LARGE shops in Dorchester are benefiting from a crime busting initiative at the expense of smaller independent retailers, the town chamber of trade claims.

Shops in the town pay a small annual fee to become a member of Dorchester's Shop Watch scheme - an initiative where a radio link between stores warns of suspicious characters and shoplifters.

But president of Dorchester and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alistair Chisholm says that two of the town's multi-national retailers - Woolworth and WH Smith have failed to cough up the fee for the last two years.

Mr Chisholm said: "Despite numerous personal reminders, including the hand delivery of repeated copies of the relevant invoices, neither WH Smith nor Woolworths has settled its outstanding account.

"I believe that both still use the radio link scheme despite not paying their dues for two years.

"Naming and shaming is not a course of action I follow happily but I find this necessary after more than six months of being patient."

Mr Chisholm said that bosses of the local stores were helpful and keen to support initiatives organised by the chamber.

He blamed the head offices for being lax.

He said that the fee for using the radio link was £30 a year and membership of the chamber was £75 for larger firms and other smaller traders do pay up.

"The chamber's only source of income is its membership fees and these include a payment towards the licence which we hold for the operation of the vital and well proved radio link security scheme.

"It's just over £100 - which is peanuts for these large firms - but it is extremely good value for money as far as we are concerned and is vital if we are going to help this small market town hold its own against the rest of the world."

The Echo contacted both the head offices of Woolworths and WH Smith but neither returned the call.