The reaction to Safeway opening an outlet in the Clock Tower Quadrant said more about the snobbery of some of the contributors than the merits of the case.

Most of the profits of city centre supermarkets come from local residents and businesses.

Tourists and day-trippers do use supermarkets but their per-capita spend is far less.

What most locals want is a good, well-located supermarket offering a diverse range of products at a fair price.

I don't much care whether the supermarket is called Safeway, Tesco, Asda or Waitrose. It's not the name on the door but the goods on the shelf that interest me.

I shop every day in the St James's Street store. I find it convenient and reasonably well stocked. If I want something a little out of the ordinary I go the to smaller specialist food shops, of which we have a good selection in St James's.

So please, less of this food snobbery. We are not all paid up members of the ciabatta and sun-dried tomato brigade.

-Dr Alan Bond, Brighton