RESIDENTS and traders in Whetstone are stepping up their campaign against a new Tesco Express in Oakleigh Road North.

More than 40 people attended a public meeting in Manor Drive Methodist Hall about the ‘Tesco Kills the Community – Every Little Hurts’ campaign.

Opponents said they feared the supermarket would put existing small shops out of business, increase traffic and noise pollution and undermine the area’s friendly community.

More than 2,200 residents have signed a petition against the store, which is set to take over the ground floor of the former Sapphire Lounge.

Traders in Oakleigh Road North also have template letters available for residents to send directly to Barnet Council giving their objections.

Mr Thurairajah Suthaharan, who has owned the Maybrook convenience store for five years, is worried the proposed store could force him to shut up shop.

He said: “I have a wife and two kids to support. Tesco could really turn our lives upside down.

“When I first found out the store was coming here I couldn’t eat or sleep, it was mental torture, but now we need to fight back.

“The store is going to cause our area a lot of problems, not just the shopkeepers – and we need to make the council aware.”

Ajit Shah, who has owned the Oakleigh Pharmacy, Shah for 25 years, said he was worried about the community’s safety.

He said: “There are already accidents happening at least every two months on the road here and the new store is only going to bring more traffic to the area.

“Now with work progressing on the new store, there is chaos with vans and skips being parked on the pavement and people not being able to walk on it.

“One of my patients has already been injured as a result and I just know someone is going to get killed if nothing is done.”

A second public meeting will be held in Manor Drive Methodist Hall, in Manor Drive, Whetstone, on Thursday, January 27 from 7.30pm to 9pm.