A garage boss spearheaded a petition – with more than 200 signatures- to stop a new store selling alcohol.

More than 200 people have signed the petition to try and prevent alcohol being sold at a One Stop shop which will open in March this summer.

The Walsall based One Stop Shop group – with 600 stores across the country- will open on the former Cromwell Car sales site in The Causeway.

But Preminy Kamalanathan, of the Robin Hood Service Station in Wimblington Road, says the area is highly populated with elderly residents who “dislike nuisance and changes”.

And because the store will open from 6am to 11pm “it will be a new restraint imposed on the elderly residents by creating difficulties to adjust to the new changes such as additional noise and crowd.”

Ms Kamalanathan says the store will compete with Costcutters in St Peter’s Road, Iceland and Tesco Express as well as her own.

She said another off-licence would result in over provision and would result in a strain on the healthcare services because of alcohol abuse.

“The cost of the NHS alcohol abuse is huge and therefore protecting and improving the public health is an extremely important objective,” she says.

“Due to their size they will be able to provide discounted alcohol than many of the small independent local shops such as me.

“This is likely to lead to unfavourable effects to our community on the grounds that it will encourage prolonged excessive drinking.”

She told Fenland Council: “This particular area is extremely busy, the access of large delivery vehicles will certainly disturb the local traffic and increase congestion in this small town which we strongly disapprove,” she said.

Her objections will be considered by Fenland District Licensing Committee on Wednesday May 21.

There have been no other objections to the licence.