IN reply to the letter published in last week's edition of the Guardian under the title Shopping Moan.

Mr Watt, I see that you seem to do nothing at a slow pace, your mail is sent by e-mail.

You are very lucky to have the choice to only shop on a Saturday. By that I presume that you are at work, no doubt rushing around all day in a hurry.

One day it will come to you. You will grow old. But with the lifestyle that you seem to have, that may come sooner than you think.

From your rather insulting letter to the older generation, I take it that you are fighting fit and youngish. You have no time to spend in queues at shop tills. You most likely want to get back to the gym or health club to keep your body in shape.

Some of us can only walk at a slow pace and would love the chance to walk a bit quicker.

With regard to the part about waiting until we get the bill until we start our laborious ritual of digging out coppers, counting the exact money before handing it over to the shop assistant. From what I have seen while shopping in the town centre, we the oldies are not the only ones.

The leggings brigade seem to do the same when they are scratching to find the last copper to buy the cigarettes or the cans of beer for their partners who no doubt are rushing around at home doing nothing.

Have you ever thought that the reason that the older generation shops on a Saturday is that is the only day some of them can make it down to the town centre.

When you are next in the town centre on a Saturday look around you. You will see many of the older generation stood about talking to each other. Perhaps this is another reason for them to shop on a Saturday: 'companionship'. The reason that they stand around the town centre is that they can never get a seat. These seem to be taken up with the young members of the town, no doubt getting their breath back after rushing around the shops trying to beat the oldies to the tills.

Well, I have had my moan. It took me about four hours to write this letter, but I got one of the younger generation to fax it for me to the paper. I hope that you continue to use the town centre, Mr Watt, for your shopping trips but I understand that the town centre management is considering putting a speed limit on shoppers. Of course, this will not affect you will it, Mr Watt?

THE OLDER GANG

Address supplied.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.