Throughout the winter, when the visitors have gone back to their home towns, we the locals are still here and we are the ones who pay the community tax, we are the ones that keep the local shops, pubs, restaurants and businesses going out of season.
What then do we get in return for the locals?

The answer to that question which is asked daily by the majority of the locals I meet around town is simply, nothing.

On Sunday we went for a trip out to Scarborough, we had a pensioners meal for two – soup, fish and chips and garden peas, cherry trifle and a pot of tea, all for £5.50 each – what a contrast to the prices in Whitby.

How sad when we have to travel out of town to get good service and better value for money.

During the last bank holiday, whilst the town was bustling with holidaymakers of all shapes and sizes, we decided to grab a bag of fish and chips each instead of rushing home.

But I was outraged when I went into one of my local fish and chip shops to be refused takeaway service.

We are only serving table service said the young counter assistant, we are far too busy today to do takeaways.

I said: ‘I hope you realise we are locals and when you are not too busy in the winter don’t expect support from us the Whitby people.’

The sign outside the restaurant clearly stated takeaway service together with a list of their exorbitant prices.

This is another local shop that I will be boycotting in the future and the sooner we get some decent alternative fast food outlets like McDonalds or Kentucky Fried Chicken the better.

Unfortunately, there is no competition in the town so as long as these businesses have the monopoly they will continue to treat the locals with utter contempt.

It is time we the Whitby residents gave a clear message to these money-grabbing profiteers we should all stick together and tell them if they don’t need us in summer we will not need them in the winter when the visitors all have gone home.

Rosalyn White, Rosedale Close, Whitby