Dear Editor,

With reference to your comments in last week’s issue. I was astonished at the negativity directed towards the traders of Ross-on-Wye.

Not only did you berate us for not meeting and greeting people at the pancake races, but you also implied that only successful businesses find it easy to make customers feel welcome.

You then went on to suggest that struggling businesses are doing so because they don’t advertise regularly enough with you.

Is it any wonder that people don’t want to shop in Ross if their local paper is telling them that the shops are unfriendly and struggling.

It was bad enough on December 9th when you decided to announce on the front page that the car parking charges were increasing. Hardly the way to encourage shoppers is it?

It would be nice if our local paper told potential customers why they SHOULD come to Ross instead of why they shouldn’t.

As the saying goes, ‘if you haven’t got anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all’.

Interestingly, of all the comments I have had from my customers about the reasons for my closure, not one of them has suggested I should have advertised more!

Alice Sumners

Mamgu’s, Croft Court

Editor’s note:?

The comments made in the editor’s column are, of course, just my opinion and I believe everyone is entitled to put forward suggestions, provided they are made with respect for others.

I in no way intended to ‘berate’ anyone and, as I have run a small business myself, I realise how difficult it can be to be ‘on duty’ and take part in community events. I was merely pointing out that, despite all the support the Ross Gazette has given to businesses in the town, such as encouraging readers to shop local, several of them have closed recently, and that a possible factor in this is a lack of advertising.

I do realise, of course, that this would not be the only reason for a business to succeed or fail, but surely for those businesses faced with closure it is worth considering.

I would really be pleased to include advice from businesses which are thriving, or some suggestions as to how they seem to be able to buck the trend.

I would also point out that the front page article on February 10th, ‘Thank you to Crew’ about the work of the Ross, and other Fire Crews, at a large incident in Ross was a perfect example of saying something nice. Unfortunately it is not always possible to have positive stories on the front page.