PERHAPS I'm a little bit thick, but I cannot understand what all this BID (Business Improvement District) is all about?

I read the article on last week's front page at least four times, and still can't see the point of it all. I'm sure that all the local traders pay out more than they want to now without having to cough up a 'levy' to this new BID scheme. After all isn't this what a chamber of trade is set up for?

They already admit they can't do anything about parking or solve the coaches coming into town problem. We have been told that one day we might have a road from the east of town across to the Crediton Road, though I'm not holding my breath on that!

I've never seen a problem with parking in town, in fact Mill Road car park is mostly only half full. As for a coach park, how about the old Bostock yard behind the 'Con. Club' close to the old mill? I'm sure you'd get four or more coaches in there, providing you kept out all the school buses that come into town!

As for new businesses in town, how about a Poundland shop and a Wetherspoons? They might upset a few traders at first, but once they settle down they would both be good at bringing new customers into town.

There, I've just solved all the problems! Perhaps I'm not so thick after all!

David Luckhurst

Okehampton