The front page of your paper of November 8 prominently gave out the news of the pending closure of Tesco store in Sutton High Street, with the line: Shock as 171 workers face uncertain future'.

I can fully understand their shock having been made redundant myself more than 19 years ago (then aged 56), but in the present bitter circumstances, the shock at the quite disturbing front page report was felt equally by me.

May I remind your readers that a goodly number of people were made aware of a neighbour notification of planning application' by Box Properties which owns the store leased to Tesco and which if approved by the council would put an end to Tesco store and its close proximity to hundreds, if not thousands, of Sutton's residents.

And let's not forget the elderly and disabled people housed in other sheltered accommodation and individual homes in the locality and who, like us, depend so much on Tesco.

The planning application was dated September 25, 2000. One week later on October 2, now more than a year ago, I saw the plans and relevant correspondence, and immediately set about drafting a petition against Tesco's closure. Subsequently I handed it to a senior council official on October 30.

It was signed by all 40 residents (but one) and I had made out the case that we, at Crownbourne Court, are all elderly, all disabled in many forms and very importantly, most of us came to live here in sheltered accommodation mainly because we are directly opposite Tesco.

Since September 25, Tesco has re-submitted plans on at least three occasions, knowing full well the public's feelings, but with the knowledge that, if it can hang it out until the lease expires in June 2002, it can then shut up shop and move away leaving the council, the public, customers and particularly the 171 staff who will be left on the shelf.

Tesco has behaved in a shoddy way for more than a year now and has left the council to take responsibility for its dirty delaying tactics.

STAN LOVEDAY

Crownbourne Court

Sutton

November 23, 2001 10:30