A year ago Wimbledon Park lost its bank and Library- institutions that had benefited the community for over half a century.

Since then these premises have only found favour with graffiti artists and as a site for advertisement hoardings. I hear the Bank's premises may soon be a home to sports equipment retailers.

Empty and neglected premises cause a blight in a community. A mouth full of rotten teeth was one resident's description of the Arthur Road parade.

So what are the council's plans for the area? It's all in the Unitary Development Plan.

Policy S5 says the loss of Local Shops from retail use will be strongly resisted. Where premises have been vacant for not less than 2 years and have been properly marketed during that time then the Council will consider a non-retail use. Note the premises have to be vacant. How the shop tenant will be able to pay his Landlord and support his family by keeping the shop vacant during this time is a mystery to me.

The Council says a range of important local shops must be maintained. It lists grocers, butchers, bakers, greengrocers, newsagents, chemists and post office. Arthur Road has all of these and the parade would be poorer without them. However times change; local retailers face a threat from "one stop" shopping. At the public meeting last year a Council spokesman said it was important for there to be a place to buy a pint of milk or loaf of bread. Local shopkeepers are not there just to provide a social service however.

A case in point is 147 Arthur Road. For well over a year the ground floor had been closed for business whilst the previous owners looked for a buyer. Last September, Udit and Veronica Sarkhel opened up Dalchini there. They hoped to repeat the success of Sarkhels in Replingham Road, now regarded as a top London restaurant. However the Council will not consider A3 (Restaurant) Use for the Ground Floor. Dalchini's elderly customers have to be told they have to negotiate the stairs and have their meal in the basement because there is no permission to serve hot meals upstairs. The reason for the Council's refusal? It would be "to the detriment of the retail vitality and viability of the core shopping frontage".

There is not much vitality in a shop which is closed and neglected. A healthy mix of small shops and restaurants in the Arthur Road parade can increase business to existing shops, provide a service for local residents and make Wimbledon Park a more enjoyable place to live in. Merton Council would want that for us. Surely?

             Tony Brown