• SO according to Justin Barrington “not one single local resident” wants a Co-op in the village, (Tell the Co-op what you think, September 13). I’d like to know which straw poll he consulted?

I’d also like to know which “characteristics” are being so fiercely defended in Belsize Village. Would these be the nine cafés/restaurants which virtually stand side by side in one small area, or the three estate agents, likewise?

We get the same protests, by self-appointed do-gooders, every time a small supermarket proposes to open here. I, and many of my neighbours in Belsize Park Gardens, would honestly welcome somewhere to shop at reasonable prices. It’s called choice.

Gone are the days of the “independents” ruling the roost just so they can charge over the odds by blaming soaring rents. Yes, we’re a community, but we are no better than any other by adopting airs of superiority.

If the supermarkets are so unpopular and unwanted, why is Tesco, on England’s Lane, packed to capacity seven days per week? Nine out of 10, it’s by the very locals who persistently protest!

The “congestion” claim is totally unfounded. The small-scale supermarkets have no larger, and certainly no more frequent, deliveries than any of the existing village retailers.

If “We in Belsize Village are the guardians for the next generation”, then Heaven help them. I would hate to see the snobbery, selfishness, and élitism being passed down as another of our village characteristics.

CHARLES NATHAN
Belsize Park Gardens, NW3