BRITAIN, once described as a nation of shopkeepers is now a nation of supermarkets. One does not need a crystal ball to know why many of our town shops are closing. They simply and purely cannot compete with the huge super-markets.

Giving Tesco the go-head to build a huge supermarket near our town centre will almost certainly close more shops and create unemployment resulting from this.

High rates, high parking charges, limited parking and a poor selection of shops will drive many shoppers to spend their money in far more attractive shopping centres.

We have so many neighbouring towns that do not require a long journey time to reach them, so that is not a problem.

Unless the reins are put on these huge businesses the day of small shops – especially in our villages – will be a thing of the past. Think of us all struggling to reach the same supermarkets on gridlocked roads because our little corner shops no longer exist.

But it seems to me it’s like the buses; if you don’t use them you lose them.

A struggling shopkeeper

Town centre