Oxford Street’s a shadow of its former glory

THE photos of the homeless people in London’s Oxford Street (Mail) are shocking. Unfortunately, it is happening all over the country. My home town has similar issues, which the authorities have failed miserably to address.

BARRY CHANDLER, Exeter, Devon. I WORKeD in Oxford Street in the 1970s when it was thriving and full of iconic shops such as Debenhams, c&A and the flagship M&S.

The photos of how it is today bear little resemblance to its heyday as the place to shop till you drop.

The best in retail are blaming the Government’s failure to remove the tourist tax for the decline in shopping. Oxford Street is going to need more than greenery and better lighting to encourage crowds of shoppers back any time soon.

JEAN McNAMARA, Greenhithe, Kent. I USED to enjoy spending a couple of nights in London. However, after seeing the pictures of rough sleepers on Oxford Street, it has lost its appeal. How can this be happening in this country when so many hotels are full of migrants?

MAUREEN COYLES, Carlisle INSTeAD of talking about improving Oxford Street, they should be finding somewhere for the homeless to live.

We look after migrants, so why not care for our own?

JEANETTE LITTLEY, Chislehurst, Gtr London.

I’M SURE the homeless would jump at the chance to live on the Bibby Stockholm, with all its mod cons, rather than sleeping on the streets.

PENNY SPENCER, Bridge, Kent. The photos of the rough sleepers on Oxford Street brought to mind Ralph McTell’s song Streets Of london. The main difference between when the song was written in 1969 and today is that the homeless are no longer lonely, because there are so many of them.