Elsie’s stark message: No superstore! (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Elsie’s stark message: No superstore!

A GREAT grandmother is fighting plans for a new supermarket in a Hampshire town by making her own anti-Sainsbury’s T-shirts.

Elsie Starks, with Holly Robinson, has used her own money to make 100 ‘Say no to Sainsbury’s’ shirts

Elsie Starks, pictured above left with Holly Robinson, has used her own money to make 100 ‘Say no to Sainsbury’s’ shirts opposing a controversial superstore on the Abbey Mill site in Bishop’s Waltham.

The 83-year-old hopes that residents that are uncomfortable voicing their opposition to the store can wear the shirts to make their feelings clear.

Elsie, who has lived in Bishop’s Waltham for 71 years, said: “A supermarket here would ruin the community. People care about Bishop’s Waltham and the village history. A Sainsbury’s is unnecessary as they have so many stores close to us already.

“A lot of people are afraid to voice their opinion but everyone can wear a T-shirt.”

The former Bishop’s Waltham Youth Club leader added that the store would damage historical areas.

She added: “It would ruin the Bishop’s Palace and the pond which was created hundreds of years ago to provide fish for the palace. Also, the roads are not big enough to take the extra traffic.”

Elsie, who still does all her shopping locally, is selling the T-shirts for £5 each from Stainers Bakery on the High Street. All the profits go to the Bishop’s Waltham Action against Sainsbury’s Group (BWAG).

As reported in the Daily Echo last month supermarket bosses are set to hold a second round of consultation with 13,000 residents in and around the market town.

The BWAG fears that the 35,000 sq. ft store will have a detrimental effect on independent shops and could put many out of business.

Up to 500 people crammed into the town’s Jubilee Hall on May 28 to voice almost unanimous opposition to the building of a store. As previously reported, Sainsbury’s bosses admitted that regardless of public opinion they would submit a planning application.

If built, the store would cover an area of land more than two times the size of an Olympic swimming pool and employ about 350 people.

For more information contact Sainsbury’s community information line on 0845 602 1151 or the Bishop’s Waltham Action Group at bwactiongroup.org.uk.