LETTERS : Rates burden on village shops

From Mr F. E. Rogers

Sir: It is quite misleading to state, in your leading article "The dream of Gummerius" (18 October), that the Secretary of State for Environment, John Gummer, "proposes to assist small general stores and post offices with rates relief". Only an extremely small number qualify who can prove, in the face of extremely exacting criteria, that their closure would be detrimental to the local community.

The vast majority of village shops remain burdened by the vast increases in rates imposed by this government, particularly in the South, when the uniform business rate was introduced.

Yours faithfully,

F. E. Rogers

Rogers of Tisbury

Tisbury,

Wiltshire

18 October