Don't let's destroy Looe

Midsummer Madness is upon us again as the Cornish Times gives front page space to Councillor Young's new (?) campaign for a supermarket in Looe, while inside giving less prominence to the retirement of one of the town's oldest shopkeepers, Wiltons the butchers.

While the departure of another butcher, Malcolm Sargent, to the Barbican to concentrate on the wholesale business, because, he says, 'They prefer to shop at Safeways in Liskeard', could have made a front page title in itself.

Or how about 'Only one butcher's shop left in Looe'? For how long can John and his wife and family, living over the shop in West Looe square, survive if people really prefer to shop in Safeways?

I note that you also headline OAPs as being in favour of supermarkets. Well, my wife and I are also OAPs and disabled, but nobody asked us. No sign of Mr Young.

We really do appreciate the personal friendly day-to-day interchange with our local shopkeepers, who are so much part of the community and make us mere incomers of seven years' standing feel at home - and cared for.

Imagine life without them. In Mr Kneebone's letter he say 'Looe is a ghost town in Winter and Tesco would cheer it up'. He must be joking - or are we talking about a different town? Of course, what he really highlights is one of Looe's peculiarities. It is, geographically, a very spread out town. It means that some parts of the higher town from Shutta and Sunrising to the Downs above the Polperro road have to go some distance to the shops.

There is a price to pay for those wonderful views. Aren't we lucky to live here. The answer is not to destroy what we have. As Jim Broomfield points out, many towns have ruined themselves.

Of course people want cheap food. We have other divisions within the town. Besides those living on income support or the state pension there are those who do not have a car, may not live near a bus route or be able to afford a taxi. We don't have a car either, but we don't feel deprived. On the contrary, we feel very well-provided for. If we want something not on the shelves we just ask for it and we usually get offered it a day or so later.

Before someone says we have a vested interest, of course we do, we all do - a corporate responsibility for the well-being of Looe. So much of what we have here is good, so, by all means, bucanneers, gig racers, bandsmen, furry dancers, Looe Lions etc, please do go a little mad this summer, but please don't say yes to a supermarket.

TONY EATON

West Looe