Two women from Great Notley are urging residents to boycott the estate's Tesco store on Saturday.

Claire Cooper, who runs a craft shop, and Pam Mclintock, who has a hairdresser's salon in the parade of shops adjoining the supermarket, are protesting at the company's failure to let the remaining units, which it owns.

They claim their businesses have suffered because they are surrounded by empty shops and accuse the company of turning its back on the community.

The pair are now seeking legal advice in a bid to sue the supermarket giant for loss of earnings.

"I believe they have really let everyone down," said Mrs Cooper, of Mallard Close. "Tesco say they took this plot to give a service to the community and they haven't done it."

She claims the appearance of the units has deteriorated and waste disposal facilities have still not been provided. All the units have been available since 1995, but only two have ever been let.

Black Notley councillor, Peter Turner, has written to Tesco again this week asking for some action to clean up the parade.

"If I'm honest there's a feeling whether this is about supermarkets wanting to get the monopoly. To be fair to them, I will be interested to see what response we get," he said.

A Tesco spokeswoman said they were trying hard to let the units. "We are extremely disappointed that to date we have not been able to let them all. We have tried to help the tenants as much as we can,'' she said.

''We realise their businesses have not been going too well and we have given them substantial concessions," she added.

Clare Cooper and Pam Mclintock will be outside the Great Notley Tesco store from 10am to 4pm tomorrow asking people to join their boycott of the store and sign a petition backing their fight to fill the other shops.

Clare Cooper (left) and Pam Mclintock outside the shops in Great Notley.

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