Convenience stores and supermarkets are among those out of pocket after getting caught up in the G8 protests in Edinburgh and Auchterarder this week as demonstrators clashed with police.
The principal Make Poverty History event last Saturday (July 2) passed largely trouble-free as a record 220,000 people marched through the streets of the Scottish capital. However, two days later, demonstrators took to the streets once again and running battles with the police broke out.
Sainsbury’s city centre store was caught up at the heart of the outbreak and was forced to shut early. Eye witnesses reported seeing supermarket trolleys and cages being thrown
at the police on Rose Street, which lies just behind the main shopping street of Edinburgh.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury said: “There was a bit of trouble outside our St Andrews Square
store on Monday but fortunately none of our staff or customers were injured.”
Scottish co-operative Scotmid had to close five stores situated close to the city centre from about 3pm on Monday as the protests turned ugly.
Chief executive John Brodie said: “We tried to trade as normal throughout the protests, but we increased our staff numbers and gave our managers instructions to close if there was any hint of trouble.
“Our food stores have benefited overall with the number of people marching through Edinburgh, but the rest of the business has suffered as normal shoppers stayed away.”
Perthshire town Auchterarder, which lies close to summit venue Gleneagles, was also hit by the protests as 5,000 people marched through the town on Wednesday. Demonstrators clashed with police and arrests were made but the local Spar and co-op store stayed open.
Fiona McLelland
The principal Make Poverty History event last Saturday (July 2) passed largely trouble-free as a record 220,000 people marched through the streets of the Scottish capital. However, two days later, demonstrators took to the streets once again and running battles with the police broke out.
Sainsbury’s city centre store was caught up at the heart of the outbreak and was forced to shut early. Eye witnesses reported seeing supermarket trolleys and cages being thrown
at the police on Rose Street, which lies just behind the main shopping street of Edinburgh.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury said: “There was a bit of trouble outside our St Andrews Square
store on Monday but fortunately none of our staff or customers were injured.”
Scottish co-operative Scotmid had to close five stores situated close to the city centre from about 3pm on Monday as the protests turned ugly.
Chief executive John Brodie said: “We tried to trade as normal throughout the protests, but we increased our staff numbers and gave our managers instructions to close if there was any hint of trouble.
“Our food stores have benefited overall with the number of people marching through Edinburgh, but the rest of the business has suffered as normal shoppers stayed away.”
Perthshire town Auchterarder, which lies close to summit venue Gleneagles, was also hit by the protests as 5,000 people marched through the town on Wednesday. Demonstrators clashed with police and arrests were made but the local Spar and co-op store stayed open.
Fiona McLelland
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