SIR — I write to support Denise Sage and her observations (Youth Letters May 15).

Those of us who are canvassing for the forthcoming elections end up doing an impromptu survey of second homes in the area.

What is so depressing, and insulting to local traders, is that people who are essential to the local economy, through their holiday spending, arrive with car boots full of shopping which clearly do not come from our village shops.

Please use your columns to impress upon visitors the importance of supporting our local stores, pubs, restaurants and teashops.

You only have to look at the high streets of Porlock, Wootton Courtenay and Timberscombe to see the scars.

When Wootton Courtenay was cut off in February of this year by two feet of snow, the post office was the only source of food. What happened when the snow melted? Trade dropped off.

During the foot and mouth outbreak we were able to give a substantial donation via the Exmoor Trust to Denise and her team at the visitor centre.

Readers may remember the headlines in the Times which said 'Porlock is baying for blood – we're going bust'.

Denise and her team mounted a highly successful marketing campaign for Porlock and the area, with significant results.

Indeed she has continued to do so with her wonderful encouragement in the search for new ways to bring people into the village at all times of the year.

An arts festival, open gardens and the rutting weekend, to name but a few events, bring in visitors from far and wide and this all helps to support the local economy – so long as they use our local businesses when they get here!

I urge any friends of Porlock, from wherever in the world, to visit the visitor centre and become a Friend.

As they say 'Every little helps', but it means a lot more to the local traders than it does to the big chains.

Visitors, enjoy your stay on Exmoor but please shop locally.

Rollo Clifford,

Porlock Weir.