A PROTEST march will be held in the centre of Williton next Saturday (April 16) against controversial plans to build a supermarket in Bank Street.

Organised by the Williton Chamber of Commerce, the march will culminate with the presentation of a 500-signature petition opposing the supermarket proposals put forward by J Gliddon and Sons.

The long established agricultural machinery firm wants to transform its current premises in Bank Street, together with land behind, to create a superstore just under half the size of Minehead's new Morrisons store.

The proposal would also include a 175-space car park, a further 1,300 gross square metres of units, plus office accommodation, five flats and a pedestrian link forming a precinct through to Fore Street.

But the chamber of commerce, led by chairman Ken Westall, believes the development could rip the heart out of the village's retail centre and has begun a vociferous fight-back.

More than 230 people have already attended a public meeting called by the chamber and overwhelmingly backed the organisation's view that the village would stand to lose more than it would gain from the scheme.

Colourful anti-supermarket posters have also appeared in windows throughout Williton and a website launched under the 'LoveWilliton' banner.

Mr Westall said he was extremely impressed by the level support shown in the village for local traders.

"I really did not expect such a groundswell of support, but it just goes to prove that we really do value our superb local traditions here.

"We are not against supermarkets, of course not, but they have their place in towns, not villages."

He said claims the supermarket would attract more visitors to the village, would benefit traders in Fore Street and would not harm small shops were "myths".

He said small traders could not shoulder even small percentage drops in their takings and cast doubt on the number of jobs a new supermarket would create.

"Research by the National Retails Planning Forum - a research group party funded by the supermarkets themselves - looked at 95 new supermarket developments and found, on average, that for each store there was a net loss of jobs within a ten mile radius due to smaller businesses closing down," Mr Westall said.

Next Saturday's protest march is scheduled to start from Danesfield Middle School at 11am, with marchers heading for West Somerset Council's offices in Killick Way.

There they will present the 500-signature petition opposing the supermarket to district council chairman Cllr Eddie May.

LoveWilliton organiser Wendy Spencer said she hoped residents, traders and local groups, including scouts, guides and brownies, would join in the march.

"We are also hoping to get a marching band along, too," she said.

Mr Westall has des-cribed the supermarket proposals as a "watershed moment" for the village and its trading future.

But J Gliddon and Sons' spokesman David Gliddon said people needed to look at the positives, such as the creation of 150 jobs.

He said he was disappointed by the reaction to the scheme and denied the supermarket would lead to the closure of existing shops.

He said the application had received 30 letters of support and retailers had nothing to fear if they were "up to the mark".

"Williton is more accessible to most of West Somerset than Minehead," said Mr Gliddon.

"It is the centre of the district and is probably where most of the growth will happen."