By now most people will have heard that Bristol City wants to fund its move to a new stadium by selling its current ground, Ashton Gate, to Tesco. The Evening Post carried this story at the end of May.
In the Greater Bedminster area (including Southville) we already have Sainsbury, Asda, Aldi and Lidl supermarkets. Just for good measure we also have Tesco Metro's in North Street and West Street. So by any standards we're pretty well catered for.
I don't have a problem with City moving to a new stadium but I do have a problem with them selling out the community that has hosted them for years. The original plan was to sell the site for housing, something positive for the community that would help the small shops and pubs around the stadium. Instead because of the financial climate City now know it can get more by flogging the ground to Tesco.
So what do we get - yes a giant supermarket. But no new homes, extra traffic day and night and potentially real damage to the thriving independent shopping precinct of North Street.
Simply Southville says 'no' to Tesco and this site will support any campaign to prevent a decision that could cause untold damage to our community.
Posts
I agree the last think we want is another superstore in the area!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. Everyone I have spoken to has been against it. I'm hoping there will be considerable opposition to it when the proposal is published.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, I heard on the grapevine last night that there are plans afoot to turn the old Gala Bingo Hall at the opposite end of North Street into a drive-thru fast food joint (Burger King / KFC etc).
ReplyDeleteI have little doubt that there will be some protest, but if considered carefully it is apparent that this end of North Street needs more business (and less residential), and if a big fast food chain are the only hope of a viable use for this massive site then so be it. Other businesses will thrive around it.