THOSE interested in Trowbridge's prosperity should push for more small shops, run by people who live here.

Small shops hire more people relative to their size than large ones while local shops generate profit, which enriches their own locality. Trowbridge already has three supermarkets who send profit to the US (ASDA, owned by Walmart), to Germany (Lidl's) and to London (Tesco).

In addition to this, we have the batty situation where rainwater that falls in Wiltshire is sold to Wiltshire residents at a profit that accrued formerly in Texas and now enriches Malaysians.

The last thing Wiltshire, and especially Trowbridge, needs is more businesses that are part of chains that have the effect of siphoning off wealth from here and depositing it elsewhere.

PEGGY THOMAS,

Sanders Road,

Trowbridge.