ICAN understand the despair the lady from Great Harwood who asked how her dying town could be helped (Letters, September 23).

The decay of small towns, with boarded-up shops, For Sale notices and established businesses, once the care of communities, now all closed, has spread like a cancer throughout the whole region.

Banks, estate agents, charity shops now replace town shops.

Supermarkets with large free car parks attract customers out of town. They can afford cheaper prices and often have perks from councils to encourage their building there.

Small town shops are burdened with high council taxes, difficult or expensive parking, A-board controversies, etc.

The problem must be nationwide, as shown by the recent announcement of a new named Upbeat, which gives free training to small businesses to help them compete with out-of-town shopping malls.

This is funded by Brussels, to regenerate town centres. The first opened in North London on September 28 with seven more to follow.

If this takes off, nationwide training centres could be available, but would it be too late then for many?

If customers aren't there for the shops, it is difficult for them to plan their business without money. But let's hope it is a success.

KATHLEEN BULCOCK (Mrs), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.

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