Why should we protest about a branch of Starbucks in St James's Street (Letters, May 3 and 6)? The street is a shambles - a haven for drunks and drug addicts, a mish-mash of cheap gay bars, charity shops, a couple of downat- heel overpriced supermarkets and numerous alcohol outlets.

Let's have Starbucks, Tesco and the like to breathe some commercial life into a street which is often a nightmare to walk up or down. Firms like this will have the influence to get the police to finally attend and sort out the street.

Let's also have it pedestrianised to make it safer and somewhere worth visiting. This will also help all those whingeing traders, fearful of anything "corporate" treading on their sensitive toes.

Brighton should be a "yes" place, looking forward. Not governed by small-minded minority groups who wish to dictate to the rest of us. We look forward to one of the first coffees in Starbucks.

St James's Street just isn't the fantastic place all these protesters would have you believe. It's a foul, unpleasant place. Surely Starbucks will make it better, not worse?

  • Tom Geary, Brian Snow and George McColl, Upper Rock Gardens, Brighton