IF the extension of Monks Cross goes ahead I can see that in a few years time the centre of York will have nothing but banks, building societies, coffee, charity and nick-nack shops, plus restaurants and that octopus with ever longer tentacles called Tesco and a lot of empty property.

C Richardson in his letter (The Press, February 28) points out the harm Meadowhall did to Sheffield and I saw what the Metro Centre did to Newcastle.

The city council should be doing its utmost to bring jobs into York to keep it vibrant and alive, not to let it die on its feet.

Unlike S McLaren (The Press, February 29), I have no desire to get in the car and drive out of town wasting petrol which even the free parking would not cover, to do my shopping.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.