SIR — We are very fortunate in Dunster as we have one of a dying breed - a village shop.

The Dunster Village Store and Delicatessen stocks a wide range of essentials for villagers and visitors alike and is supplemented by a takeaway service of homemade pasties and refreshments.

Like most small shops these days it is a fine line between failure and success.

The success of our shop has been put into jeopardy recently by the National Trust locating an outside catering trailer within their grounds.

Visitors who would have purchased takeaway products in the village store were more often than not tempted to purchase other items from the shop, helping to improve its viability.

Much of that activity has ceased owing to the arrival of the National Trust catering trailer.

It is a cruel stab in the back for hard working shopkeepers.

The trailer would not be paying business rates, would possibly not be providing employment for local people and will not be there in the winter!

If a service did not exist, I can understand the trust wanting to provide for its visitors, but this store and others do exist and deserve the support of the National Trust, who after all are supposed to be upholders and supporters of rural Britain.

I should have thought that with the millions that the trust earns a year it would be crass stupidity to prejudice an essential village service for the sake of an extra few hundred pounds a year.

My wife and I shall not be renewing our trust membership next year and urge all like-minded folk to take similar action.

R Hunt,

Park Street,

Dunster.