"Ever onward" would seem the words for Tesco, supported it appears by Brighton and Hove City Council (The Argus, October 3).

The latest development is an application to install a car wash at its Church Road store in Hove, where you already have to spend £5 in the store to use the car park.

Some may remember the original planning application for the store stated it would help regenerate, provide parking, provide easy access and bring new business to George Street.

It did not of course mention you had to shop in Tesco first or that it would have its own coffee shop which might even save you the trouble of going to George Street.

I suspect the car wash may well be a lead-up to an application for a petrol station, as is common with most major Tesco stores.

The site was originally a gas works and the American word for petrol is gas, so I am sure this will be a selling point to the city planners.

I have great admiration for the success of the Tesco company but believe in Hove it has been allowed to extend its influence far beyond what is reasonable. Its adverse impact on local small businesses is becoming increasingly apparent.

-Denis Earl, Hove