LET'S shop in a 21st century way! No, not yet another supermarket, but making good use of all that is now at our disposal. Might I suggest the following:

Use our local independent shops for good, fresh locally sourced produce where service and friendliness make shopping a pleasure – well done, Lisa Wadling (Times, March 14) for giving an example! It's no more expensive, sometimes cheaper but definitely fresher!  

A walk, if possible, to the town centre is good exercise too! Yes, it might all take a little longer, but the benefits are many — not least that you know what you are eating!

How often do your family members complain about carrying, parking, out-of-control children or just simply the sheer drudgery and mindlessness of that 'big shop'?

For those heavy and bulky items, use the internet — what could be 'greener' than one van delivering to many households in a single round?  

For those who argue that they don't make the minimum spend for free delivery each time they shop, I suggest they keep a few records — those trips soon add up, and if the items are non-perishable then one larger delivery is a simple answer.  

The running of a car is not cheap, either — factor that in too. But what better opportunity to get together with friends, or to help out an elderly neighbour if the minimum really is out of reach, or you personally don't have internet access? 

Against the argument of cost, most supermarkets are competing for your custom so brands are usually the same price across all big shops, and as for choice, well if you don't like one there are always others — we in the Tavistock area now have delivery services from all the major players, at any time of your choice too!

We have at our disposal, the internet, one of the greatest tools invented in recent times; let's use it to our advantage — instead of killing off our town centre.

And finally, how about boycotting those shops, mainly from national chains and mistakenly thinking they will get more custom, who insist on keeping their shop doors open in the chill and wet conditions we often experience in Tavistock? Future generations' energy literally flying out of the door!

Better service would be far more effective in bringing in customers — and much greener!

Hilary Sanders

Tavistock

via email

I HAVE been a long observer of the 'supermarket on Plymouth Road debate, but have only just decided it is time that I write in to express my genuine support for a new supermarket on the old Focus site.

I can understand why some of the town traders are concerned about another supermarket in town, but what I don't think people have yet really come to grips with is that it will not take trade from the high street, but it will give people more choice.

This will especially now be the case given that Tesco has announced that they are moving in, and it is not going to be a Waitrose.

If it were a Waitrose, I could have seen all the specialty shops struggling to compete. But, as it is a Tesco it will simply alleviate the queues in Morissons and push down prices for things like washing detergent. I can't see that being a bad thing for Tavistock, or the high street traders. I can only see that being a good thing for Tavistock families.

Please can we end the debate, and just work together to ensure the developers and Tescos deliver what we want; that is, quite simply a friendly and clean place to shop.

Elspeth Taylor  

Whitchurch Road

Tavistock

THE debate over the supermarket/focus site is raging on. It was great to see local retailers support the proposals and other local Tavistock residents call on the chamber and the council to come up with new ideas.  

Tavistock town centre prides itself on its individual charm and surely with the chamber's support, it can continue to be thriving.  A new supermarket on the edge of town shouldn't affect this at all.  

At the end of the day, I support more jobs, more retail choice and derelict sites being brought back into use. Therefore, I support Tesco coming to Tavistock. Nothing more to be said!

Stacey Richards

King Street

Tavistock

THE Stead and Simpson store had served the people of Tavistock for 25 years and provided generations of the same families with their footwear during that time. It has recently been forced to close and Tavistock (once more) has lost to a charity another business providing a service to its people.

Personally, and I think this is the opinion of many, I would have preferred to have seen a genuine retailer in that shop, who at least would have provided paid employment. It seems ironical that charities can pay high rents traditional retailers feel are too high for them.

We now have multiples of coffee shops, eateries, hairdressers and charity shops. People are complaining about another supermarket coming to the area but have they not noticed that the town centre has already changed?

Has anyone taken into account that it is the charities who can afford the high rents and are therefore keeping the rents high for everyone else? Is this because they either do not pay/or pay very little of the business rate?

Maybe this situation needs to be reviewed because there is a high probability that the next time a large shop unit becomes available on Tavistock's main street it will become another charity shop (just the same as Tavistock Domestic Supplies, Hockridge and Stacey and now Stead and Simpson) and West Devon Borough Council is likely to lose yet more income from the business rate.

I don't understand the objections to the former Focus unit becoming a supermarket — after all, we only have three, they are way down the list, and at least supermarkets employ people, which means that the income from that employment goes into the local economy.

If it was Tesco who took over that site it might mean those people from this area who now go to Roborough and Launceston would probably shop here instead.

Wake up, everyone, the town centre is likely to go into decline all on its own without the help of another supermarket.

L Westington

Tavistock