Sir – Frances Kennett and others are being kind to suggest that a further supermarket is opening in Summertown. Other than branding there is little of the supermarket about the existing Co-op and Tesco. They are excellent places to buy a litre of milk when one is in Summertown for other reasons but have very limited range and variety of goods. It seems likely that Sainsbury’s will have a similarly edited range.

Summertown does have specialist shops that make it a destination for retail trips. It also has banks, charity shops, a library, and sports facilities. It helps others avoid what they see as the hassle of shopping in the centre of Oxford.

It would be helpful if it were to have a Post Office or at least an automated post office teller unit, perhaps in the library or the Ferry Pool centre.

The warning from the recent Mary Portas review is that we need to consider what will encourage more people to visit Summertown (and Cowley, Botley, Headington...) rather than simply give existing shoppers more places to buy a litre of milk. I can understand the short-term commercial imperative of the freehold owners. They need tenants for their vacant units. But if they want secure their future revenues against the predations of online and out-of-town shopping, they need to encourage variety, not more of the same.

Vernon Porter, Oxford