Well, the sad fact is that the market is in decline and has been since Clarke and Howes controlled the borough council.

If we do nothing that decline will continue.

The Lib Dem administration of the borough council starts with two simple objectives:

1 To revitalise the market so that it is an attraction that draws people into our town centre.

To achieve that the market has to attract new traders and new customers with a wide range of desirable, competitively-priced products.

2 To make the Market Square an attractive place to visit during the day and into the evening after the main market has closed.

Currently the square dies as soon as the market traders move out leaving a cold, dark hole in the middle of our town where there should be life, activity and vitality.

The Market Square is a fantastic asset. Cities across Europe would love to have such a wonderful space at their heart.

The Market Square and the market are so important to Northampton that it is worth investing time, effort and money to get it right, which is exactly what we are doing.

Successful markets and successful market squares are dynamic places that people want to visit. They are no longer just places to buy a couple of pounds of spuds and a cabbage.

The combination of traditional and specialist stalls, cafes and entertainment – a mix that changes with the hour and with the season – make successful market squares places to visit and to linger, places to sit and watch the world go by, places to see and be seen, to meet, to talk and to do business.

Let's see what we can do to create something very special in the heart of Northampton.
Councillor Tony Woods,
Leader, Northampton Borough Council.

Brits 'invade' all of the world
I can't help wondering whether Messrs Keith Jackson and Doug Buckle ever do anything else other than write letters to the Chronicle & Echo, since their names appear on your letters pages more frequently than anyone else.

Sometimes I find myself in agreement with the points they make, but what saddens me is that they always have to bring in a swipe at the expense of the immigrant population, and the lack of adequate border controls.

Do these gentlemen not realise that the British have "invaded" more countries, and taken them over, than almost any other nation, turning the indigenous population into, at best, second-class citizens and, at worst, slaves?

You can hardly visit any country in the world where there are not Britons living. I heard a statistic given on the radio recently to the effect that one in every 10 Britons now lives permanently abroad.

If you want to prevent immigrants from coming into our country, surely it would be only fair to insist that all Britons living abroad return to this country, in order to contribute to our society.

Until that happens, we must allow free access to our land. Our country became rich by plundering the resources of the lands that we invaded to build up our "proud" Empire; can we be surprised therefore if these people want a share in the better life we take for granted.
David Haddon,
Drovers Walk, Spring Park, Northampton.

Krafty Kats plea
Would any organisation or club having bazaars or table top sales before Christmas be willing to rent out two tables to our group, the Krafty Kats? We are a group of OAPs who hold tombolas and have various crafts to sell: hand knitting and crocheting etc, cards and Christmas candles, dressed dolls and dolls clothes.

Our two charities this year are the Kidney Foundation and Maxicare.
Kath Knight,
46 South Oval, Kings Heath, Northampton, NN5 7LF.

Lacking support
The Home Secretary showed the police how she holds them in such low esteem, betraying them by refusing to backdate the pay award granted by the independent arbiters.

Now a policewoman is assaulted by an attacker who is let off by a judge because the attacker sends the officer chocolates and flowers.

The attacker has numerous convictions, including manslaughter.

When our police go out on duty, putting their lives on the line, they must wonder if it is worth it with nobody in authority protecting and supporting them!
S P Barnes,
Address supplied but withheld by request.

Police must be well undercover
Over the past few weeks, while taking my dog for her morning walk through Abington Park, Northampton, I can't help but be mildly amused, not to say concerned, at the appearance of the sign.

Firstly, why should Northamptonshire Police feel it necessary to be excused for any inconvenience caused by them doing what we expect them to be doing all the time, namely carrying out policing operations? What sort of operation might cause inconvenience in the wide open spaces of a park?

I do have some concern about the length of time this apparent operation has been going on.

If it is so involved, why publicise the fact that they are apparently engaged on an operation at all?

Also, if this apparent operation is ongoing, why hasn't it been resolved, and if not, what is the cost of such an ongoing operation?

Secondly, I must confess that I have been looking intently to see where the officers engaged on this apparent operation are.

If the operation required covert observations, then I must congratulate the officers for their amazing ability to blend into the trees and foliage.

Finally, my amusement is compounded by the fact that the sign has had to be padlocked to safeguard its survival despite the fact that a police operation is apparently in progress.

Could it just be that someone has lost the key?!
Geoff Bultitude,
Bridgewater Drive, Abington Vale, Northampton.

Press noise is still in my ears
Nostalgia crept into my head when I read the piece from Ken Nutt, the former stalwart member of the Chron's professional journalistic team, whom I worked alongside as a printer in the 1960 and 70s from our then base on the corner of the Market Square and Newland, Northampton, until its transfer to its present home at Upper Mounts.

I'm so pleased that he is alive and kicking.

As a "gentleman of the press", I vividly recall his association with the Northampton Independent monthly magazine, which I worked on, and also the Northampton Mercury weekly.

I recall working quite late on a Saturday evening after printing several editions of the Chronicle & Echo during the day to transfer our skills to "The Green 'Un" which, on the front page, gave the results of the Cobblers and the Saints in bold type for all to see.

Exciting news in those days! Not too much TV and no websites.

It would be sad news indeed to witness the transfer of printing of the Chron from Northampton to Peterborough, but let us hope it is all in name of necessary modern-day economic pressures and wish those involved the best of luck after the outcome of the meeting of August 29.

I still have the buzz of the massive printing presses noise in my ears and the spray of the black ink, all in the name of newspapers!
Keith Jackson,
Tavistock Close, Northampton.

5p carrier bags are a retail con
I was somewhat taken aback when asked to pay 5p for a carrier bag at a well-known garden centre.

When protesting, I was told it was an environmental issue.

A prepared company statement positioned on the counter backed up the cashier's words.

On the way out I passed stacks of products such as manure, top soil, stones etc, pre-wrapped in heavy duty plastics.

A lorry that had travelled half-way across Europe was being unloaded.

How much more of our hard-earned money are these hypocritical retailers going to attempt to con us out of in the name of environmental issues?

If they are wholeheartedly committed to the planet, why on earth are they selling plastic bags in the first place?
E M Medcraft,
Georges Avenue, Bugbrooke.