Shoppers dispute Mayor’s claim.

IS Honiton’s High Street really one of the best in Devon?

The town’s mayor, Councillor Vernon Whitlock, thinks it is.

And business leaders, too, think it is a thriving, vibrant place - and not a candidate for the Portas Pilot project, which will see 12 towns and cities given government cash to “re-imagine” themselves.

Shoppers have been queuing up to have their say - and they don’t think Honiton should rule out getting some expert help from retail guru Mary Portas.

Here are some readers’ views:

n Honiton High Street one of the best in Devon? The town council has to be joking, surely?

There is not one fruit and veg shop in the High St (when we moved to East Devon in 1990, there were seven).

Has any town councillor tried buying a five amp light fuse in the town? You have to drive to Heathpark to a wholesaler to get one!

Even a PP9 battery is extinct in Honiton. Or was, the last time I tried to buy one.

What about a gent’s outfitters where you can buy a suit - not the high fashion type with a waist band which fits the hips but not the crutch; a simple, straight forward suit.

Honiton Town Council and chamber of commerce need to get their action plan together before the town dies completely. Unless we want to buy antiques and second hand clothes, that is.

Wake up and smell the coffee guys!

Derek Athey

Dunkeswell

n With 12 hairdressers and a 13th coming soon, not to mention all the coffee shops/cafes and charity shops, then the proposed community centre with the loss of a car park...

Has the council had a real good look at other high streets to see just what’s lacking in Honiton?

I feel the advice of an outsider would do the council a lot of good - that’s supposing they’ll listen, which is something they have a poor record of so far.

J S Clapp

via emai

n I wonder what Councillor Whitlock was looking through to say that Honiton has one of the best high streets in Devon.

Year by year, it has got worse and worse.

Any fresh ideas must be a good thing!

Jasper Tubbs

via iPad

n Many of the shops in Honiton are not accessible for the disabled.

This needs to be addressed before any future plans are made regarding the shops.

As for the Portas Pilot, we think it an excellent idea.

There are far too many charity shops in Honiton and many of the other shops need bringing up-to-date.

We wonder how many young people shop in Honiton because, if you think about it, it is the young who spend, keeping up to date with the latest fashions.

We suspect the young go into Exeter for clothes.

It is the young and future generations which need attracting to Honiton, if it is to survive.

Judy and Albert Henshaw

Dunkeswell