May 1, 2001 13:34: I WOULD like to draw your attention to the urgent matter of the decline on Eltham High Street.

I have lived within a five-minute walk of the high street for the past six-and-a-half years and have watched with dismay this sad event.

Shopping high streets by their nature always have units closing and opening, with hopefully, only a short period between such events.

However, Eltham's shop units tend to have a lengthier period before they are reoccupied. This has escalated in the past couple of years.

With the closure of Allders, I suspect Eltham High Street may be in the beginning stages of its own "death throe".

The smaller parades of shops around the High Street have always been more susceptible to closure and movement.

Now the Well Hall Parade (near police station) has lost the Coop, opticians, Pandora's and Penny Royal's all in the last three months, with little hope of replacement.

We need this quality of shop in order to attract people.

We currently have six charity shops, with two more opening; four "pound" shops and seven mobile phone stores, Dixons and Curry's.

These in their large numbers, are not what a high street requires.

I know Aldi's/Lidl is opening to replace Allders but they are not using the whole of the Allders building complex and bring direct competition to Sainsbury's and Iceland.

Yes, we now have a new centre point, but this has been too long in construction and has caused delay and inconvenience. Parking is also a major problem.

Vincent Jones

Dobell Road

Eltham