CALLS have been made for a new supermarket to transform a town.

Dalton could benefit from a Sainsbury’s supermarket to revive the town following a number of shop closures, it has been said.

It follows similar lamentations from a letter sent to The Mail blasting a supposed decline in the ancient capital of Furness after a number of community assets were closed or sold off.

An anonymous writer labelled the town ‘Dalton-in-Distress, twinned with nowhere’, slamming a lack of banks and a fire or police station.

This month the town is set to lose The Red Lion pub and the Brocklebanks greengrocer, both in Market Street.

Responding to the letter, Dalton councillor Wendy Maddox said: “Dalton is in distress.

“We are losing shops and all sorts of other things.

“The town has declined with things closing. It’s a shame.”

Referring to new shops to have recently opened in Dalton, she said: “If you want to vape or get a spray tan then Dalton has got it.”

Mrs Maddox said the town needed a lift and suggested a large supermarket could provide a boost - namely a Sainsbury’s.

She said: “We just need a bit of oomph.

“We could do with a big supermarket.

“We are short of a something like that now.”

Dalton’s only current supermarket is the Co-op in Market Street, but Mrs Maddox said she preferred travelling to Barrow to shop at Tesco.

The letter said: “Welcome to Dalton-in-Furness.Ancient capital of Furness.

“No library. No police station. No banks. No fire station.

“No traffic wardens. No white signs in disabled bays. No black and white on pedestrian crossings.

“No notice of speed signs with vehicles through Dalton. Should be renamed Dalton-in-Distress, twinned with nowhere.”

The Red Lion will close on August 18, with the landlady citing a ‘struggling’ pub industry.

Brocklebanks closes on August 31 when its owner retires.