Jonathan James has been forced to convert his two sites in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, to Spar following public outrage at the opening of a third Budgens store in the centre of the town.

The former Somerfield store was bought by Musgrave Retail Partners GB as part of a seven-site deal from the Co-op, and opened as a Budgens superstore - with superstore prices - in May. But residents launched a campaign to boycott Budgens.

Both BP sites - Slade End and West Park Street - suffered. "It’s a small town," said Jonathan.

"People were quite happy with two Budgens stores but when the third one opened, they voted with their feet and boycotted our stores. The decision was taken out of my hands."

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