To the Management of Coles Supermarkets, Tooronga Vic,

We the undersigned are residents of Mooroopna, a small country town located just outside of Shepparton. Recently it has been revealed that our Coles Supermarket is going to be closed.

This Coles, while small, is the life of our community. It is the place where the elderly residents of the area shop knowing that the staff are friends, knowing that they won't be kept waiting in queues, and knowing they don't need to travel the extra minutes to get to Woolworths or Aldi. Coles is located near a retirement village. Many residents do not have transport, and rely on this Coles for their grocery shopping. Without this Coles, there is a strong possibility that these residents will go without essentials until they can organise someone to transport them further into town, some residents may not have that option.

Coles is convenient and great for those who don't wish to travel into the heart of town, or into Shepparton itself, a trip which some need to rely on others to make but some residents simply do not have the means to be able to have that option.

Coles is a place where we can rely on the freshness of our food, where we can shop with confidence in knowing we won't have food spoiling and going to waste. It is a place where we can all be sure to get the groceries we need. The alternatives just don't have the same range or freshness.

Small towns don't have many employment opportunities, and while some staff will easily find alternative employment, closing down our Coles will force staff to travel to Shepparton for employment, to which some cannot do, or into unemployment, placing further strain on families. 

We urge the Management of Coles to reconsider their decision, and think of the impact that such a closure would make on our already strained town.

Thank you.