Sainsbury's is in trouble with residents of a trendy suburb in North London because of its refusal to use the place's full name. Lester May, who lives in Camden Town, has written to his local paper objecting to the local store being labelled Camden. He is calling on his fellow residents to rise up in protest and put the Town back in Camden Town and for the Town Hall to refuse planning permission to developments that don't use the proper name.

Sainsbury's itself seems baffled by this revolt. “We have not changed the name of the Camden store. On our company website we refer to the store as Camden which has always been the case.” Except that it isn't, strictly, in Camden. May, whose letter contains the e-mail address of chief executive Justin King, should fellow Camdenistas feel the need to annoy him, says that King should be aware of local geography “given that the first Sainsbury's shop was almost within shouting distance”.

My own recent experience with a certain large US-owned chain - look, don't ask for details. Just don't - suggests that one set of bandits is no better than any other. It is these little local issues that count.

In Manhattan, the Gymnasium Grunter has lost. On Saturday I reported on the trial of Christopher Carter for assault after he upended a stationary exercise bike being ridden by hedge fund manager Stuart Sugarman because he could no longer stand Sugarman's loud and uncontrollable grunts and shouts.

The jury has taken the view that it is acceptable to hit people from hedge funds if they grunt in public, and, indeed, who could disagree with so sensible a view? Carter, a stockbroker and fellow cyclist, has emerged as something of a hero to noise-plagued New Yorkers. Needless to say, Sugarman plans a civil case against his attacker. And against the fitness club. And against me, I imagine, for reporting it. And you, for reading it. This is the US.

Brewery executive serves a means of glass verbiage

It seems pretty much accepted everywhere that Anheuser-Busch, which owns Budweiser, is facing a $46billion bid from InBev, purveyor of the wifebeater lager Stella Artois. But neither quoted company will tell the market anything. Take this verbiage from Randolph Baker, Anheuser's vice-president: “It is our policy to not confirm, deny or speculate on rumours of potential investments, acquisitions, mergers, new business partnerships or other transactions.”

I think he means no comment.

A heavyweight idea that may never quite take off

The latest plan by airlines to recoup rising fuel costs is to weigh each passenger at the ticket counter and charge the fatties extra, according to a report on Bloomberg. Admittedly, further examination suggests that no one has actually instituted such a drastic course of action, which would almost certainly lead to lawsuits for humiliation by the 75 per cent of Americans who are morbidly obese, but apparently airline chiefs are thinking about it. Just don't anyone tell Michael O'Leary.

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