SIR — It was with great disappointment that I read in last week's Free Press of the organised opposition to the opening of a new Costa coffee shop in Minehead.

Almost all recent reports of the shops in Minehead seem to be of them closing and remaining empty.

It seems a shame therefore that when a major national company seeks to invest in the town, and show confidence in its future, it meets opposition in the form of local business competitors organising petitions against it.

The petition itself seems to be almost a joke in that the petitioners want to preserve "vital retail units".

This, and many other retail units are empty, with no real likelihood of them being used for anything else in the near future.

Do they really want it to remain empty, rather than open and employ local people?

Whether we like it or not, town centres are changing, much shopping is now done on line or at out of town centres; many retail shops are being replaced by refreshment establishments where people can meet. It does keep people in the town centre for those retail shops that survive.

The existing eateries have to evolve to cope with this. This is Darwinian evolution in action in business.

In a laissez-faire free trade economy it has to be that way, and it affects us all.

When Doniford Farm announced its intention of applying for a zoo licence we did not object - we looked at what we were doing that was unique and attempted to enhance our visitor experience.

We believe that its opening may have actually improved our performance, and helped with our visitor numbers. Hopefully this benefitted our visitors.

The planners are faced with a town plan which might have to be altered to assist in the development of new business and the very survival of Minehead. This is within their powers.

To deny Costa planning permission by strictly enforcing a plan whose ideaology was rooted in the pre-recession days may slow down any redevelopment and send a message to anyone else thinking of establishing in Minehead that it isn't worth the bother.

Chris M Moiser,

Managing Director,

Tropiquaria,

Washford Cross.