The Irish and British governments should move to stop the growth of out-of-town superstores, according to the Musgrave group. Speaking at the UK Guild of Fine Food Retailers in London yesterday, the company's group managing director, Mr Seamus Scally, urged the retail industry in both jurisdictions to lobby their governments against "the menace" of large out-of-town superstores.

He maintained that superstores were destroying the independent retail sector. "High Streets are deserted, town centres are devastated, local communities are without services," he said.

The number of these stores in the UK had increased by 250 to 1,034 in 10 years and 42 per cent of UK villages were now without a local shop. He said that people without transport would be unable to get to shops.