PROBLEM? What problem? The hysterical tone of the coverage of the survey showing that York is 24th in a shopping league table (February 14) might lead your readers to believe there is a crisis.

More balanced coverage would have pointed out that since York is 48th in the national census data for town centres, to be ranked 24th for shopping is an achievement which should please even the most ardent shopaholic.

Or is there perhaps a hidden agenda here?

Whip up a panic about York's "declining shopping", then save the day by announcing that everything will be all right because the Castle car park is to be covered with shops.

Will your readers fall for such a transparent ruse? I doubt it.

Ann Petherick,

Scarcroft Hill,

York.

Updated: 10:56 Friday, February 17, 2006