Sue Reid, of Fairview Road, Dartmouth, writes:

Well, this will undoubtedly open a big can of worms, but I don’t believe I’m alone in my opinion.

So, Costa want to come to Dartmouth, and I for one am not afraid to say that I’m not against it. I am slightly apathetic about it, but also look forward to a ­different type of coffee shop experience.

I believe it is down to ­choices, something we are all entitled to make on our own. I already choose which shops I go to and use the ones that I do for my own reasons.

It is very simple: if you are against it, then stick to the cafes you currently use. If all the doubters do this, then the local cafes will mostly be okay, and if nobody goes to Costa it will fail.

If the tourists come to Dartmouth for its quaintness, then they too will not choose Costa.

Perhaps the local cafes should up their game instead of putting ‘gone fishing/rowing/ sailing’ on the front doors. Maybe they should stay open for the hours/days promised.

Having somewhere that sticks to regular opening hours is what is needed for consistency. Perhaps the local cafes should open earlier and stay open later, optimising their sales opportunities.

Corporate companies have set standards regarding good customer service, which is not something that can be guaranteed in a few places in town. You only have to look at the comments on TripAdvisor to see some of the service the tourists encounter. Presto has been mentioned among the messages of support for ­independent shops. Presto is a chain.

‘Not in keeping with The Butterwalk and surrounding buildings’? Ah, like Ladbrokes is?

‘Not likely to donate to local charity events’? Does anyone know this for sure?

How appealing are empty buildings to tourists?

How long has the debate over rising rates been going on? Long before Costa, there

was Sainsbury’s and Lidl.

How many people opposed Sainsbury’s, then the Sains­bury’s cafe, then the petrol ­station? How many of those doubters now frequent these places or send others in to do their shopping for them?

Everyone who lives in Dartmouth– not those who have signed the petition and don’t live here – has the right to their own opinion and should not be swayed into jumping

on the ‘luvvies’ bandwagon, ­fearing retribution for voicing their opinions.

Totnes made Costa with-draw because it is diverse. Dartmouth is not diverse, it is a place full of overpriced, niche shops where the everyday ­person cannot find the everyday things they need, hence the need to travel out of town to shop.

Suggesting that there is Costa coffee available at the garage and Spar is incomparable to being able to sit in ­comfortable and welcoming surroundings with friends.