A group of anti-fracking protesters has set up their own living room in front of a central London Barclays branch.
Activists from Friends Of The Earth put out a sofa, coffee table, rug and houseplant and proceeded to enjoy some tea and biscuits in front of the bank’s Piccadilly Circus branch.
James Cracknell, who was part of the protest, said that it was to “bring fracking home” to Barclays.
According to the Evening Standard, the scene was a mock-up of the living room of Ryedale resident Nicky Hollins, who sat on the sofa with her 13-year-old daughter, Ruby.
Cracknell said that the bank owned 97% of Third Energy, the company which plans to frack near Ryedale, North Yorkshire.
Other protesters dressed in hi-vis jackets and held signs which featured slogans including “stop Barclays fracking” and “keep Ryedale rural, NO fracking”.
Councillors in North Yorkshire gave the green light to the Ryedale drilling, the first fracking operation in the UK for five years, despite huge local opposition in May this year.
Planners had recommended the plan was approved, despite acknowledging that the majority of representations received in consultation were objections.
Protests were also held at other Barclays branches around the UK, including Manchester, Huddersfield, Brighton, Nottingham and Oxford.
At the time of writing, Barclays could not be reached for comment.