LGP News - Threat to Clarendon Park shops

The campaign to retain the distinctive character of Clarendon Park was a focus of the visit to Leicester by Green Party National Speaker Sian Berry, who was shown several of the shops threatened by supermarket expansion and chatted to shopkeepers.

 

She said "I know that Matt and the others fought against the supermarket expansion in Queens Road, and I give my wholehearted support to their plans to maintain a city-wide campaign against such short-sighted planning decisions which are blighting cities across the UK.

 

I urge everybody in Leicester to vote Green. It's a vote for the present and for the future."

 

Castle Green Party spokesperson, said: "Greens are appalled at the news that Jacksons' on Queen's Road, who are owned by the multinational supermarket, Sainsbury's, are to double the floor size and sell everything bar the kitchen sink. The Green Party is well known for its support of local businesses, local food and sustainable communities.

 

We support the local campaign to collect signatures for a petition against extending the Jacksons-Sainsbury's Supermarket."

 

Sian Berry and Matt Follett outside the Offie in Clarendon Park Matt continued: "Supermarkets like Sainsbury's have helped to destroy many flourishing high streets in the UK. Enough is enough. Surely the people of Clarendon Park are not going to allow Sainsbury's to get its greedy mitts on more trade on Queen's Road. It's impossible to have a larger Jacksons' and small still sustainable communities."

 

He finished: " Therefore, we challenge Leicester Council right now to throw out the proposal without a second thought. Rest assured the Green Party will do everything it can to stop this and we urge others to object to this proposal."

Leicester Green Party condemned the decision by the Lib Dem / Tory Council to give the go-ahead for the expansion of the Supermarket. "This is a bitter disappointment for many residents and small shops who opposed the development," said Green Party spokesperson Matt Follett. "The quality of life of local people is more important than supermarket profits."

"The new Sainsbury's store will damage business for many small independent shops on Queen's Road," he added. "With many of them operating on tight margins, the new store could strangle the life out of them, destroying the character of the area and turning Queen's Road into another high street clone."