I was interested to read in last week’s Gazette that South Hams District Council is considering merging with the West Devon Borough Council.

I feel that Salcombe is changing, with permits being given for hair braiding and a tattoo pop-up at Whitestrand, and now with a complete name change of the marine and arts quarter within Island Street, with the tacky ‘kiss me quick’-type shops that are now being given permission to trade in what we were led to believe would be kept solely for marine trade and workshops – I don’t recall seeing any change-of-use applications.

And now we are to lower the quality of the town further with a ‘discount store’, again in the so-called marine and arts ­quarter. Under which category does that come under?

I would have thought South Hams had already merged with Torbay Council, making us a second Torquay.

Is this really what our visitors and guests are requiring from this beautiful town and area? I don’t think so.

Ian Brodie

Westview Terrace,

Main Road, Salcombe