While some time-honoured York businesses do prevail, many shops, ‘eateries’ and other firms seem to come and go with great regularity. Sometimes it seems like ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ - a contrast with days gone by.

The latest firm to stop trading is Thomas Dick’s, sometimes colloquially known as Tommy Dick’s (The Press, February 12). The company had chalked up almost a century of service in York.

Some will recall their retail counter in Railway Street (George Hudson Street) which, I think, ran alongside their wholesale business.

My parents had a small shop in York and Thomas Dick’s was one of our suppliers then in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Later I worked for city centre bookshops that were supplied with stationery, office supplies etc by the company. By then Thomas Dick’s had relocated to the Hungate area.

In those days there was an individuality about such traders. They were characterful. Sad to see such long-established names disappearing.

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York