AFTER reading all the correspondence on the Robin Hood issue in the Bury Times, including letters from Coun Mike Connolly, deputy leader of Bury Council; Yvonne Wright, councillor for Tottington; and Jane Lewis, chairman of Tottington Labour Party, I feel it is a disgrace that all these leading figures of society, with the expertise of the professional employees at Bury Council, could not negotiate on behalf of Bury Council and for the people of Tottington to pay Greene King for the use of this car park free of charge to car users, like in the other townships.

This new agreement leaves visitors and customers to businesses in Tottington having to pay, when previously they did not. They are now discriminated against, compared to car users in the other townships.

I feel that there were many more options open to Bury Council to rectify this deplorable situation by using any one of the following: 1)Renegotiate an annual rental charge for the use for free car parking 2)Compulsory Purchase Order on the car park from Greene King 3)Bring in a licence before car park charges on private property can be made, and an increase in the business rate, because at present the charges of the car park are not taken into account 4) Make it a condition on breweries with car parking that car parking is free and incorporated in the terms of their licence to sell liquor. This latest agreement leaves the motorist having to pay extra costs, except disabled drivers, and sets a precedence for other breweries and others to start charging parking fees. Let the people of Tottington have some fair play, and collectively as a society deserve to be able to park freely on the Robin Hood Car Park.

John Tyldesley, Bury