Open Letter: William Harvey Hospital Flower Shop Closure

Dear Sir,

The loss of the Flower Shop at the William Harvey Hospital is not only a blow to another local business in Ashford but also indicative of a breach of European Legislation on Competition law.

Hospital Manager Teo Vogiatzis indicates himself that this will be the the last commercial premise to close other than the League of Friends.

Regulation of market power is one of the strong holds of a fair and just economy, and if the William Harvey Hospital allow only the League of Friends and specifically tendered businesses to trade on the premises, they are illegally controlling the market.

The League of Friends are a sustainable and wonderful element of the Hospital, but they should not be allowed to dominate the market through abuse of consumers and monopoly of services, whether flowers, gifts or other merchansise.

The relevant MEPs and bodies have been notified and the case is being investigated.

Kelly-Marie Blundell
Ashford Liberal Democrats
Kennington