Punish success?

I UNDERSTAND that Huntingdonshire District Council is investigating four firms at the Bridge Centre, St Peter's Road, over complaints that they "have a bigger retail function than they are meant to".

Let me get this right: the officious, non-profit making, pension-guaranteed cocooned idiots at HDC are complaining that four business rate-paying, successful local companies are getting too many customers! The council maintains that, when the units were built, it was envisaged that retail would only be an ancillary part of the business.

What planet are they on? Did they not read the local and national press, where companies such as Allied Carpets and Bathstore.com take out full page advertisements and insert colour leaflets, etc. Do they not watch TV, have they missed the many advertisements broadcast over the years?

Does it matter from which source business comes into the area, as long as it comes? I understand HDC has received complaints that the level of retail use has breached planning conditions. From whom was the complaint? Other resentful less successful traders? How does anyone assess that the level of retail use is excessive?

I suppose one should expect this level of idiocy from an organisation that can tell the Council Tax payers with a straight face that their offices are not fit for purpose after a mere 25 years.

I have no connection with any of the aforementioned businesses, but have previously purchased a bathroom from Bathstore.com. I did not notice a clipboard-waving council minion monitoring whether my purchases were retail or trade.

Join the real world, HDC, where companies are glad to make a profit from any source. You should be grateful that these names have chosen our town, and applaud the fact that they are profitable in the face of competition. I can shop around for my carpets, tiles etc. It's a shame I can't do the same to replace people with such a ridiculous mindset as that which prevails at HDC.

PETER BLISSETT, Hartford Road, Huntingdon