Sir – I cannot understand this obsession with people (Letters, September 9) of turning our historic, world-famous city of Oxford into another Swindon, Milton Keynes or Cheltenham.

Our streets, with historic buildings, are so narrow compared to these later-built towns and Oxford could not, and should not, be turned into another of these towns where everywhere looks the same and disposable at will, to fast-track another obsessed shopper.

At this time, Oxford has Debenhams, British Home Stores, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Next, and so on.

You can find, also, other shopping outlets at Summertown and Cowley Centre, and so on, and not all concentrated in one, boring mass of a huge shopping multi-mart centre.

Oxford, with its small, historic shops, and unique 18th-century covered market, can hardly portray a frosty or dowdy image.

The park-and-ride system must be the way ahead to preserve our beautiful buildings from car pollution and get us walking a bit more (we are so often told we are becoming, frighteningly, an obese nation!). We, therefore, don’t need to fall out of a car door straight into shop entrances.

I have so many times heard visitors to Oxford say “it is so lovely to shop in Oxford, with its smaller outlets and the bonus of the backdrop of beautiful, historic buildings to view while walking around. Our home towns are so boring and all look the same”.

Please, let’s not get obsessed that we can buy something ten pence cheaper in another town, and spend £1 in getting there.

Let’s keep individuality interesting and alive.

Peter Berry, Oxford