From Terence Bendixson, president, Living Streets (The Pedestrians Association), London:

High streets and shopping streets up and down the country are threatened by the growth of online buying, unaffordable business rates and unpleasant motor traffic.

Essen, in The Ruhr, pedestrianised its main street in the 1930s while Norwich devoted London Street to walkers in the 1960s.

In both cases, and in all subsequent ones, the aim was to create attractive destinations — places in which people might linger and enjoy themselves.

May I, therefore, applaud Ventnor’s pedestrianisation plans while leaving to others the debate about how to re-route traffic.

Ventnor, like other towns, needs to leave no paving stone unturned in seeking to create delight for shoppers, visitors and other people on foot.