Letter: Personal touch

Mr F. E. Rogers
Tuesday 06 June 1995 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Sir: Like Hywel James (3 June), I have lived in rural England since the 1950s - Lincolnshire, Kent, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Dorset, Essex and now Wiltshire. For the last 12 years I have owned a village shop.

What Mr James writes is rubbish. Village shops pay more for their goods, have higher distribution costs and pay higher business rates per square metre than out-of-town multiples. The public is swamped by advertising that has convinced them that bigger means better and cheaper.

However, despite their higher unit costs, many small shops, by working on pitifully small profit margins, often not only match the prices of large stores but also provide an invaluable personal service.

Yours faithfully,

F. E. ROGERS

Rogers of Tisbury

Tisbury, Wiltshire

3 June

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in