THE recent reporting in the Advertiser over M&S’s decision to review the future of its Andover branch and the demolition of the George Yard public toilets are symptoms of a wider disease.

The symptoms are not unique. A walk in the Chantry Centre or along the streets will highlight the large number of empty shops. This disease is slowly killing off the town centre as a retail area.

Andover is not alone in suffering this as other towns and cities are experiencing a similar collapse. Some have risen to the challenge and have come up with innovative solutions; others have not.

What are the causes of this disease? Aside from the impact of internet shopping, there is no doubt that the exceptionally high and unaffordable rents charged by landlords is a contributing factor. Business rates are also linked to rents and so act as a double-whammy. I am also aware of instances where landlords have insisted on unrealistically long leases, and these are rejected as too risky by small independent business people. The end result is that such behaviour squeezes out valuable small businesses.

The actual town centre infrastructure is not good. The Chantry had some cosmetic changes but the town centre retail units are looking tired.

The problem is that many of these units may have been attractive 30 years ago, but they are not now. Many local residents want to see a large store in the town centre but where can it go? The retail combinations currently available do not allow it.

Focusing on M&S, it currently has no room for expansion.

Although I understand it makes money, it fails to meet the critical mass and physical standards that M&S expect from its stores.

The collapse of the retail sector is paralleled by the number of office spaces which are being converted to residential flats. These offices are too small, lack flexibility in their internal layout, and fail to provide the necessary electrical and IT wiring needed. Newer buildings are purpose-built and do not suffer from these disadvantages.

As a result, much of the town centre non-ground floor spaces, both retail and office, are being converted into flats.

There are no easy solutions.

Many will complain about the number of coffee shops, but this beats having empty shops. Andover Vision suggested a night-time economy though this has not become a reality.

Rents are key, and the market is failing us. What has happened to the law of supply and demand? If rents are unrealistically high we should expect them to decline, yet landlords and their agents do not countenance any reductions.

One way to discourage this is to remove any relief for business rates if the property is left empty.

To move forward, we need to have a conversation about what we can realistically expect from the town centre, and aspirations should fuel a long-term plan that Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) needs to articulate. TVBC have the advantage of being the planning authority.

In the meantime, please do sign the petitions to keep M&S and the public toilets open.

Luigi Gregori, Charlton Road, Andover.