I WOULD like to warmly welcome the proposed Queensgate redevelopment.

The locality around the Rock Cafe, the Piazza area, the multi-storey and the market hall needs redevelopment and incentives to bring back the footfall lost since the Kingsgate centre opened.

I believe this scheme has been designed to do just that and more and at the same time extend the town centre towards Chapel Hill, creating a larger epicentre. Some aspects of the scheme have obviously involved a great deal of thought and consultation; for instance the idea of having a bridge from the university right into the heart of the Piazza is fantastic!

I do not see the benefits in the proposed extension to the Kingsgate centre. There will be no benefit to my trading locality and will indeed further retreat footfall away. It is time to put the greater interests of the town at the forefront and I urge the Kingsgate side to drop their appeal and stand down for the greater good of the town as a whole.

Richard Downey

Managing director, Rock Cafe