I WROTE to the Hereford Times a little while ago to let readers know that Peacocks was planning to open a new store in the former Woolworths site in Hereford.

The confirmation, along with the fact that fast-growing toyshop chain The Entertainer will be moving into the empty Chadds department store, is very welcome news indeed.

However, I would like to echo the views in one recently published letter, which rightly pointed out that the exciting plans to bring a big name department store, Waitrose and a multiplex cinema to the city are in no way to blame for empty shops in Hereford.

The fact is that we have been through one of the worst recessions for several decades.

This has hit high streets the breadth of Britain and many towns in our region have been hit far harder than Hereford in terms of the ratio of empty to occupied shops – and they do not have the benefit of an exciting redevelopment project in their city centres to look forward to.

That said, everyone has every sympathy with local retailers trying to make a living in the economic downturn. Especially when shop rents in High Town, which are set by private landowners and not the council, can be around £50,000 a year for even a small shop.

And that outlay is before you have invested in stock, staff, utilities and all the other costs that go on running a business before you can even begin to make a profit.

However, Peacocks and The Entertainer recognise a market opportunity when they see it.

Carphone Warehouse has also invested in bright new premises in the city. Soon there will be announcements from other brand leaders about their plans for a presence in Hereford.

The council is supporting existing retailers by investing in the historic core of the city, through work to transform the quality of its streets and spaces – starting with Widemarsh Street, which is getting a fantastic makeover – and through our support for the Cathedral Close project, which will attract more visitors, who will in turn support our local businesses.

We need to keep sending out the right signals about our city, signals that inspire retailers to invest with us.

I will say it again: now is the time to talk up, not talk down, what our beautiful historic city has to offer.