In response to last week's letter, Coleford needs Tesco – it needs it like a hole in the head.

I would strongly contest the assertion that Tesco will 'bring people into the town to patronise the local shops and spend money in Coleford'. I would suggest that the only increased footfall will be from Tesco's free car park to Tesco's, and far from providing a boost to the independent retailers it could well finish them off. Tescos will either be used by shoppers from out of town, which will do nothing besides create profit for Tescos, or by Coleford residents who already get their Tesco fix in Lydney or Chepstow, again no gain to the other Coleford shops.

More worrying is that customers of existing independent shops will choose to spend their money at Tesco instead. This could spell the end of our existing three butchers, the greengrocers and the two bakers' shops.

I know that at present Tesco are promising a food only store but it is interesting to read about their plans to open a Timpsons franchise in Chepstow store, threatening the livelihood of two existing shoe repair shops in the town. If Tesco expand into a few side lines, how many paperbacks do they have to sell before our bookshop ceases to trade, how many bunches of flowers before the two florists bite the dust and cards and magazines to endanger the card shop and newsagents?

Tesco are not opening a store out of the goodness of their heart, to bring prosperity to Coleford, they will make a profit by draining trade from existing shops so that we will be left with a town of charity shops and hairdressers.

– Geoff Fawcett, Coleford.