MADAM, I can not help but notice the letters in last week's issue (April 10th). Being young myself it has seemed to touch a nerve that people that are writing these letters are not looking into the future of Ross and will gladly take a back seat approach and see this town whipped from beneath us!

I have noticed there are lots of houses going up around town, I personally think that it's absolutely brilliant, more people, more demand, more jobs. It is going to drag Ross out of the ever growing slope it's falling down and bring some life back. It says something when chain stores close, Argos, Burtons, etc this is because there is no demand. I read a few months ago of others telling people if they wanted bigger shops like those mentioned they would have to go to Hereford or big cities. It's those sort of people that have killed this town. I can honestly say people should be asking if those people in question should hold such a high pillar in this community! People of Ross look at them for answers to help push the town forwards, if this continues it's game over for Ross.

Craig Morgan (posted on Facebook)

Madam, By the time you read this, an important meeting will have taken place at the Royal Hotel between Tesco representatives and the Association of Ross Traders (ART). ART decided to exclude members of the general public from this meeting and you weren't told about it. ART will be asked to vote for 'Yes, we welcome you' or 'Go away' or 'we'll all think about it and make no decision now'. It's pretty obvious which way the vote will have gone bearing in mind it was taken with Tesco present. At a future stage will be a public exhibition which will be suitably manipulated in the normal way.

With their acquisitions and interests in Giraffe (Restaurant), Harris + Hoole (Coffee shops) and Dobbies (Garden Centres), along with their standard range for a store of this proposed size, they will be offering homeware & gifts, clothes, electrical & DIY, sports and leisure, children and baby products, health and pharmacy, beauty, butchery, deli, greengrocery, wine and all the rest, with the backup of their 'click & collect' on line service. In fact, they will be offering everything we already have from our own shops in the town, other supermarkets or home delivery.

And no, don't be fooled... you do not save money or create any jobs.

Does anyone actually care though? After all we, the general public, are the ones who decide where to spend our money and which businesses we wish to support, which is perhaps why we weren't invited to say what we think at the outset. Instead, it has been left to a small handful of decision makers who will influence the look and feel of this town forever because the rest of us have no association through which to voice our opinions.

I sincerely hope that some of our local shops will reflect their existing customers wishes and tell Tesco where to go!

Andrew Meek, Ross