Dear Editor,

We must totally disagree with the idea of turning the M&S building into yet more charity and art units is just what this town needs.

We desperately need more retail shops.

If you want a coffee, have your hair done or visit a charity shop then Andover is the place.

If you want clothes, ladies or gent, forget it.

Admittedly there are four large towns within a 20-mile radius where you have a much better chance of obtaining what you require, which is all well and good if you can drive.

READ MORE: Vacant shop set to get new lease of life thanks to charity's plans

A town the size of Andover should be able to supply all your retail needs.

We have at least two very large retail units which would be ideal for stores like Primark or Matalan, so why haven't the powers to be created an incentive to encourage the larger retail companies to move here, like reduced rents etc.?

How come Barnstaple in North Devon which has a population of about 32,000 has a thriving shopping centre which includes some names that we used to have in Andover which has a population exceeding 50,000?

Come on, let's get Andover back to what it used to be, a thriving market town, instead of this ghost town that we have now!

Derek and Pam Andrews

Herons Rise

Andover