IN reply to BP Warren, I would like to reassure him that I am not, I think, senile, nor am I a newcomer to the area.

Apart from a 10-year spell when I was abroad I have lived in the area all my life. I too have happy memories of Davyhulme Park, which was one of my favourite places to play as a child, and of the three cinemas and Urmston Baths, with its swimming in summer and dancing in winter.

But times and people have changed.

In those days there were far fewer cars, little television, very few supermarkets, no out of town shopping centres like the Trafford Centre, no multiplex cinemas, no video recorders, no computers, to name just a few of the changes that the years have brought.

Town centres have to adapt to meet people's needs. Shops do not close if they have sufficient customers.

I still maintain that in Urmston today you can still buy most things at reasonable prices and quality and good service.

I would agree that the precinct is not the prettiest of buildings but it is coming to the end of its useful life and will probably be redeveloped in the next five to 10 years.

Let's hope that it will be replaced with some-thing better.

As for the pubs along Flixton Road, as far as I can see they do more harm than good, attract undesirables from out-side the area and encour-age excessive drinking.

Reduced opening hours would bring relief to the residents of Flix-ton Road and the streets adjacent and to the businesses in the area.

Brian Yates, via email