SIR, I was disappointed that your article about empty shops in the Wallingford Herald (November 6) failed to mention the positive work going on in the town and chose instead to paint a misleading picture from vacancy figures that were nine months old.

The district and town councils jointly fund a market town co-ordinator to oversee projects to increase footfall and investment in the area including events on St George’s Day, the Christmas Festival, Wallingford Weddings and Wallingford Food Festival.

We are offering grants to local traders to improve their shop fronts and are working on welcome packs for businesses new to the area and on developing the www.wallingford.co.uk website to make it easier for visitors and potential investors to find out information.

The district council has also provided £19,000 for infrastructure projects, including Christmas lights and an ‘equipment pool’ which can be used by those wishing to stage public events.

We are looking to set up a local pop-up shop, similar to successful schemes run elsewhere, and in 2014 aim to boost the town’s tourism industry by promoting its riverside location and continuing to highlight Wallingford’s role in Midsomer Murders and the Agatha Christie stories.

There are many reasons for units being empty and finding businesses to take on these shops can take time. However, at least seven of the 15 premises that were empty in January are now open for business, and we are confident that when the next survey is carried out in January it will show that 2013 was much more positive than the article suggested.

We are delighted that town centres across the county are making great progress. Rather than using statistics to suggest a comparatively negative outcome in one town, we suggest the reported successes should be celebrated and the more promising picture for Wallingford welcomed.

Councillor Judith Nimmo-Smith, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Property and Technical Services, South Oxfordshire District Council