Independents face unwarranted backlash

As a resident of Croydon and a member of a family who has been selling alcohol responsibly for more than 60 years, I just had to respond to your story about

Last edition you wrote about a scheme that is supposed to break down barriers between shopkeepers and "law-enforcement authorities" (OLN, July 25), by encouraging retailers, police, schools, Trading Standards, youth clubs and the local press to all work together.

We all support the need for responsible drinks retailing, but some of the suggested campaigns are, frankly, mind-numbingly daft.

I was horrified to see Tesco is planning a Value range of wines (OLN, July 11

I am writing to you as I am so disillusioned with my merchant credit provider, Barclaycard, which two years ago gave me what I would consider very good rates for processing my credit/debit cards as long as I took £100-plus in mobile top-ups .

After having read various letters slating the Thresher Group lately, I feel the need to drop in a defence.

Staff must make most of a difficult situation

Supermarkets will always win

I write in response to Steve Barton's letter of March 21 regarding the Budget and the totally unjust onslaught the industry is receiving from the BMA, other anti-alcohol lobbyists and certain sections of the media and the negative impact on the wine and spirit industry.

I found the tone and content of Steve Barton's letter in the last issue of OLN both alarming and rather misguided. I feel certain Mr Barton would be hard pressed to find any informed person in the trade who would agree with his interpretation of the effectiveness and performance of the entire team at the WSTA.

I read with interest the piece in the March 21 Off Licence News regarding Scottish & Newcastle's new lager widget for cans of Foster's and Kronenbourg 1664.

Thresher wants to silence us but is a 'shambles'

Local beer may be trendy but it isn't necessarily profitable

Philippe Boucheron makes some salient points about the role of wine writers (Feedback, Jan 25), and it would certainly be good to see some more bite from many whose work apppears in the nationals.