SIR — I am appalled by the blinkered attitudes expressed in the letters in last week's Free Press about the fish van in Minehead and the campaign against the National Trust's proposal to open a café at Dunster Castle.

One of the things which makes places like Dunster and Minehead special is the variety of individual owners and locally run shops, eateries and businesses, and yet both of these correspondents seem to regard the potential loss of these as inconsequential compared to being "dismayed" by some pieces of yellow paper or the "initiative" shown by someone from many miles away.

If Miss J P Brown is so horrified by the sight of an inoffensive banner and a few posters in Dunster, she should perhaps consider how much more offended her delicate sensibilities will be by the sight of boarded-up shops, empty re-possessed homes and a lifeless run-down High Street, which will be the likely fate of Dunster should the trust get their way. Does she really believe trust staff will continue to encourage their visitors to have a meal or snack in the village once they have their own café?

Once the eateries have been forced out of business, many of the shops will inevitably soon follow as footfall in the village decreases, and even the hotels, pubs and B and Bs may suffer a drop in trade as Dunster becomes a less appealing place to visit despite the magnificent surrounding countryside.

Then again, I don't suppose she will care about any of this as she has made such a splendid stand in defence of the "atmosphere" of the village by deciding to boycott it.

Incidentally, I was in Dunster the day before her letter was printed and far from being harried by petitioners I had to ask where I could find one to sign.

I also have to report that my frail and elderly mother showed absolutely no signs of "intimidation" whatsoever.

As regards the fish van in Minehead, the situation has already been nicely summed up by the letter printed on September 25 asking what it is doing in the farmers' market.

Someone who buys a load of fish, takes it on an hour-and-a-half's journey and then sells it on again cannot possibly be described as either a farmer or a local, and like the writer of this previous letter I too await an answer as to who is responsible for allowing it.

Proper fishmongers are becoming a rare breed on the high street these days and any town lucky enough to have its own should consider it a real asset, particularly a seaside town with a large tourist trade.

Our local independent businesses help to make the places we enjoy living in and we should support them as a matter of course, rather than undermining them.

This is even more important during this difficult time of recession and especially now that they will soon be under threat from the largely unwanted new Morrisons supermarket as well.

It is also worth remembering that money spent in our local shops and businesses and with the local traders at the farmers' market will, by and large, continue to circulate within our local economy, which is hardly the case with the National Trust, the fish van from Brixham or indeed Morrisons.

Kate Gage,

Minehead.