In response to R James' letter, (C.T. 3/12/99), my 'logic' is based on the findings of various research projects undertaken by organisations such as the 'National Retail Forum' and 'The Council for the preservation of Rural England'. to name but two.

Walmart in America, for example, has an anti-lobby with websites, pressure groups and books such as, 'How Walmart is destroying America'.

Walmart is said to have grown so powerful that it rides roughshod over the law of the land and kills small town America - local jobs disappear, replaced by goods being manufactured and imported from Third World sweatshops.

R James should visit Hearne, (a town the size of Looe) in Texas and have a word with Kathy Stracener, (she runs the Chamber of Commerce there) who will explain how her town was killed, not once but twice, by Walmart!

'Cornwall' has hardly any income anymore, being too remote for industry - the last vestige of which is the catering for ourselves and tourists.

Unfortunately, the supermarkets (which also sell 'buckets and spades') are following their customers on holiday and taking the profit back up country to enhance the salaries of globe-trotting executives, etc.

However, if all national company H.Q.'s were sited in Cornwall then we would see a rise in our fortunes. I would have no objection - provided the jobs were filled by local people. Money would then flow into Cornwall, not the other way round as happens now. This latter was begun by the railways, at the turn of the century, when they wiped out, not only other indigenous industry, but the building, upkeep and sailing of the merchant schooners by Cornish people.

To end on a happier note, I am very pleased to see the illuminated lugger in the river here at Looe as part of the Christmas illuminations.

Perhaps we can have more the same, next year, above the bridge. This would be a step in the right direction in attracting more visitors/tourists, off-season, to a Cornwall which should be considered more of a thriving 'vacation county', than the impoverished 'giro-county' reputation it has at the moment.

CHRIS TAMBLIN

Looe.