The pressure's on at Merry Hill

Have Westfield, the Australian owners of Merry Hill, now lost the plot? Since Westfield took over Merry Hill, things have gone from bad to worse for people visiting Merry Hill.

Among other things, Westfield have thrown out the stalls in Spencer's Market, only to be replaced by small kiosks practically every three or four metres around the centre. The sales assistants on these kiosks leap out at you whenever you pass.

It's like being in a Middle Eastern bazaar. I now negotiate my way around Merry Hill trying to avoid these hard-sell kiosks.

Westfield regularly allow a fun fair in the car park, causing major problems with parking - another money-making wheeze.

We now hear that Westfield are allegedly threatening to fine shops large amounts of money if they don't open until midnight in the lead-up to Christmas.

Finally, they say they will put in car park charges next year, putting at least a £100 charge on someone who shops at Merry Hill once a week over a year.

Westfield seem just to be interested in squeezing the last penny out of their investment, with no thought to the local people or the workers in Merry Hill.

The majority of people who work in Merry Hill are women, most of whom will have families. No doubt it will be said that they don't have to work these extra late hours, but in reality they will have to if they want to retain their jobs.

Some people pop into Merry Hill two to three times a week, just for a look-see.

I'm sure that these people will cut down their visits drastically when they have to pay, as I will myself. Merry Hill used to be a really nice shopping environment under the previous owners - under Westfield, not so.

Mrs Sue Ridley, Hockley Lane, Dudley.