SIR — Many people must have noticed the disappearance of local shops from our country towns. They are closing at an alarming rate in favour of supermarkets and estate agents. Nowhere is this more evident than in Minehead.

A present example of yet another shop facing unfair competition is the case of the excellent Minehead fish shop "Out of the Blue".

The present owner, after much effort and personal sacrifice, purchased the business at the start of the year, thus perserving the only wet fish shop in the town. The shop had been operating for many years but was due to close.

For some weeks the shop was well patronised as the citizens of Minehead responded to the rescue of their shop.

Suddenly the situation changed by the arrival of an itinerent fish dealer with a van who sets up a stall each Friday in the Minehead Farmers' Market.

There are now queues at the stall each Friday while "Out of the Blue" is deserted and a day's business is lost.

Friday is the traditional day for buying fish so that competition on that day is doubly damaging.

Surely the authority in question must see what harm is being done to the shop and to the livelihood of the owner whose only means of support it is?

There are those who argue that change is progress but all change is not beneficial. Huge conglomerates destroyed the old guilds and apprenticeships vanished. Now the big companies are failing in many instances and apprenticeships are returning.

It is time to rescue our country towns and it is up to all relevant authorities to encourage the re-establishment of local shops by every means at their disposal.

I hope and trust that the citizens of Minehead will return to their own local fish shop each Friday in the future.

I have no personal interest in this matter and don't even know the proprietor's surname.

R H Beale

Vellow.