Your COMMENT (April 18, 'Is it time we went back to town centre living?') said "people must be encouraged back into the centre" of Kendal and suggested living above shops would make a difference. You need to get out of your office more and explore.

There cannot be a market town that has built or converted more town centre living spaces than Kendal. There is everything from the former office block Sand Aire House, now an established large group of apartments mostly occupied by permanent residents, at least three supported independent living developments and numerous modern creatively planned "affordable" and award-winning housing association residential units down the various yards and ginnels.

That is in addition to the South Lakeland District Council Waterside and Fellside estates, both within a quarter mile of the town centre. Your own newspaper currently features adverts for flats above shops on Highgate.

Kendal has a thriving and enterprising shopping and leisure sector.

Research a few years ago showed Kendal being almost unique in the diversity and engagement of the various religious and spiritual communities.

The U3A can fill a large hall to overflowing on a weekday winter evening for a talk on local history.

The Brewery has nurtured, from playgroup to over 60s exercise via theatre cinema concerts and festivals, a seven-day-a-week cultural feast.

Bars like Ruskins, the Tap, Bootleggers and Union provide live music.

Our distinctive local politics produces engaged argument as illustrated by our refusing to conform by electing Liberal Democrats!

All this and the popular 10 per cent off local real ale on Mondays and Tuesdays at a Stramongate pub!

The town centre is full and thriving. That is why new developments have to take place round the edges.

We have plenty of Kendal town centre dwellers. I am one and count myself very lucky.

Chris Scott

Kendal