WILL the last person leaving what was formerly known as Andover town please turn off the lights!

Not only has Tesco vacated the increasingly empty Chantry Centre, but now we have a worrying situation regarding smaller businesses in the rest of our town.

Hampshire County Council has once again posted letters with a threatening undertone to small businesses saying their A-boards have to be removed from pavements within a month or they will be removed for them at their own cost! These letters were hand-posted over the bank holiday weekend, I’m assuming because the author didn’t want to face the wrath of the proprietors.

As a matter of respect for us small business people, it would have been polite to explain in person the details of this action and possibly given advice on how to continue to stay in business in these hard times without attracting the passing trade!

This action has come about due to an Act of Parliament from 1980 when pavements were very narrow and kerb stones high, as photographs would show.

Now the pavements are so wide they can accommodate at least three mobility scooters side by side during the day and cars parked fully on them at night.

Surely it is time someone, somewhere championed us smaller businesses and campaigned to change this out dated act.

I assume once again this would be the duty of our MP Sir George Young or whoever his successor might be.

Whilst talking with other small businessmen in Andover, we were all under the impression that only a short time ago Ian Carr of Test Valley Borough Council said in public that it was OK to put A-boards out.

So can someone please explain what has changed, as at this moment in time it is the smaller businesses that are attracting people into Andover and keeping this town alive!

Ron Wood, Bridge Street, Andover.