I AM writing on behalf of two local businesses, my own and that of my mother-in-law.

We were disappointed in reading the letter from the Leyland pensioner dated, Thursday, February 11.

We are both local family businesses, trying our best to make a living with quality products and excellent service.

This is the only way we can compete with the supermarkets which have devastated town centres.

We would like to point out that if Leyland people would support their town centres, they they would become part of the thriving community offering quality products and service by local people.

We would like local people to take a walk around instead of driving. They may be pleasantly surprised at what Leyland has to offer. Act now before you wonder where that shop went, where you could only buy that item.

Emma Briggs, Parkinsons of Leyland

and Anne Briggs, Essentials, Leyland Lane

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.