IT is really heartening to learn that there are some realistic people living in Tavistock!  I was so pleased to read letters from Mrs Taylor, Cllr Cloke and Mr McCarter (October 30) regarding the rejection of the planning applications made by Sainsbury's and Lidl.

I am sure that if anyone sat by Drake's statue roundabout for 24 hours they would see the number of Tesco and Asda home delivery vans coming into Tavistock seven days a week.  It is so strange that the council did not take this fact into account.  

Surely it is common sense that with an ever increasing population there is a desperate need for Sainsbury's and Lidl.  With home deliveries from Tesco and Asda as well as people doing their shopping in these stores and others, this is obviously taking money out of Tavistock and denying local people employment.  We have to join the real world for Tavistock to survive and councillors need to give priority to the needs of local people with young families and also the older generation.

As I understand it the site that Lidl applied for is already retail so I really cannot believe why there should have been any objection. Lidl are a sensibly priced store which would be a great asset to the town. Sainsbury's would provide the much needed competition for Morrison's who at present hold the monopoly.  They would bring vital employment in times of recession and also offer quality produce at reasonable cost.

Nobody wants Tavistock town centre to suffer but when the decision was made to let Safeway come into Tavistock it was obvious that in the future with the expansion of the population further superstores would be required.

I really hope that should Sainsbury's and Lidl appeal against the council's decision — common sense will prevail.

Margaret Hayes

1 North Park, Tavistock