Protesters in Holborn. Pic: Gala Souvignier

Protesters went down to Sainsbury’s headquarters in Holborn today (Thursday) and gave a letter to Justin King, the Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s in protest again the proposed Sainsbury’s on New Cross rd.As we previously reported, the New Cross Federation have been working together to stop plans for another Sainsbury’s.

Paul Bell, a Lewisham Councillor stated: “I think for everybody, they are worrying about their businesses, where the economy is not doing so well, and yet we have to put up with another Sainsbury’s, where small businesses are struggling  and every single high street you go to in the UK, have the same shops, same projects, there is no real choice.”

He continued: “You go to a Sainsbury in Newcastle, a Sainsbury in New Cross, they have the exact same things. Sainsbury’s takes all the money away from the local traders and the community.”

James Holland, a protester at the event, said: “We don’t need a new Sainsbury’s in New Cross, we already have one big superstore, I think its greedy for such a large company, who are already making such massive profits, to steal trade from the local traders, that support the community.”

Erdogan Erdogan, another protester and New Cross shop owner said: “We want to support our local stores. Sainsbury is trying to get every single penny out of the local people, by killing the local stores, therefore we want to save our local shops.”

Protest sign. Pic: Gala Souvignier