In reference to last week’s front-page story about Dart-mouth market, while I have every sympathy with the ­shopkeepers, I would suggest that a good way to increase sales would be to actually turn up to open your shop and then to stay there all day.

Yes, I know it can be boring – I was in the business some years ago – but that’s part of the retail experience. Take a good book.

Yes, the empty stalls do not look attractive, but a simple way to improve the look of the market would to get rid of some or all of the signboards that currently litter the place – they are scruffy, some are potential trip hazards and all of them are largely unnecessary.

David Gent

Victoria Road

Dartmouth