What would you rather? Woolworths store earmarked for discount shop.

Much is being made in the local press about a local facebook group registering their disapproval of the company Poundland taking over the old Woolworth's shop on the High Street in Hitchin.

It is presently an eye sore in the middle of a very pretty market town. Being one of the biggest retail units in the town and being empty is doing nobody any favours; especially Hitchin itself with the summer just on the doorstep.

Once we start to see a bit of decent weather you will start to see people sitting on the benches in the market square, locals using the cafe's and coffee shops with outdoor seating and an increase in visitors who travel to Hitchin to see many of its historical landmarks.

Shouldn't we just 'suck it and see' as the site is far to big to be suitable for a boutique style business and we already have enough book shops, clothes stores and charity shops. Yes, we do already have Wilkinson's and the 90p store both opposite each other on the junction of Hermitage road and Bancroft but surely something is better than nothing?

Apparently over 300 local residents have signed up to the facebook page registering their disapproval but what would they suggest is a suitable business for the premises? Bearing in mind, of course, that the rent/lease on a property of that size is not going to be cheap so a company with a fair bit of clout financially are going to be more ideally placed to take on a premises of this stature.

Poundland may not meet the criteria of a 'quaint, boutique style' of business that Hitchin has become known for but an empty shell in the heart of the town is not the way to go surely?

Finally, with the job market being so difficult at the moment can we really afford turn our nose up at the opportunites on offer with another retailer moving into the town?