For 50 years, Colin Colenso has run the hardware shop in St Ives, Cornwall (When I want to feel loved, I just go to a hardware store, 13 May). As he approaches the age of 80, the whole town is worried that he is going to retire. He is there seven days a week, often from 8am, supplying just about anything and in small quantities. As more and more shops in St Ives turn into those that are now so ubiquitous on our high streets, it is shops like his that we cherish in this small community.
Janie Toy
St Ives, Cornwall
• I seem to recall that Tesco was one of the first companies to complain about business tax rises last year. They don’t appear to have done it much harm (Tesco boss’s pay rises by more than £1m to £10.8m after market share surge. 15 May), so maybe it could weather another one to help the country in its hour of need instead of lining its boss’s already overstuffed pockets.
Chris Burr
Stoford, Somerset
• An illuminating obituary for Jeremy Beecham (8 May), but I think a significant omission was his career as a contributor to the Guardian letters page. He always had a germane point of view in his frequent appearances there.
Eric Ogden
Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Is Nigel Farage trying to outdo John “Two Jags” Prescott? Will “Five-homes Farage” work (Nigel Farage bought £1.4m property in cash shortly after receiving £5m gift, 14 May)?
Les Forester
Greetland, West Yorkshire
• Is there is an official conversion rate from the US “bunch” (Letters, 18 May) to the British “handful”?
Stephen Chicken
Swinton, Scottish Borders
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