SIR - Today a friend and I decided to spend a pleasant few hours in Winchester.

We decided to have a leisurely browse around the shops and enjoy a lunch in convivial surroundings.

We had a splendid time until returning to the car park in the Brook Centre where we found to our horror that we were going to be charged £15 for parking there for just over four hours.

Initially we thought that there was some mistake, perhaps we had put the ticket into the machine upside down, or perhaps it was a very belated April Fools Day prank!

But no, on checking the very small print on the ticket machine (and speaking with a very surly man via an intercom) we were aghast to find that this, in fact, was the price we had to pay.

Is this the way Winchester encourages visitors?

We did have a lovely day until going back to the car park, but we won't be visiting Winchester again, we shall go somewhere which is a little more welcoming to its visitors.

PS: To add insult to injury, I thought it was a truly awful car park. Obstacles all over the place, and an exit tunnel' which must be a challenge to even the smallest vehicle and most adept driver.

Jean Denbow, Saxon Way, Romsey.