IN RESPONSE to the front page article this week, I think most residents are well aware that the number of visitors to Andover has fallen by a third.

It is not rocket science, and I am surprised that town centre manager Chris Gregory seems unsure of the reasons.

Firstly, and most importantly — there are hardly any shops!

Back in the 1970s when my family and I moved here, it was a lively and busy town, with department stores such as the Co-op, as well as many individual shops, such as butchers, greengrocers and Shaws delicatessen.

Over the years, these much loved shops have disappeared, as well as some nation-wide stores such as Tesco Metro and clothing stores.

In spite of a growing population, we residents have no choice but to go to Basingstoke, Salisbury or Winchester for clothes and to shop for special occasions such as Christmas.

Even the market is nothing like it used to be, and the good turnout for Farmer’s Markets shows how much that is missed!

Secondly, on line shopping is blamed for this decline, but how come all these other towns — even Amesbury and Whitchurch, which are smaller than Andover — still have a great selection of individual shops as well as good department stores and are always busy?

Thirdly, the rents charged even for small shops are exorbitant.

My daughter-in-law’s craft and up-cycling shop, Charlie’s in the Upper High Street, was forced to close early last year due to lack of footfall, as it was not viable.

I live close to the town centre and do go there often, but the excess of cafes, coffee shops, and charity shops does not encourage visitors from other towns, or even surrounding villages — unless they just come to eat and drink!

Seeing all those empty and boarded up shops is depressing to say the least.

On the plus side, we have a good music shop — Stringbrokers — and gift shops such as Mooch, so the only way to encourage people back to Andover is surely simple — lower the rents, open more decent shops — oh, and bring back the public loos!

Happy New Year!

Irene Williams, Heath Vale, Andover