People power has forced a supermarket giant to drop its bid to sell alcohol at a controversial new store.

But Sainsbury’s has only committed to keeping the store in St James’s Street, Brighton, dry for the first year.

After that it could appeal Brighton and Hove City Council’s refusal of an alcohol licence for the former Taj store.

According to ward councillor Geoffrey Bowden the company was deterred by a community campaign, which included protesters squatting inside the building.

The store first expressed an interest in the site when the independent supermarket, Taj, closed at the end of last year.

In February members of the SaboTaj group took over the building for two weeks before being evicted.

Sainsbury’s application for an alcohol licence at the St James’s Street site was refused by the city council’s licensing committee in March. A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “We have heard that they’ve withdrawn their appeal and have undertaken not to reapply for a licence for 12 months. We welcome that news.” A spokeswoman for Sainsbury’s said: “We remain committed to being a responsible retailer of alcohol and as such we have taken on board comments from the police and the licensing committee and have decided to withdraw the appeal for the premises licence at the Brighton Old Steine convenience store. “Work will continue and the store is due to open later this summer.”