WHILE

I sympathise with Coolangatta Griffith St retailers who are struggling for business (‘Cooly feeling pinch’, GCB, 18/5/18), I feel both retailers and local councillor Gail O’Neil need to acknowledge that shopping habits have changed dramatically since the 1980s.

“Strip shopping” which is retailing along streets is now ancient history Sydney is evident of that phenomenon with the decline of Oxford St, Paddington; Neutral Bay; Darling St, Balmain; and King St, Newtown.

People want to and do shop at malls and these retail behemoths are now the epicentre of retail commerce attracting massive numbers via easy parking access to movie theatres and a myriad of choices, all undercover and airconditioned.

Yes the rents are too high and yes council have to think smart about addressing Griffith St before it does become abandoned but Cr O’Neil claiming Coolangatta needs more development as the answer to the local retail calamity is just a red herring to champion more concrete caverns.

There are ample large holiday complexes to attract big numbers to Coolangatta. Tourists simply don’t stroll down streets any more and to think otherwise is holding on to an outdated romantic notion. STEVIE BARR, TWEED HEADS THANK you for sinking the CST at last (‘Titanic risk’, GCB, 16/5/18).

It beggars belief that 10 councillors could have voted last May to spend another $10 million of ratepayers’ money on further studies, in full knowledge of the risks that have now been revealed in the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Maybe there should be an IQ test for prospective councillors, as this is not the first time they have wasted our money on a white elephant. REG CARTER MALAYSIAN style politics has hit Queensland and the Gold Coast (‘White shoe shuffle’, GCB, 18/6/18).

Anwar Ibrahim, a once political opponent of the Malaysian Government, was jailed for 11 years and dispensed with, put into a position of no influence.

We now have the Palaszczuk Government threatening those dirty rotten developers with jail should they donate to political parties, while those “community loving” unions freely donate to the Labor movement and their brethren. TERRY O’SHEA, HOLLYWELL EVERY day many people like to watch the midday movie on TV and all stations advertise what programs will be shown.

But on Channel 7 at midday they always show the ‘to be advised movie’. Why? To my 94-yearyoung friend Elsie, this question is on your behalf. ANGELO, BIGGERA WATERS