WOULD like to comment on the headline (June 20) about rescuing Ripon’s beleaguered retailers. As a former retailer in Ripon for almost 20 years who had to financially suffer, on a number of occasions, as a result of the mismanagement of the infrastructure of our beautiful city, I thought the headline was going to be good news at last for Ripon’s small retailers.

They have had to put up with so much disruption in their attempts to provide a service for the residents of, and visitors to, Ripon AND make a living. However, on reading further, my blood pressure rocketed. In my opinion the request for money was a bit like throwing a drowning person a lead filled lifejacket.

If somebody suggested to me that there was a plan by the developers of the west side to put existing retailers out of business by causing so much disruption, and their apparent unwillingness to compensate struggling businesses adequately, thereby clearing the way for their new clients, I would find it very plausible.