Call for store competition

Mr Wilkinson said: “This is fine if you can manage it, or afford it, though not arguably ideal for the environment.

“Nor is it helpful to the poorest or less mobile in our society, the most vulnerable.”

Pleading the case for Mid Argyll, and hoping to tempt companies to the area, Mr Wilkinson compares population figures with Oban.

He wrote: “We have a decent catchment and population of around 7,500 people.”

Oban and North Lorn has around 9,500 people, so, the population available to a Mid Argyll store is not far short of that of an Oban store.

Yet, Oban supports a fullsized Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Marks and Spencer food store.

In Mid Argyll, there is one larger Co-op in Lochgilphead, several smaller Co-ops, including Tarbert and Inveraray, a Tesco garage store in Lochgilphead and multiple smaller stores.

Morrisons has recently taken over RS McColls shops in Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig.

A Spar shop, which carries various local produce, is also based at the Riverside Filling Station in Lochgilphead.

If supermarkets are not in a position to open a new store in Mid Argyll, the letter asks them to think about running a survey to confirm if there is enough demand to consider doing so.

Andy Buntin, chairman of Lochgilphead Community Council, said: “We wrote to Lidl and Aldi before. The answer came back that they didn’t have the footfall.

“Another supermarket would be good for the area. But if you get two, you split the population and there is the fear that both could close and you’d be left with nothing.”

A spokesman for the Co-op said: “Co-op is proud to serve its rural communities and island stores, where it prioritises deliveries due to the unique locations and stores play an active role in the heart of local community life.

“A further round of price investment in January saw 117 branded products added to the biggest ever investment in convenience pricing last year.”