TRADERS and residents have launched a campaign to try to stop a new supermarket opening.

Bosses at national chain Morrisons have unveiled plans to open a smaller ‘M Local’ store on the site of the former petrol station in Gisburn Road, Barrowford.

The moves comes as Lancashire-based supermarket Booths edges closer to opening its own store in the town later this year.

On Tuesday, Pendle licensing committee will discuss an application to sell alcohol at the M Local store. Traders including nearby Spar, Bargain Booze and Village Fayre, have led a campaign against those plans, and a petition signed by 209 people has also been submitted to the council.

Gerard Threadgould, of Spar, said: “We have run the petition with a few other stores and most customers are against another supermarket. If Morrisons opens next door it will effectively shut us down. We can’t compete.With a new Booths already opening, this will cause even more problems.”

Letters to the council say there are already enough shops selling alcohol in Barrowford and they fear an increase in anti-social behaviour.

Gareth Pruskin, from Bargain Booze in Gisburn Road, wrote: “Granting a licence would provide a further source of alcohol within an area already so heavily populated with licensed premises that crime, disorder and public nuisance can only increase.”

A Morrisons spokesman said: “We understand that residents have raised concerns regarding our application for an alcohol licence and want to reassure them that we are committed to being a responsible retailer.

"We take sale of alcohol seriously and have a number of measures in place, including our stringent ‘Challenge 25’ policy, to ensure a sensible approach.

“We will address these concerns during the licensing hearing next week.”