I applaud your saintly devotion to shopping locally, but sadly in these harsh economic times many of us do not enjoy the luxury of the time or the funds to shop on a daily basis as you seem to do. You also make no mention of Spar NCE or CK’s, so I’m assuming these stores have no relevance to your personal crusade?

Choice of shops should surely not be an issue, so if we had a new supermarket, whoever it may be, why would you (or anybody else) feel pressured to shop there? How about if Co-Op bought the site & moved Sommerfield there – would that be acceptable? I’m afraid I cannot agree with the arguments of the Action Group in any way, but sympathise with your out-dated and old-fashioned sentiments.

And finally, I find it strange that you choose to use Tesco’s for items such as spices, when we have the excellent Riverside Health store in town able to supply almost anything!

Regards, Andy.

1. Fuit and veg. – mostly the Friday mart in NCE
2. Day-to-day stuff – mainly Co-op Somerfield
3. Dry goods – mainly Aldi in Cardigan
4. Meat – Somerfield, Jenkins or Dewi James
5. CCF in NCE – for things like oats and sugar.

With a family to feed which sometimes sees 7 of us around a table, we also do some bulk buying. (loo rolls, bread flour, etc.)

Actually very little of our shopping is done at Tesco, and what we do buy there is mostly difficult to source elsewhere (spices mainly).

So there you are. You are welcome to come and inspect our store cupboards.

When we were collecting letters in town, one elderly gentleman made a very good point about the difference between buying and shopping. Buying is whizzing round Tesco and chucking stuff into a trolley. Shopping is going from one place to the next comparing prices and quality. It takes a little more time, but you save a packet.

Oh, and our hens keep us in eggs, even during the recent cold spell.

Hope this does not sound too smug.

My point is that I can’t see anything being done to the site at all without the financial “assistance” of a ‘major player’. With the amount of ecological work needed at the site, I can’t see the necessary funds being raised by any other means.

Oh really? How did Newcastle Emlyn get to where it is now without a major supermarket? According to your theory Andy, the town shouldn’t even exist as a community or retail centre.

This proposal might seem like an “offer we can’t refuse”, but once it is accepted, no better alternative can ever get a look in. I say, like my heroine Mrs Thatcher – No, No, No!

I stand some halfway between your view & that of the self-titled ‘Action Group! My proposal is this:

1. The site will NOT get any development without a major supermarket;
2. The proposed developer WILL get planning, with his high powered business contacts;
3. A supermarket chain would attract back local shoppers, & provide valuable parking;
4. It would provide wheelchair & disabled access;
5. If we complied & worked mutually, we could fight for a redeveloped walkway, with many small local outlets/bistros etc along the way, a good parking area, and maybe a small on-store cafetiere area overlooking the river;
6. The council are clearly not going to do any of this!