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Doors opened to catcalls and whistles from a crowd of more than 200 protesters and onlookers. Demonstrators, representing the Warsaw Traders Association, were protesting the city's decision to let M&S take the prime retail site at the northeast corner of the intersection of Aleje Jerozolimskie and ulica Emilii Plater. The association, which groups retailers from the open air markets on plac Defilad, has been fighting with city hall to find an alternative location after Mayor Pawel Piskorski ordered them from the square this summer. Piskorski announced at the beginning of his term that he wants to rid the capital of street traders and set a fall deadline to clear plac Defilad.
"We, as developing Polish business entities, won't let Western capital make fools out of us as it has so far," said Wieslaw Nabrdalik, secretary of the Association of Warsaw Traders. "We will dictate our conditions. We want democracy and fair competition."
It appears that M&S got caught in the crossfire.
"We have nothing against these companies, it's the local government that is to be blamed," said Dariusz Polec, the organization's vice president. "In other countries it's inadmissible that foreign capital is favored over (local) businesses."
M&S's new store is occupying only temporary premises. In three years, the shop will move to the Zlota Center, a site under development between Warszawa Centralna railway station and the Holiday Inn, said Marcin Malinowski, public relations executive at McCann Communications. McCann is handling the store's promotion.
The spat between traders and city hall officials isn't the only wrinkle in the works. Srodmiescie district authorities claim the temporary building violates city planning and leasing laws.
When the deal was signed, investor Zlota Center explained that the site would be an office building and not a store, said Krzysztof Przygoda, press spokesman at Srodmiescie district. Zlota Center is a 50-50 joint venture between Gmina Centrum and the Polish subsidiary of ING Real Estate International.
"In all the documents regarding the construction, (the structure) was for office purposes," Przygoda said.
Zlota Center is paying less than current market rates to lease the site from the city, said Anna Wysocka, Srodmiescie's director.
Any allegation of violating laws are unfounded, said Jerzy Guz, deputy mayor responsible for Gmina Centrum's economic development. "Marks & Spencer haven't violated any planning," he said. "Gmina Centrum approved the opening."
"We are leasing the store and are not directly involved," said Tomasz Holc, president of the Marks & Spencer franchise. "From the very first document, it was both for office space and retail. The design was submitted to the authorities and approved."
While demonstrators ignored the legal details and chanted "Demokracja!" and "My chcemy swoje miejsce!" (We want our own place), another crowd of curiosity seekers took to the store's new display, picking through lingerie and eyeing price tags.
"We know Marks & Spencer from England and we really wanted to see what they have here," said Kasia Broniarek, a high school student.
"They really show how Poland is backward," she said about the demonstrators. "I was waiting for it for a long time, and I am very happy that it's here now," said Agnieszka Kostrzewa, another student.
Marks & Spencer plan to build another store in Warsaw, and one each year in other major cities nationwide. "But it will very much depend on the market situation," Malinowski said.
"We, as developing Polish business entities, won't let Western capital make fools out of us as it has so far," said Wieslaw Nabrdalik, secretary of the Association of Warsaw Traders. "We will dictate our conditions. We want democracy and fair competition."
It appears that M&S got caught in the crossfire.
"We have nothing against these companies, it's the local government that is to be blamed," said Dariusz Polec, the organization's vice president. "In other countries it's inadmissible that foreign capital is favored over (local) businesses."
M&S's new store is occupying only temporary premises. In three years, the shop will move to the Zlota Center, a site under development between Warszawa Centralna railway station and the Holiday Inn, said Marcin Malinowski, public relations executive at McCann Communications. McCann is handling the store's promotion.
The spat between traders and city hall officials isn't the only wrinkle in the works. Srodmiescie district authorities claim the temporary building violates city planning and leasing laws.
When the deal was signed, investor Zlota Center explained that the site would be an office building and not a store, said Krzysztof Przygoda, press spokesman at Srodmiescie district. Zlota Center is a 50-50 joint venture between Gmina Centrum and the Polish subsidiary of ING Real Estate International.
"In all the documents regarding the construction, (the structure) was for office purposes," Przygoda said.
Zlota Center is paying less than current market rates to lease the site from the city, said Anna Wysocka, Srodmiescie's director.
Any allegation of violating laws are unfounded, said Jerzy Guz, deputy mayor responsible for Gmina Centrum's economic development. "Marks & Spencer haven't violated any planning," he said. "Gmina Centrum approved the opening."
"We are leasing the store and are not directly involved," said Tomasz Holc, president of the Marks & Spencer franchise. "From the very first document, it was both for office space and retail. The design was submitted to the authorities and approved."
While demonstrators ignored the legal details and chanted "Demokracja!" and "My chcemy swoje miejsce!" (We want our own place), another crowd of curiosity seekers took to the store's new display, picking through lingerie and eyeing price tags.
"We know Marks & Spencer from England and we really wanted to see what they have here," said Kasia Broniarek, a high school student.
"They really show how Poland is backward," she said about the demonstrators. "I was waiting for it for a long time, and I am very happy that it's here now," said Agnieszka Kostrzewa, another student.
Marks & Spencer plan to build another store in Warsaw, and one each year in other major cities nationwide. "But it will very much depend on the market situation," Malinowski said.
