MORE than 700 people signed letters protesting against a supermarket planned for Abergavenny.

Campaigners were out in force over the weekend in protest over plans for an Asda store on the cattle market site, and were planning to collect more signatures on market day today and next Saturday.

The town's mayor, Councillor Ray Hill, was among protesters on Saturday holding placards and asking shoppers to support their fight by signing their name on letters objecting to the plans.

Councillor Hill said he was pleased with the public response. "It is clear that the general feeling is that people don't want to lose their traditional market town and if Asda comes here it will run other businesses to the ground."

Keith Davies, supervisor of Edinburgh Woollen Mill, says Abergavenny will become a "ghost town".

There is already a small Tesco in the town centre and a Waitrose store in Llanfoist. But town councillor Graham Preece said there is a need for a supermarket like Asda "I don't like the design but we need an Asda because Abergavenny shoppers are going to Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr to shop when they could come here," he said.

A spokeswoman for ASDA said: "We know that large numbers of people travel out of Abergavenny to do their weekly shopping. Our store will make sure people can stay here to shop and that will give retailers in Abergavenny a chance to increase their trade." l Save Our Market Town was set up by traders, councillors and farmers who are worried the new Asda store will affect trade.

The main aim of the campaign is to urge all those who oppose the scheme to write to head of planning at Monmouthshire County Council, George Ashworth. The store, which would be the smallest Asda in Wales, would share a site with two retail units, a new public library, a two-screen cinema, 34 residential units and 373 car parking spaces.