THIS is a copy of letter to the local council:

I am an employee of one of the local businesses in The Strand.

I have recently read in the paper that you are putting up a glass building in The Strand where the old shelter used to be.

In that building, you are proposing to put a caf� to seat up to 92 people. As far as I was aware, this was not on the original plans.

The reason I am writing this letter is the fact that, as an employee of an existing caf� in The Strand, I feel that there is no need for yet another caf�.

You should be promoting local businesses. If this caf� goes ahead, local cafes will have to either close or make cutbacks; therefore, my job and the jobs of my colleagues are on the line.

I cannot afford to lose my job. Like everyone, I have bills to pay.

With the current job situation, it will be hard for me and my colleagues to find work elsewhere. We have young mums who work around their children’s education to make ends meet.

I just cannot believe that our local council would be so greedy in taking profit from local people, who are just trying to earn a living, to line their own pockets with no regard for anyone else. This is absolutely disgraceful.

I have lived in Exmouth all my life and have never felt so ashamed with the way you, as a local council, are treating local people.

Do we need another caf�?

No, we do not.

Name and address supplied

(via email).