I don't normally respond to matters in the press, but on the matter of the refusal of planning permission for a Tesco store at Manningtree (Gazette, May 13), I feel compelled to respond.

I have lived in the Manningtree and Lawford area for close on 47 years, so I should be classed as a local.

The market town where we lived in Cheshire for seven years had relatively the same catchment area and we had three large supermarkets, which prevented people having to travel to Stoke-on-Trent, Chester and Crewe, to name a few places, to conduct their shopping.

These supermarkets did bring trade into the town shops and the town was always a vibrant place to shop, which cannot be said of Manningtree these days.

It’s no wonder a large majority of people have to conduct their shopping away from Manningtree.

I can remember when in the Sixties the High Street was full of shops, including bakers, butchers and electrical stores. Even then we had two supermarkets or stores – the Co-op at one end of the street and the International at the other end.

Unfortunately, a number of these shops were closed down and replaced with housing that you now see between the Market Square and Lushington Road.

Perhaps, in hindsight, the best thing the councillors of that day could have done was to replace the “old shops” with new ones.

The site for the new store is an eyesore. I would have thought it’s in everybody’s best interest that something happens, and happens sooner rather than later before vandalism occurs.

Providing the store, is successful, there will be additional cars using the town. Hopefully, these people will then use the other shops in the High Street and surrounding area.

Are the opponents against improving the facilities for this expanding area?

Would they approve of another supermarket being built there, or are they just anti-Tesco due to the adverse publicity we have all seen in the media about Tesco.

As we live in a democratic society, or so we are led to believe, would it not be appropriate to hold a referendum/ ballot for all people in the Manningtree and Lawford electoral area and let the majority views be upheld, not the vocal minority we seem to have seen and heard since the idea of Tesco coming to Manningtree was raised.

Neil Wells
Long Road
Lawford