TAVISTOCK is a town that should benefit all residents (irrespective of income or social standing), and as such all residents should be catered for by choice; be it in schooling for their children, a place of worship, where they buy their groceries or even which candidate or party they choose to vote for when considering the local elections.

However, it could perhaps be argued that this choice is being eroded by the unelected body of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, which on its own website admits to its operation as a pressure group acting for the best interest of the business community in Tavistock.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that the chamber does an admirable job, and is a valuable 'forum' that represents the traders that make up the shops that bring so much character to Tavistock, and has truly enhanced the heart of the town to the level that we enjoy today.

But the people who live here are the soul of the town, and their needs are the bigger picture.

Tavistock is far more than a business community, and in today's economic climate the people who live here deserve to be given the choice of where they shop, and affordability in these uncertain times.

The residents and businesses of Tavistock share a symbiotic relationship, and obviously rely on each other. However, the time has come when the people of Tavistock need to be given a choice of affordability, and by spending less on the staples of life, they will have more disposable income for the luxuries.

Shaun Watchorn

shaunwatchorn

@gmail.com