Small businesses face unfair battle

I am one of the owners of an unusual business, an independent hardware shop. Located in the Old Town district of Leamington, Lamats Hardware has enough difficulties trying to attract customers without the profileration of big supermarkets like Tesco and its attempts to crush small businesses by using its purchasing power.

Often the original planning consent has covenants to stop supermarkets damaging local business. I understand Tesco originally built its large store in Warwick several years ago on the understanding that only a certain percentage of the shop floor could be used for non food or grocery products (I believe 10-15 per cent). It must have some influence over the council to get this covenant removed. So why am I so bothered by this? The answer is that I can see small businesses and shops all around Leamington and Warwick closing, citing supermarket competition.

So next time you see 10-15,000 jobs created by supermarkets try to remember that they have probably destroyed 40-50,000 jobs in small businesses with unique style. We face a new outbreak of supermarkets. Is this necessary and fair on businesses already established?

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The feedback from my shop is that we offer a good, personalised service and our prices are unexpectedly low. Also, our customers can rarely speak to anyone at the big sheds.

Support your local business, we hear regularly. Maybe this should be heeded by the local council, government and planning departments.

Perhaps at some point in the future a News Corps style correction of supermarkets’ power and influence will take place and this might help either save or regenerate local high streets, if it is not too late. I personally would like to see supermarkets have to charge for parking so that the high street parking costs do not unfairly penalise the small businessman. I ask your readers to try Googling local businesses when you want something. You might be pleasantly surprised at the little gems out there on you local high street. - Paul A Haslam, Lamats Hardware, Regent Place, Leamington.