Since the Cornish Times reported last week there is another planning application for a superstore to serve Looe, this time on the Caradon owned Millpool Car Park, and from a different company, the issue has once more become a talking point in the community.

The port's small shopkeepers are understandably concerned. But it would seem a large number of residents, especially young families, are fully behind having their own superstore.

Young mum Rachael Bowden who lives at Woodlands View in West Looe said she would love a supermarket at the Millpool, because she doesn't drive and she finds it a long walk from her home into East Looe to the local Somerfields. 'It's a small store and I find it difficult getting my son Ben's pushchair around the narrow aisles' she said. 'I presently rely on friends to take me to Safeway at Liskeard, but if we had a large supermarket I wouldn't go there any more, or to be honest, shop in Looe itself'.

Her comments answered the fears of Del Palfrey, of Palfrey's Bakery, a family owned business which has served customers in the town for the last 50 years. 'I can see why people want a supermarket' he said, 'but it won't be good for the town as a whole. Some small shops would be forced to close in the winter and would not be around anymore to open in the summer months. I want to continue trading as I value my regular customers, but an in-store bakery would obviously affect me'.

However, Molly Ward of Polperro, who shops in Looe, said most local people went to Safeway in Liskeard for their 'big' shops, and thought they would change back to port which she said would be better for everyone. 'I think it is a brilliant idea, I would use it, but I would still patronise my local baker, as their bread is a cut above a supermarket's she said.

Eighteen year old shop assistant Amy Peacock, who works at Pendragons, said she had lived in Looe for 10 years and thought it was about time it had a decent supermarket. 'It would bring people back to the town to have a good look around' she said.

Celebrating their first anniversary in the Looe they confess to loving, regular visitors Les and Karan DuCann said that if the environment wasn't changed by it they thought it would be a good idea, as their local friends would prefer to shop in the town. 'Coming from a city we find it hard to believe Looe doesn't have a large supermarket' they said.

But elderly residents Elizabeth Tewfik and Mary Burring, enjoying a cuppa in the Rest Room by the Rose Garden, said a superstore wouldn't affect them because they wouldn't use it. They also didn't think one was needed.

Owner of Brewers, the ironmongers and hardware store, Mr Phil Price, said nobody knew for sure what sort of effect a superstore would have on the town but he believed there was a lesson to be learned from the experience of the Liskeard traders.

Ruth Pengelly, whose family fishmongers have been in Looe for 35 years said a supermarket would tear the heart out of the town. She also expressed her concern over the loss of car parking spaces if a store was given permission on the Millpool. 'We are already short of parking, especially in the summer' she said.

Finally, Looe's Mayoress, Annette Bryan, herself a busy Mum, said she was right behind a supermarket for the town. 'We desperately need one, especially for all our young families' she said.

'I recently had to make a round trip of 20 miles to Liskeard just to purchase a flan case. We should be able to buy everything we need in our own town'. The Mayor, Dave Bryan, is also in support, but says not on the Millpool site. 'It must be in an area sensitive to Looe' he said.