CAMPAIGNERS are urging people to pour into Bridgwater town hall next week in a last-gasp bid to derail Tesco's plans for Northgate.

Protest group Bridgwater Forward has invoked a rarely used democratic procedure to call a public meeting next Monday.

Their motion calls on Bridgwater Town Council to “join with traders and electors in objecting to the sale” of the 12.4-acre Northgate site - and urges Sedgemoor District Council to “seek alternative ways” of developing it.

The motion says the £11million sale would be “detrimental both to the historic and cultural character of our town, and to the future of retail trading in the High Street and Eastover”.

Bridgwater Town Council is required to hold the meeting under the Local Government Act - because the proposal has been signed by six electors, all members of Bridgwater Forward.

The meeting takes place at 7.30pm, and you can find out the outcome and have your say by visiting our website, bridgwatermercury.co.uk/news.

Bridgwater Forward member Ian Tucker said it could be the first meeting of its kind in Bridgwater.

He added: “We are hoping to make Sedgemoor District Council realise the feelings of the town - we don't want another supermarket.”

Alan Hurford, Bridgwater town clerk, said: “The meeting is being held in the Charter Hall, which holds 100 people, but we just don't know how many people will attend.”

Sedgemoor District Council said it was waiting for an invite before deciding whether it would attend.

Nobody from Tesco was available for comment as the Mercury went to press.

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