SIR – I, like most people, am extremely sympathetic to the vast number of homeless people living on our Worcester streets.

However, it is long past time that we not only think of ways to solve this issue, but also of the detrimental effects they have on local business.

My wife has a shop in the Trinity, which is becoming a no go zone, due to the large number of people now camping in the doorway of the Salvation Army.

These people are not homeless as they’re home is now there. Despite their lack of funds, they regularly afford to get drunk, which then obviously leads to drunken behaviour.

They are loud, and spare no thought for the effect they have on anyone else, yet expect us to fund them.

There are plenty of places they could go where they wouldn’t disturb others.

Along with my wife’s shop, another respectable has just opened. This image is not what one would like to see in such a historic city.

DAVID COOK

Worcester