YOUR Comments

Here are some of the comments  Howard and his partner Di have received following her letter on finding ways to breathe new life into Malton:

"Howard and yourself are two of a few councillors who are prepared to stand up and say what you believe in by being positive, forward looking and not change averse.
 
"I am constantly dismayed by the rantings in the local press of a few very vocal people who are blockers to any form of change.
 
"I have seen Malton decline rapidly as a centre over the past few years. We used to have friends who came to stay from other areas who enjoyed a stroll around the town. Not any longer - empty shops, traffic filled streets, narrow pavements, no traffic free areas.
 
"Malton centre is virtually deserted on most days in the week.
 
"I think the pedestrianisation plans don't go far enough. You are so right when you talk about St Michael's being in the middle of a car park. With imagination we could even pedestrianise Wheelgate and provide vehicle access through the backland at either side of it. What is the town's obsession with cars anyway? Nowhere else in the country has this 1960s view any more.
 
"I also don't understand the obsession with saving a car park that nobody uses. I fully support the idea of bringing another store to that site thereby breaking Morrison's' monopoly in the town and improving our retail choice.
 
"The arguments that we will suddenly stop shopping in the High Street because Sainsburys or whoever are in Wentworth Street is bizarre. I may stop shopping in Morrisons, or Sainsburys at Monks Cross, but I'll still give my trade to those shops in the town centre that offer me service, choice and value as I always have done - so long as I don't have to wrestle with traffic fumes and dust to go there!
 
"Malton has to up its game:
 
"1. Make it more pedestrian friendly - can we have some decent paving instead of that horrible washed tarmac stuff they have laid everywhere? The alleyways are looking great - pity the same effort wasn't lavished on the main pavements. Pedestrianise - that thing most towns did so successfully 20 years ago. Widen the pavements.
 
2. Improve the retail offer - why do the loud minority of people regard "national multiples" as the root of all evil? When all those hundreds of people from the town drive up the A64 to shop, what are they in search of? National multiples! So let's have some of our own.
 
My grown up kids snigger when you say you are going into Malton to shop - they and their mates wouldn't ever think of doing that. My wife buys all her clothing elsewhere - and that is a considerable loss to the town's economy!! More shops mean more trade for everyone as footfall increases - if the opposite were true, surely those shops left in the town would have seen increased trade as others have closed...............  erm don't think that's happened!
 
3. Sort out the cattle market. It's a disgrace. Shabby, underused. 
 
4. Stop the rot. Why would a landlord prefer to leave a property empty for 10 or more years (ie Mount Hotel)?
 
5. Preserve what's great about the place. If I can buy it locally, then I do. We have some great, unique shops, excellent bars, cafes. All would thrive more with an improved town centre.
 
6. We need to stop talking and do something. "