AS Tesco hysteria continues to dominate the headlines in Stourport, rational thinking appears to have been lost under a tide of frustrated merchants of doom.

Was it not realised that from the moment the prime site off Severn Road was partly designated for retail use, its fate - and if some are to be believed the fate of Stourport itself - was sealed. It would only be a matter of time before it was snapped up by one or other of the supermarket giants.

Any traffic implications should have been addressed when the initial zoning took place, not at the outline planning stage.

However, traffic volume will in some small way be offset by fewer cars leaving and returning to the area after doing the weekly shop out of town.

With ever-increasing motoring costs, who knows a few local families may even decide to leave the car at home once they have a superstore on their doorstep.

The outpouring of concern over the effect a new superstore will have on the town centre is misdirected. This problem does not rest with Tesco and never will, but with the good people of Stourport. If they cannot be bothered to use the High Street shops and the retailers cannot rise to the challenge then the town centre will die with or without Tesco.

A far more devastating effect on local commerce is the current unchecked rise in the number of charity shops and estate agents in the town, and apathy among a few local businesses, large and small, who still believe the world owes them a living.

The decision to allow Tesco should serve as a signal to everyone - especially our elected representatives - to up their game, especially when it comes to improving car parking, traffic management and addressing their poor record of dealing with essential civil works.

They will need to be proactive in all matters that have implications for what is the heart of Stourport.

Members of my family need to travel to Stourport several times each week from Kidderminster, a town well served by numerous supermarkets including Tesco.

We buy all our meat and other fresh produce from small shops in Stourport - not out of some divine sense of loyalty but because we always get good quality with fair prices and unbeatable service.

Will the supposed very vocal majority of Stourport residents turn their back on Tesco? I think not and indeed hope not, because they and all the people of the town should use it, along with the Co-op store who I am sure will rise to the occasion, for their weekly shop.

The time and money saved by not travelling out of town can then be spent in the town centre, hopefully encouraged by and supporting the many regeneration projects.

PETER WILLOUGHBY Bewdley Hill Kidderminster