I am perplexed about Paul Reach’s obsession with footfall figures, Letters, November 3.

I cannot see how they bear any connection with reality.

We certainly haven’t seen any decrease in our business this year and others I talk to agree.

There also seemed to be just as many people at the food festival and I would be surprised if the fantastic organisers of the festival thought there was a 27 per cent fall in numbers, as these strange figures claim to show.

One of the cameras – there are only two – is in Foss Street, between our gallery and our old shop, that we closed last Christmas.

It’s no exaggeration to say that, with seven members of staff moving between the two shops, at least 100 trips per day were registered on the camera in that way.

Footfall cameras are notoriously ineffective measures of real business.

If Paul wants more visitors, we need look no further for town improvements than the wonderful team at Dartmouth Green Partnership.

They slave away to keep Dartmouth so beautiful and do more good than 100 adverts.

Simon Drew

Foss Street, Dartmouth