Councillors must not be manipulated

SIR – The debate as to whether Tesco should be able to expand in Honiton or whether a supermarket should come to Ottery would quickly be decided by anybody who cares to listen to visitors to our town s shops during the holiday season.

SIR - The debate as to whether Tesco should be able to expand in Honiton or whether a supermarket should come to Ottery would quickly be decided by anybody who cares to listen to visitors to our town's shops during the holiday season.

All are delighted at rediscovering real shops and have a sad tale to tell of the loss of the little shops in their own town, due to the arrival of a large superstore, supermarket or shopping complex.

East Devon is one of the few remaining areas of the UK where small, independent shops survive, and it is a major reason the area is so popular.

I am sure there are many councillors across the country regretting their hand in the ruin of their towns by allowing a supermarket to push in.

Let us hope our own councillors are not so easily manipulated.

Rosalind Browne

Broad Street

Ottery St Mary