Postcode prices

SIR, — Where possible I generally try to support the local economy and do my shopping locally in St Albans, regardless of whether this is at an independent shop or part of a national chain. Until now though I didn t realise that I was paying for the privi

SIR, - Where possible I generally try to support the local economy and do my shopping locally in St Albans, regardless of whether this is at an independent shop or part of a national chain. Until now though I didn't realise that I was paying for the privilege.

Given that I buy a reasonable amount of music, a friend recently warned me regarding the prices charged for some items at various HMV stores and that he had found they charge different prices in different stores for the same item. I had never thought about this until last week.

I work in London, and was wandering around the HMV store inside Harrods - hardly a discount store - on Friday, October 17, and found a CD I wanted for £9.99. I decided not to buy it at the time, but the next day I went to HMV's St Peter's Street store only to find it priced at £12.00.

I queried this at the till to be told that prices can change when CDs move in and out of the top 30. While I accept this point, it did not apply to the CD in question - I revisited the HMV shop in Harrods to double check the price and it was still listed at £9.99.

I accept that St Albans is seen by some as an affluent town but if a chain like HMV prices product by postcode, then I'll happily shop elsewhere.

I wonder if anyone from HMV can comment on this dual pricing issue?

JAMES CRAIGEN,

Orient Close, St Albans.