SIR — The time has come - a return to the dark ages, the location is Dunster.

The castle under the guise of the National Trust has decided to rape and pillage the village, its local businesses and local people.

I attended the meeting held last Thursday evening for a presentation on the market research commissioned by the National Trust reference the intention to offer a catering facility at Dunster Castle (Free Press November 27).

Having listened to the presentation, I recognise that commercial competition when based on fact and supported by plans to deliver more visitors into the village should be encouraged, but when the plan is to take over 50 per cent of catering retail away from the village it is time to rebel.

At the presentation, I and others asked a number of questions:

l The National Trust stated they believed they would attract 10,000 additional visitors per annum; did they have a fully worked up business plan? The NT accepted there was no detailed business plan.

l The National Trust stated that 52 per cent of all visitors would use a catering facility within the castle, that of course excluding the possible 10,000 additional visitors for which there is no detailed business plan. Would they come from the 15 existing catering offers within the village? They accepted this was true, there would be an impact on the retailers in the village.

l lf the additional 10,000 visitors did not materialise then the village catering facilities would lose over half their business, and even if they did come, there would still be a 40 per cent loss of customers which would result in the likely closure of half of the catering facilities.

l They have stated there would be additional jobs in the castle; this is likely, as a minimum, to result in the same job losses in the village, or even more, which is evidenced around the country.

l Any reputable organisation which claims "We wish to work with the village" would undertake an economic impact study (analysing the effect of a change in trading patterns) which included financial information not just percentages. A full economic impact study, as accepted by William Wake, has not been undertaken.

l The National Trust's own research identified that if there were a catering facility, visitors would spend longer at the castle. Traders beware - this means they will spend less time in the village.

l Opening a cafe, according to William Wake, was the most popular request, yet in their own survey only 13 per cent requested catering within the castle.

l The National Trust were asked if they had completed any research on the time visitors spend in Dunster. They confirmed they had not.

l The trust identified the need to have a plan, one team, one vision, and a monitored plan to agree how we can all together increase visitors to Dunster. This was said by virtually all stakeholders who were interviewed. Let's get around the table and deliver the plan which works for all.

l The Mill, tenants of the National Trust, have stated they would like to return the catering facility back to the National Trust. This is one of the existing 15 catering facilities. Why not take this back and provide catering at no capital cost and retain the balance of facilities?

William Wake states he wishes to work with the village, well if that is the case don't turn Dunster from a beautiful village to one which has been destroyed by the National Trust.

Empty shops will not bring visitors. Have a plan, delay the decision until we have real additional visitors coming to Dunster and there is additional demand for catering and retail outlets, not an organisation who are "stealing the cakes" from the existing caterers - the National Trust's own research said the catering was good.

Or is this the National Trust raping and pillaging the village of Dunster?

Cllr Bryan Leaker,

Member for Dunster,

West Somerset Council.