MY family was shocked by the quote "...a shop application could not be refused because of its potential affect on a nearby business" (November 27) regarding allowing Choices, a huge store to trade at Heworth thereby taking away business from Ace Home Entertainment on East Parade.

Is this what our newly-elected council is about: down with people who want to make an honest, living? Or is Mr Armistead a law unto himself?

Choices should take over one of the empty shops in the city and leave our local, well-designed and cheery store to get on with helping others and keeping our village almost self-contained.

We have everything a village needs well within walking/cycling distance and not every household has a car. Surely, it's not too late to say no to these encroaching superstores? Do people, voters, taxpayers matter?

Joy Crawshaw,

Hempland Avenue,

Heworth, York.

Updated: 10:57 Thursday, December 11, 2003