WHS
Sir: A. E. Dean, in his letter (5 February) rushing to the defence of Messrs W. H. Smug, seems to think that the people of Taunton are well served by their local branch of this 'much maligned firm.' As a native of the town (albeit temporarily exiled) I wish to repudiate fully this false assumption. We in Taunton are well served, though not from W. H. Smith and their indifferent staff, but from those private book and record shops who understand the cultural needs of the local population. Smith's assume that the majority of Tauntonians don their dirty raincoats on every visit to their shop. When in Taunton and in need of my Spectator I have to rely solely on the kindness of a local wholesaler.
This brings me on to mention the wholesale activities of Smugs. Here in Aberystwyth they have the wholesale market entirely sewn up. Here, Mr Dean, is the monopoly of which you have never heard! I wonder how many more there are? Needless to say their retail branch does not stock the Spectator, despite the fact that 4,000 out of the town's 11,500 population are students. I have to order my copy from a local newsagent, his supplier being Messrs Smug. For most of last term he was unable to provide my Spectator until the Tuesday or Wednesday after publication.
Auberon Waugh's criticism of the firm, especially their Taunton branch (though Aberystwyth is as bad), is well founded and not based on self-interest because they refuse to distribute his book, as Mr Dean implies. Might I suggest that Mr Dean takes a look at W. H. Smith from the same position as Mr Waugh, myself and doubtless many others, instead of singing the praises of a firm that have been benevolent to him in business dealings. It is interesting, perhaps, that Mr Dean omits to mention what type of material he himself publishes.
Colin W. Nuttall Department of Political Science, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
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