TALK about shutting the gate after the horse has bolted! Mark Garnier announces new legislation to stop large retailers purchasing pub sites without planning permission just as we hear Tesco have won their appeal to build a new store on the Squirrel pub site in Areley Kings.

Does he think that that WFDC /Areley Kings residents are that gullible to be placated in such a fashion? Tesco have a love-hate relationship with the British public. The savings on the weekly shop are welcome, but people are sceptical about their business practices. Their share price declined due to added competition and lying about their profits, but recovered when they announced closures of unprofitable stores and cancellations of new-builds.

On that note I thought the Squirrel site may have been cancelled, but they seem to have done a U-turn back to their old ways, once again. Mr Perry and his staff at Londis serve the local community well, being on first-name terms with a high percentage of their customers. An additional store will cause more dismay on a road where parking and traffic flow are already tested.

Martin Clapton

Stourport