SIR – It is probably true that the city would benefit from a John Lewis store, but only if it is in the city centre.

It’s unfortunate that they cannot find a suitable site within the centre, but I don’t see this as a reason for digging-up more fields for retail greed.

The city traders are quite correct to oppose the out-of-town scheme. How many ‘dead’ towns and cities have we all seen due to retail parks beyond the shopping centres?

Shame on you Worcester City Council planning committee if you vote in favour of this application.

C D Lee

Worcester

Obama right to have a say

SIR – For evidence of the narrow, stop-the-world-I-wanna-get-off, isolationism and harking back to an imaginary past which informs so much Brexiteering, we need look no further than Wendy Hands’ letter of May 5.

She repeats the claim that US President Obama has no right to offer his opinion that the UK is better off as a member of the EU. I find it difficult to understand why a longstanding international friend should not offer such advice.

This is what friends do for each other, after all, and the truth is that every single friend of the UK who has expressed an opinion (and there’s been quite a few) has come to the same conclusion: that the UK should stay in. Presumably, this is why there appears to be such a rush to pour scorn on Obama and the rest. Obviously, they don’t have a correct view.

What we do not hear are complaints that Russian President Vladimir Putin (who wants a weakened Europe) and populist rabble-rousing US presidential candidate Donald Trump are interfering and causing “irritation and scepticism”. This must be because they have said that they are in favour of Brexit, so that’s alright then.

David Barlow

Worcester

Hospital care was fantastic

SIR – I was rushed into the Worcester Royal with a burst duodenal ulcer and had lost a lot of blood. I was first put into the resuscitation ward and had the procedure needed without any delay. Eventually I was transferred into the high intensity care ward.

The quality of care was exemplary and the dedication of the staff was inspirational. Nothing was too onerous for them.

I was very seriously ill and I can’t thank the consultant doctors and nurses enough. I owe them a great debt of gratitude. And by the way this happened over a weekend, but don’t tell Jeremy Hunt, it might screw up his figures.

Clive Smith

Malvern

What would Mao think?

SIR – I recently watched a most irritating programme about millionaire Chinese immigrants who fly here in their personal jets to be schooled in “coming out”, walking the catwalk, shooting pheasants and experimenting with fairytale weddings at typically English churches.

They are exploited by ladies whom they believe to be close to aristocracy and the Royal family. They have set up bespoke tailors in Beijing and employ young men to choose the most expensive London hotels in which to stay.

They do not regard all this as incompatible with Chinese communism. Indeed, many of them claim that their fathers met Mao Tse Tung.

What this archaic activity has any relevance to in England 2016 I failed to comprehend. The Chinese are described as having one of the fastest growing economies, export their steel to us and will build our nuclear plants. I doubt somehow that Her Majesty would be impressed by this; she and English people are likely to be more interested in our position with regard to the EU. Wendy Hands

Upton-on-Severn

Watchdog is so white on

SIR – Totally shocking to read that Ofsted raised comments about a kiddies’ school in Market Rasen, that it doesn’t show enough culture diversity, and it’s too white!

Would they make a similar comment in an inner city with a large ethnic community-that their weren’t enough white kids?? The answer is of course NO!!

Ofsted have stupidly created conflict, where there was none.

How can anyone be too British, when they’re born in Britain?

Only in this country do we allow such political madness..

GB DIPPER

Leominster

Half empty

SIR – Re: the picture of the landlord holding a “pint” (“Chance to tackle police job hopefuls over a pint”). With that sized, head that’s never a pint, is it? Emerson Fryer

Bodenham