THE final paragraph of last week's front page article, 'Decision day on store bids', contained a statement of corporate claptrap from the Sainsbury's regional development executive, Jamie Baker.
I have yet to meet as stated, any of the '60 per cent of the local people' who believes Sainsbury's is either needed in Tavistock or believe it would be able to provide the 'quality supermarket', this executive cheekily infers, which would stand comparison with, Waitrose in Okehampton, or indeed Morrison's in Tavistock. Everybody I have spoken with understands the entirely negative effect, a Sainsbury's superstore would have on our town.
Like many, when Morrison's purchased Safeway, I did not believe there would be any significant improvement in the Tavistock store. How wrong I was! In time, Morrison's has transformed this supermarket and it now makes the much bigger Sainsburys, Tescos and Asda stores in Plymouth look shabby and unpleasant in comparison.
For those few who believe these bigger stores offer greater choice, I would only ask, just how many different varieties of lavatory paper, crisps, pre-prepared meals and so on do you actually need?
Tavistock is, of course, blessed with a number of highly regarded town centre food shops. Morrison's complements these local shops rather than overwhelming them, as Sainsburys undoubtedly would, if allowed to develop a green field site as they propose.
In any event, if as stated 'Sainsbury's range of goods is primarily focussed on food', why did I receive an unwanted 83-page Christmas gift booklet advertising clothes, electrical goods and general fripperies, with last week's Sunday paper?
Antony F R Steevenson
27 Trelawny Road
Tavistock