SIR: 2020 will go down in British history as when the nation’s care for the elderly started to be of little concern and low priority.

This was brought home to me even more clearly when visiting Sainsbury’s (Winchester city centre branch) on Tuesday. After completing my shopping and reaching the checkout, I noticed the seating at the back of the store had been removed. As an 84-year-old and partially disabled, I had always welcomed the opportunity to take a rest when completing my shopping, as I’m sure did many others. I asked the young manager why the seating had been removed. He replied he needed the space for his flowers. Then added, if I needed to sit there were benches outside Debenhams.

Moving up the road to Boots the chemist, where these days trying to obtain a previously ordered prescription often results in (out-of-stock or can you come back) or (it will be another 20 minutes or so).This wasn’t too serious for such as myself as they had a seating area. But on Tuesday after being told it would be another 10 minutes I found the seating area had been removed and replaced with merchandise. While I was waiting a very frail/elderly lady struggling with a walking/frame, arrived for a flu jab and was directed to wait in the area where the seating area used to be. As I watched her struggling to reach the back of the queue, I felt so sad that a leading chain like Boots could treat the elderly in this way. However, M&S set a good example to the other retailers and at least provided one small chair.

What is happening to this world?

Peter Hargreaves,

Worthy Lane,

Hyde,

Winchester