Several Gazette readers have contacted us to express their anger at what they see as an attempt by the retail giant to limit use of the 300-plus space car park to its own customers at a time many feel the rest of the town centre's businesses are already suffering from lack of parking places on top of the massive competition they face from the superstore.

Some believe that, when granted planning permission by South Lanarkshire Council to build the store in 1998, Tesco promised that there would be no such limits on the car park and it would be for the general benefit of the town centre.

The fact that the Tesco Gallowhill development was built over an existing, public car park added to that general belief.

Not so, said the council this week, issuing a very brief statement to the effect that no such planning condition had been imposed at the time planning permission was granted.

For more information on this story, see this week's Lanark Gazette, which is in the shops now.