IT is so depressing to see such a solely 'materialistic' outlook expressed by your correspondents F Phillips and Tim Dawson (Letters, March 10) concerning the proposed out of town supermarket development. 

It would have been sensible if Mr F Phillips had checked a few of his facts before he wrote so as to avoid confusion. Nigel Eadie did not conduct a singular campaign against the Sainsbury project, as he is the representative of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce.  

No-one objected to Morrisons opening because Morrisons actually took over from Safeway who opened in Tavistock many years ago when there was indeed a need for supermarket and I am quite sure Mr Eadie has no intention of calling for the closure of Morrisons.

As for 'various university studies' that out of town supermarkets increase market town business that Mr F Phillips obviously thinks are gospel, rather than rely on academic hypothesis, why does he not just look around the country and observe the spoilt, mundane, rundown town centres that are the result of faceless chainstores and then form an opinion? 

It would not be so bad if supermarkets stuck to selling groceries and household items, but no, they instist on putting their sticky fingers into every pie. Local traders are unable to compete with the big boys against such odds. 

And he also thinks house prices near to the supermarket will increase.  Just imagine the colossal increase in traffic, noise and the disruption at night if 24-hour opening is allowed as seems to be the norm. 

If people cannot live without their Sainsburys and Tescos and dont want to travel to Plymouth there is little to stop them moving away from Tavistock so that they can worship their iconic supermarkets at close quarters. 

Let's preserve our Tavistock.

Paul Phillips (not related)

Sampford Spiney

REFERENCE the Mercian Development proposals. It is no good Tavistock Chamber of Commerce being upset by the Mercian Development proposal for the land opposite Bishopsmead. If not this developer then it will be another.

The real problem lies with West Devon Borough Council' equivocation over the use of the land. Is it for industrial employment or both?

Until, and unless a clear indication is given, then developers will eye this land and local people will be upset by proposals.

As for the market area, the town or borough should not be wooed into doing something that should be out of keeping. If an increase in available floor space for the market is desirable then the town should consider marking Ward and Chowen 'an offer they cannot refuse' for the auction rooms. They are large, adjacent to the market and accessible. They should make an ideal market extension.

R Crispin

Yelverton

WHETHER or not one would like Waitrose to come to Tavistock, it is important to keep a sense of perspective and a sound understanding of the facts.

F Phillips has accused the Times of giving undue space to Mr Nigel Eadie regarding the supermarket debate. Mr Eadie represents a significant section of the community in his role as Chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce and I believe it is right that he should have a voice in the paper on major issues affecting the town centre.

University studies may well have shown that supermarkets operating in close proximity to the town centre bring more customers to the local traders, but the site opposite Bishopsmead is not in close proximity to the town centre.

We have a beautiful historic town which we do not want to keep as a museum piece but as a lively and active entity.

I live in Bishopsmead and if there is development of any kind on the site in question, I (yes, I am a pensioner) and others will lose the pleasant rural views and open environment which attracted us to that particular location in the first place.

I hope that the proposed development would not reduce the value of my property, but there is no evidence at all to suggest that our property values would increase. If developed, this whole area would become an urban hot-spot which would certainly create an alternative shopping destination to the town centre.

I am not against competition nor am I against change. But since the arrival of Lidl there is no identified need in terms of footfall for another supermarket. If in the future a formal assessment were to identify such a need, I would want this to be built in or directly adjacent to the town centre so that it can complement the local traders.

Gillian Hiles

Tavistock

NIGEL Eadie knows what he is talking about; I have worked in head office marketing roles for J Sainsbury, Boots and WH Smith and I know what I am talking about.

To suggest that another large supermarket would offer more choice is to ignore the fact that the most dominant chains have a proven history of deliberately targeting and undermining existing stores.

Once the competition is driven out of business, prices will creep up and in the end there will be less real choice for the consumer.

We already have three supermarkets in Tavistock, which is sufficient to provide competition and choice while still allowing price-elastic consumers some differentiation on the grounds of taste, brand preference, aspiration etc.

We are very lucky that in addition we have Crebers, the cheese shop, two independent butchers and a handful of greengrocers. All of these will suffer if we get a Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose or M&S Food store, and I fear we will see Tavistock turn into a 'Lego High Street' like many others.

Yes, the shops will be a little cheaper, but many jobs will be lost and profits will go out of the area, thereby damaging the housing market and employment prospects as well as destroying much of the town's charm.

Ann Keelan

Whitchurch Road

Tavistock