Band together to save small businesses | Brief letters

Community assets | Jeremy Beecham’s letters success | Top-deck traveller | Bank holiday weather | Domestic workers’ rights In Kings Heath we faced a problem similar to the one that concerns Janie Toy (Letters, 19 May). The solution was for the community to band together and buy the shop, so we did. Our beloved York Supplies remains, as a successful community co-op still selling you an array of hardware, amazing plants, and one nail if that’s all you want. Members of the buyout committee are happy to have their brains picked by others wanting to retain small businesses important to their communities.Naomi StandenKings Heath, Birmingham I wrote to you a few years ago, explaining that, as a fellow member of Newcastle Labour party, I was a bit miffed that Jeremy Beecham had more success than I did in getting letters published (Letters, 19 May). In my unpublished letter, I wrote: “The letters ed’s a busy chap, / I’ve found it hard to reach ’im. / I think I’ll have to change my name to ‘Lord Jeremy Beecham’.”Christine HartasMickleton, County Durham Let’s not forget the man who made the bus in seconds flat, found his way upstairs (Letters, 18 May), had a smoke and went into a dream. All p