I HAVE lived in Stockton Heath for nearly nine years and love the place. My two daughters are born and bred here, whenever I go into the village I invariably bump into someone I know and generally feel part of the village.

However, my main regret about Stockton Heath is the lack of facilities for an evening out for those of us over 30. I would love to have a choice of convivial dining venues which cater for more mature people; where I can go for a meal with my wife, friends or family and not have to worry about driving or getting a taxi.

If I want a grown up night out I have to go to Lymm or Knutsford or Wilmslow. There are certainly no such facilities in Warrington.

I am therefore appalled by the narrow-minded attitude of a small and opinionated minority who are trying to stop the development in Victoria Square. Their latest, and as typical anonymous, flysheet was a disgrace. It crowed about "a great victory for democracy." The population of Stockton Heath is about 6,500 and it serves a much greater area of south Warrington, including Appleton, Grappenhall and Thelwall, therefore how can these protesters possibly believe that a 400 signature petition and 150 letters of protest are either democratic or representative of the true views of the residents?

A couple of weeks ago there was a letter bemoaning the state of Latchford village as nearly a ghost town and that is exactly how Stockton Heath will become if these protesters have their way.

They claim increased parking problems - there are two large car parks behind Kwiksave and Somerfield that are little occupied at night. I agree that these

need better signposting and lighting but this has already been proposed.

Should the parking become an issue then there are a number of alternatives such as a residents' parking scheme and illegal parking of cars could also be a very useful source of revenue for the Police. I am also sure that the developers and subsequent tenants would not want to upset the community so will encourage their patrons to use a car park.

The objectors claim increased rowdiness and drunkenness - the type of clientele a development like this would want to attract would be mature, higher spending customers. Anyone who has been to an Est Est Est, for example, would not associate them with encouraging rowdy or anti-social behaviour.

The protesters have no imagination nor do they have an alternative, they just want to say no to anything that involves anyone enjoying themselves.

How do they see an alternative, a further paved area with benches that would become a Mecca for bored teenagers and end up looking like a battleground or litter dump?

It is time for the residents of Stockton Heath to genuinely say what they want. It is time a Yes campaign was started up.

It could be that the majority of residents genuinely don't want the development in which case I can accept that. The rule of a small minority is not democracy.

GARY SLAWTHER

Whitefield Road

Stockton Heath