CLLR Richard Cooke, deputy mayor, Dartmouth Town Council, writes: Your correspondent, Council should put shops first, May 16, is critical of the town council's management of the Old Market Square. He misunderstands the issues. Firstly, the council does not refuse to allow Avenue Gardens to be used on Tuesdays or Fridays by local organisations. Secondly, the markets in the square – and their traders, 'itinerant' or otherwise – date back to the early 19th century, long predating the modern shop units, and the council has no intention of ejecting them. When allocating the shop units to prospective businesses, the council does have an eye to keeping a balance of types of shop, although this is not always achievable. Business is about competition. The best win. Long may Dartmouth have a free-market economy.