Shoppers have been saddened by the eviction of a beloved cat from her supermarket stomping ground.
Lucy could regularly be spotted greeting customers at the door of the Co-op in Mile Oak Road, Portslade.
She even had her own little wooden house, which has now been taken away, near the shop with the affectionate term “Co-op Cat” written on.
A complaint to the council’s environmental health team led to the retailer being warned to keep the animal outside.
Residents are now concerned for Lucy's safety after her banishment from the shop.
They say she has been seen running around the car park between moving cars.
One resident, who loved seeing the moggy, branded the eviction “ridiculous”.
She said only one person in the community had complained about the cat.
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“My toddler and I loved seeing Lucy greeting us when we walked into the Co-op,” she said.
“She was such a friendly lady and loves kids.
“It put a smile on our faces.
“She was extremely popular and has become almost like a therapy cat for some people.
“I was shocked to hear she had been banned from the Co-op, she was doing no harm and not posing any risk to health and safety.”
When The Argus paid a visit to the shop to see if Lucy was still in the area a couple of young people could be heard asking where the cat was.
Others could also be seen turning to where Lucy's wooden house used to be to see if she was there.
A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “National food safety laws require businesses to ensure adequate procedures are in place to prevent domestic animals from having access to places where food is prepared, handled or stored.
“This is to prevent any contamination of food.
“We have a legal duty to remind businesses of their responsibilities when we have reason to believe national food safety laws are not being followed.
“We cannot comment on individual cases.”
A Co-op spokesman said animals are not permitted in stores, with the exception of assistance dogs.
“Co-op adheres to the highest standards, and takes its responsibilities towards food safety extremely seriously," the spokesman said.
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