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Dear Sir,

I refer to the interesting article by Sun columnist Larry Burchall on ­Wednesday and would like to comment as it pertains to John F. Burrows.

 Mr. Burchall quite ­correctly stated that the old John F. Burrows store on Water Street is now closed.

What was omitted in the article is the fact a new store has recently opened at the old Bus-Stop Express ­location on York Street, ­under the banner of ­Burrows Lightbourn Ltd.

So we are very much alive in St. George's, having moved to York Street ­because it is a better ­location for local business.

The tourist trade has been declining for years and we were not doing well on Water Street.

As for the question "is St. George's dying?", hopefully no.

We believe that there is indeed a future for the Old Town but how bright will depend to a great extent on the residents of the area and their collective ability to attract investment into the area. As alluded to by Mr. ­Burchall, there are many buildings in dire need of ­attention and ­generally the town is looking run down.

This is a real shame and the decline will continue if nothing is done.

The proposed Park Hyatt hotel, when (or if) it ­becomes a reality and ­assuming it is successful, will provide a much needed boost for St. George's.

But if they started ­building today, it will still be years before the first ­visitor checks in and ­businesses will continue to fail in the meantime.

Residents of St. George's need to support the local shops and restaurants to prevent this from happening and these businesses need to ensure that they are providing good value and great service.

While we hope for better times in St. George's, let's at least protect what we ­already have by supporting local business.

Richard B Hartley

Managing Director,

Burrows Lightbourn Ltd.[[In-content Ad]]

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