SUPERMARKET campaigners have launched a counter-offensive in their battle against a Sainsbury’s in Bishop’s Waltham.

Bishop’s Waltham’s Action Group (BWAG) says a majority of the town does not want a new supermarket on the Abbey Mill site.

An army of volunteers has been dropping leaflets through front doors in the town and surrounding villages.

In their response to Sainsbury’s most recent consultation, BWAG argues that Sainsbury’s cannot provide credible evidence for any need for a superstore. It says there are 120 supermarkets within a ten-mile radius, including eight Sainsbury’s stores. BWAG also says most Bishop’s Waltham residents are against the store.

It also argues that although jobs will be created, more will be lost in other businesses.

BWAG’s research team discovered that the existing supermarkets in Bishop’s Waltham are no more expensive than the big four supermarket companies.

This research was based on a national personal finance magazine’s shopping basket research.

The group also says the the estimated 30,000 car journeys per week on the four B-class feeder roads leading to the two roundabouts either side of the historic Palace ruins will cause massive hold-ups.

Henry Fryer, chairman of BWAG said: “Sainsbury’s have yet to convince Bishop’s Waltham residents that this store is needed or wanted.

“There are better uses for the Abbey Mill site for which the town has greater need: more affordable housing, a return to light industrial use or recreational facilities would all have greater social benefit.”