Sir – So, the Westgate is to go ahead (with fewer parking places). I heard
that this will bring in vast revenues and bring back to Oxford those who go to other towns to shop. Will it? Have they asked why the out-of-town shoppers do not shop in Oxford?
I can remember back in the ‘40s and ‘50s, country buses coming into Gloucester Green on market day, with shoppers doing their weekly shop. First one bag, then a second, a third and so on. When stopping for a cuppa, they sat surrounded by their bags. Eventually, mid-afternoon, they made their way home.
The park-and-ride is excellent for commuters but not ideal for serious shoppers. They only offer a repeat of the 1940/50s’ experience. Once you are loaded up with bags, you have to get to the bus stop (dodging the bikes) and wait in the cold with many others.
Shoppers go elsewhere because they can park close to where they shop and as the shopping mounts, this can be taken quickly back to the car and they can continue to enjoy their shopping and sit down for coffee or a meal without the hindrance of bags and move around without having to dodge cyclists — overall, a pleasant day’s shopping.
These towns welcome the car and their passengers instead of the constant outflow of anti-car rhetoric we have from Oxford.
We country dwellers have to get into our cars to go anywhere.
Can anyone tell me why I should turn right for Oxford rather than left for other, more welcoming towns ?
Finally, as for John Lewis being the saviour — I can shop with them from the comfort of my armchair and have next-day delivery, without having to endure Oxford.
Brian Wallis, Middle Barton