Some kind of levy needs to be placed on big internet shopping companies to combat people who use Sidmouth’s shops as showrooms.

One of the main problems highlighted at last week’s meeting on issues crippling the town’s high street was the internet.

MP Sir Hugo Swire called it one of the ‘big issues’ facing the high street.

He said people were going into shops, seeing something they liked, taking pictures and buying the items online at home.

Sir Hugo added: “We cannot turn the clock back on internet shopping – it is here to stay and we do need to look at some way of some kind of levy on the internet, on the big companies like Amazon.

“We can then use that money to somehow reduce rates or do away with them altogether.

“I cannot wave a magic wand and abolish rates or reduce them, but I can argue, and I will continue to do so, that we need to be more inventive on how we tax online retailers”

Email sidmouth.letters@archant.co.uk and tell us what you think.

Read more about the meeting held with MP Sir Hugo Swire here:

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