ANGRY Highworth residents have condemned Co-op bosses for “clutching at straws” in their attempt to delay building work on a new Aldi store.

They say managers of the Mid-counties Co-operative should “face up” to the prospect of local competition and improve the way they run their business.

The call came after the group lodged a High Court judicial review of Swindon Borough Council’s decision to grant permission for the Aldi store, saying it was in everyone’s best interests.

The retailer argues that an Aldi store will impact on the viability and vitality of other Highworth town centre shops.

Councillors went into a private session at Tuesday’s planning committee meeting to discuss their response to the legal challenge.

Commenting on the decision, one Adver reader, using the name Wiltshire Reader said: “Clutching at straws is an understatement. Get real Co-op, all shops have competition and yours is going to arrive quite soon and not before time.”

Another said: “The Co-op must seriously look at the way they manage their business or they will end up like all other businesses, closed.”

Other locals have accused the Co-op of staving off the inevitable, after finding out-of-use freezers, empty shelves and out-of-date stock still for sale, which meant Co-op bosses were given a grilling at Highworth Town Council in July

One said: “The Co-op is acting in a desperate manner, probably realising the game is up. Only their greed and mismanagement to blame, expensive rip-off days are over, hopefully.”

Another said: “I bet the cost of the legal challenge is less than how much they would lose during the time period the delay will cause. It makes sense for them to do this and drag it out as long as possible."