SIR: We have just read the article concerning the closure of Hyde Newsagency (Chronicle, October 7).

We owned the business in the 1980s having bought the newsagency from Bill and Doris Vine and left Winchester for the shores of New Zealand in April 1991 where we still live today.

My Mum Stella Cooney is living at PAC Hill now aged 98 and my Gran Edith Brooks died in Winchester aged 104 both of them helped out in our family business as did our daughters Jane and Emma. Jane lives in Alton and Emma and her husband own a dog boarding kennels here in Taupo New Zealand.

We had a wonderful 10 years at the Hyde News; hard work long hours but met so many amazing people whom we often talk about with fond memories. Times are changing but we are sure that wonderful property will remain for many more years

Greetings from New Zealand.

Roy and Lynn Abbott,

Whangaparaoa,

Auckland,

New Zealand