I WOULD like to know where the new town centre working group for Malton and Norton get their information from, as I have read with interest the article on the front page of your newspaper dated October 18.

It says that there are no banks in Norton, but in fact if they had been bothered to do their homework they would have found that, although we are not classed as banks both ours and Beverley Road post office can accept both cash and cheque deposits and encashment of cheques for the following banks, Giro bank, National Savings, Co-op, Lloyds-TSB, Barclays bank and the Internet banks of Cahoot and Smile so, in point of fact, there are 14 banks of a type in the town of Norton all of which are open longer than the normal banks in Malton.

It would be nice in future if people would do their homework before knocking Norton and its businesses. I also have to agree with Councillor David Lloyd-Williams that we have to work on the good points of the town and not tar us all with the same brush, it would also be nice to know out of all the shops that are closed in both towns how many are owned by the Fitzwilliam estate and other large property owners.

JAMES HANDS

Norton Post Office

Updated: 11:15 Thursday, November 01, 2001