 ::I guess its a case of Avoid Weasel Words. Whilst what  says may be true, if the statement about the variety of shops  is based on a BBC survey, it is much more solid to phrase it as such, and add a source reference. Something like, :::According to a BBC survey in 2006 [http://www.bbc.co.uk/somearticle.html], Salisbury was found to have a greater variety and uniqueness of shops compared to other towns in Wiltshire. ::On a related note, some fifteen years ago, I recall passing through Carlisle one evening in the hope of find a PizzaExpress on my way back from Scotland. Unfortunately, at the time, PizzaExpress hadn't spread much further north than Manchester. It looks like they have one now mind you....   