I CAN'T understand why the whole of your front page was devoted to the rantings of Mr Martin Woodhouse, the new manager of Marks & Spencer against Hereford May Fair. He has only been in our city for three months and is now telling us what to do.

For Mr Woodhouse's information, the fair is possibly the oldest street fair in the UK. A three-day fair, to be held in May, was granted to the Bishop of Hereford, Richard De-Capella in 1121. In 1161 it was extended to a nine-day fair and was known as St Ethelbert's Fair. Some of the stalls were given the right to be in the shadow of the cathedral. Later it reverted back to three days.

During the war, stalls were erected in High Town to keep the charter. Generations of fair people have looked upon Hereford as their second home.

As to Mr Woodhouse's comments on the traffic, we have had problems every day for years, not just when the fair is in the streets. Many of the traffic problems are caused by accidents. It is quite common to be held up behind Marks & Spencer due to their lorries unloading. A crane blocked the road at the rear of the store causing it to be closed, causing a major hold-up during rush hour.

I worked for Marks & Spencer for 29 years under six managers and they all said the same, but trade always picked up once the fair had gone and any loss was quickly made up.

Tradition is the backbone of our city - in fact Hereford was a city when Cardiff was just a village. I agree one should not live in the past, but let us live alongside it. Remember we have no future without history.

JOHN NEWMAN, Hon Member, Showman's Guild of Great Britain, South Wales and Northern Ireland .