WHISPERING SMITH: We’ll have to shuffle elsewhere for our soft shoes. . .

Oh, sure, one can still be barracked by the daytime town centre boozer, run over by a roller-skater or mown down by a marauding cyclist – whatever happened to the “no cycling in the shopping precinct” rule? – but if you are a bloke and you now try to buy a decent pair of branded jeans, a suit or an overcoat, then you had best set off for Chichester or Worthing.

And quite soon, it seems, you won’t even be able to buy a sturdy pair of men’s shoes in the town.

Of course, it has become a fine place for hungry or thirsty folk, with two pubs, Cornish pasty and noodle outlets, several coffee shops and sandwich bars to choose from and, should any of the aforementioned gourmet delights give you a bout of indigestion, then there are three very large chemist shops within 100 yards of each other, where you can buy the appropriate remedy.

Once burped you can get your nails done, place a bet, buy a book, a greetings card, book a trip to New York or visit the thrift shops where, ironically, you may well pick up a fine overcoat, a pair of Wranglers or a sturdy duo of near new boots!

Sadly, however, your male shopping choices are rather limited, so the cash you draw from the four available ATM machines must dawdle in your pocket.

With an estimated 32 shops closing across the UK every day, I guess we are pretty lucky here in LA to have what we do have and have to accept that real variety may be a thing of the distant past when the High Street shops really were just that.

I note with considerable pleasure that the Cairo Club, in Surrey Street, which then became a pub,Robert Carver’s, and latterly the Lemon Tree, has now been sold.

My hope is that Arun District Council will encourage the new owners to quickly effect some maintenance and winter protection to this lovely old grade 2 listed building at the earliest possible convenience.