THE former owners of Porlock's Londis store this week defended their decision to sell out to supermarket giant Tesco as tourism and business leaders in the village prepared to launch a campaign to support local shops. Mike and Alyson Richardson said they felt "hurt and let down" by comments made by Porlock Tourist Association chairman Roger Barbee in last week's Free Press, which revealed the sale. Mr Barbee said he believed Porlock's reputation for its range of outlets to meet most everyday needs was under threat following the news that the Londis was to become a Tesco One-Stop. And he suggested that villagers could boycott the new store. But the Richardsons said they did not believe that Mr Barbee was expressing the views of the majority in the village. They said that as part of the local trading community, they had worked tirelessly for almost five years to offer a quality service to villagers and visitors alike. During their ownership they had introduced a cash machine, a deli counter, in-store bakery and video/ DVD rental facilities. They had also increased the opening hours and employed a team of nine staff. They said the sale to One-Stop had obviously been kept "under wraps" due to complex legal negotiations but once the paperwork was completed, they had been totally "up front" about the identity of the new owners. Other potential buyers had shown an interest in the property, all of whom were multi-nationals or subsidiaries of national buying consortiums. Mr and Mrs Richardson said they had lived and breathed Londis during their time in Porlock and together with their family had built a successful business. "The business has been a huge part of our lives for five wonderful years," they said. "Obviously we have had our ups and downs, as do all businesses and families. "We have no plans to take on another business, we need a break and time to be a family again." Mr and Mrs Richardson said they had been upset and surprised by the comments about the sale. "The support from our customers and staff has been fantastic. "Prior to the article appearing and even more since, customers and traders alike have contacted us to say they are totally behind us." The Richardsons said they wanted to thank all customers past and present for their friendship, support and loyalty and that One-Stop would be building on their success. Although they had not been privy to discussions on any further developments in the store, they had been told that the number of staff would be increased. Mr Barbee told the Free Press that he accepted reaction to the sale had been "mixed" but on the whole those in favour of the Tesco buy-out were in the minority. "One of the things that many people don't realise is the danger of money simply being sucked out of the village straight into the coffers of what is effectively a faceless food giant." Mr Barbee said the closure of the Londis on Monday had left Porlock without a facility for people wanting to top up their keys for electricity meters. "Tesco has left the village in the dark, literally." And he warned that as planning permission to extend the store at the back had already been obtained by the Richardsons, there was a possibility of a much larger enterprise than people might envisage. But he accepted that boycotting the new store would be a negative reaction. "What the businesses who are members of the Porlock Tourist Association want to do is mount a campaign supporting the village shops. "We want to be positive about this situation."