Protesters gather outside town bank

They were members of the anti-poverty campaign group Bexhill and Hastings World Development Movement

According to spokesperson Christina Lucey, the aim was to highlight the role the bank is playing in creating hunger by pushing up the price of key staple foods, through speculation on global food markets.

She said: “Barclays is itself the UK’s biggest player in food speculation, and it also actively finds new means to enable additional hedge and pension funds to further gamble on the price of food, thereby enhancing the effects of food speculation.”

Dressed as a banker and wearing an eagle mask, local chairman Denis Lucey was a focal point of the demonstration, rubbing his hands with glee. Other members took the chance to engage with the public and explain what it was all about.

Julia Dance of Bexhill WDM drew people’s interest as she loudly hawked her wares, trying to flog them staple foods at hugely inflated prices.

“This was a very successful awareness-raising exercise,” said Julia.

“Passers-by were made aware that such outrageous prices for staple food are a reality in poor countries, where people are having to spend the bulk of their meagre earnings on purchasing enough food to keep them and their families alive.”

Denis Lucey said: “Rising food prices are the last thing the UK needs.

“However the effects of soaring food prices are being most tragically felt by millions of people in the poorest countries who are being pushed into greater hunger and poverty.

“Food is a basic right.

“Excessive food speculation must be stopped.

“We are calling for the government to stand up to the banks and back vital legislation that will curb this greedy behaviour for the good of us all.”

A spokesman for Barclays said: “There was a short demonstration outside our Bexhill branch on Tuesday but the branch remained open throughout. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused.”