SHOP owners have expressed their frustration about the number of supermarket chains opening in Headington.

A Sainsbury’s store is due to open at 98 London Road on February 25, and plans are now in motion to create a new Tesco Express nearby at 83-85 London Road.

Chris Green, manager of The Oxford Furniture Warehouse in London Road, is frustrated with the number of supermarkets moving into Headington, which already has Morrisons, Londis, the Co-op and Waitrose.

Mrs Green, 52, said: “I think it is ruining the look of Headington. It is taking away all the individual, local shops.

“I don’t see what the need is for them to come here. We’ve got Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and we’ve got Morrisons.

“We don’t need a Tesco.”

Her daughter, Sam Green, who co-manages the shop, said: “There are hardly any independent shops in Headington, mostly just supermarkets and charity shops. I think that it was a big shame that Peacocks left, as there is not really anywhere to buy clothing.”

The Greens were given an eviction notice in September to vacate premises in London Road and had to move to new premises in the road just two weeks before Christmas.

Chris Green added: “The move affected us pretty badly. December should have been our best month, but our takings were down £3,500. “We were doing really well and we were meant to be in those premises for three years. We had nowhere to go.”

The manager of clothing store Monaco, Elaine Bellenger, who has worked in London Road for 19 years, said: “We are losing too many retail shops in Headington. We lost a bridal shop to Starbucks.

“The important point is that we really need people to shop locally.”

Charlotte Carney, who opened Daisy Chain cards and gifts shop in Windmill Road in October, said: “We were surprised by how many charity shops there are. Rents are about £600 a month.”

Mike Ratcliffe, chairman of Headington Neighbourhood Forum, who is working on a Neighbourhood Plan for Headington alongside students from Oxford Brookes University, said: “We can see Morrisons and we know that Sainsburys are coming. We’re just a little bit concerned that what will happen is that it will have a detrimental effect on the community.”

Robin Ockendon, Sainsbury’s regional acquisitions manager, said: “The construction works are progressing well and we are still on target to open at the end of February.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “We would like to open an Express store offering a local top-up.

“It would offer up to 20 jobs, and recruitment will be done locally.”