Letter: Really convenient stores
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nicholas Bird should spare a thought for those in villages (Letters, 21 April). We have in our area a proliferation of "out of" and "edge of town" supermarkets which are killing off our village shops. They destroy competition in many ways: by ferocious cost-cutting of loss leaders; through their car parks that do not attract rates (unlike the swingeing local business rate paid by shopkeepers which takes road space into account); and through school voucher schemes.
Our village can offer excellent venison, cheap, free-range eggs, organic wholemeal bread, pastries and quiches with a real homemade taste, pork trotters and bones for stock, free of charge - none of which I can get from the supermarket. But our shops are still struggling.
Yet local shopping is fun. I find it pleasant, sociable, time-saving and economical, because I'm not lured into making impulse buys. Our convenience store, chemist and off-licence may survive the pressures but for those shoppers without access to a car, the loss of the fresh produce shops would be a real hardship.
Francesca Weal
Welwyn, Hertfordshire
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments