Supermarkets are being blamed for a huge increase in the number of independent retailers going out of business.

Business leaders say the dominance of Tesco and other retail giants is wreaking havoc in the high street.

Adur Chamber of Commerce has become the latest victim and will fold after more than 40 years representing small businesses in Shoreham, Southwick and Lancing.

It has seen membership plummet from 150 to just 20 since Tesco opened its superstore at the Holmbush Centre, Shoreham, 12 years ago.

Tesco is increasing the size of its Shoreham store by more than a third to be able to sell more electrical and household goods and clothing.

Tesco now takes £1 in every £8 spent by UK shoppers and almost a third of groceries are now bought in its stores.

Beryl Ferrers-Guy, secretary of Adur Chamber of Commerce, said: "The arrival of big supermarkets like Tesco at Shoreham, Sainsbury's at Hove and Lyons Farm in Worthing has been the death knell for small businesses.

"When the Holmbush centre opened a great many of our members found almost overnight that they could not compete with the superstore giants.

"Competition was horrendous with (the superstores) selling their products cheaper than our members could actually pay for them themselves."

Brighton and Hove is also beginning to feel the Tesco effect, with six outlets in Hove alone.

Shop owners in the area complained last year they were losing customers to Tesco because they could not compete with its prices.

Ken Stevens, regional organiser of the Federation of Small Businesses in East Sussex, called for big retailers to help smaller traders.

Mrs Ferrers-Guy said the Adur chamber, formed in 1965, had fought to bring improvements to centres in Shoreham, Southwick and Lancing.

Glennys Lewis-Ford, 61, is the last of the original traders who moved into Southwick Square when it opened.

She has run her post office and jewellery business there for more than 45 years.

Mrs Lewis-Ford said: "There used to be furniture shops, shoe shops, clothes and all sorts of things here. But they have all gone now.

"The main reason for that has been the supermarkets but the latest thing is the end of free car parking. It is a lot quieter here now because of that."

But not everyone agreed that Tesco and other supermarket giants are solely responsible for hitting small businesses.

Monica Hardman has owned Shoreham Knitting and Needlecraft in East Street for more than 30 years.

She said: "The changes in Shoreham had already happened before the big supermarkets opened.

"It is down to a combination of things like the parking, traffic problems and high rent."

Friday, July 28, 2006