AN arcade, with all the anti-social aspects that it would involve, hits a completely different tone to the redevelopment of Huntingdon and the High Street that has been noted and enjoyed over the last few years. I would be very disappointed to find that a

AN arcade, with all the anti-social aspects that it would involve, hits a completely different tone to the redevelopment of Huntingdon and the High Street that has been noted and enjoyed over the last few years. I would be very disappointed to find that an arcade had been approved.

While it would of course be a private venture, it would have a negative impact - there have been studies that have shown that, for some people, playing such games can increase loneliness, depression and aggression - surely everyone would agree that we don't want these aspects multiplied in our town.

Add to that the negative financial aspect of people frittering away money in an anti-social manner, when the debt assistance agencies are telling us that there are significant debt and credit problems in our area, and it becomes quite difficult to see how an arcade would be a good thing for our community.

Perhaps some suggestions would be helpful regarding what could be opened with a view to creating a social place that could still be a successful commercial venture. I think the idea from John Nunn, of the Card Gallery, to make the Market Square come alive with cafés, restaurants and coffee shops, similar to what has happened in Peterborough, would be a great step in the right direction. A safe, fun and secure place for youth to join the community and hang out would be another option.

It would be great to see some local entrepreneurs coming up with commercially-viable ideas to develop Huntingdon further into the lively and involved community it shows signs of becoming.

CORENE EKMAN

Wyton on the Hill