WITH reference to the front-page story about the empty shops in the Journal (March 19) I do wonder why our town manager would wish to invite, amongst others, another cinema into Evesham. Does he not realise we have one already?

What we need in our dying town is more independent shops, but we will only attract them if landlords start to realise that they need to rent at lower prices.

Local government has to realise that business rates also must be reduced in the long term as short term subsidies just create a false market, and the council needs to reduce car parking charges.

It may sound simplistic, but surely if all the shops were full the income for landlords and the local council would all increase.

Kevin Hurdman

Harvington