BERATE has today published a copy of a letter that our three local labour councillors (Mark Bradshaw and Colin Smith in Bedminster; and Sean Beynon in Southville) have sent to Tesco Chief Executive, Sir Terry Leahy. At last they have appeared to have jumped off the fence and come out against the proposed development at Ashton Gate. Three cheers? But hang on a minute is that what they really mean?
After a bit of preliminary waffle in their letter they say in the fifth paragraph that: 'We have several Tesco Extra stores in the City and we understand the format; the standard template for such a store would, in our view, not be appropriate for Ashton Gate'. So far, so good.
They add: 'There is a balance between independent businesses and national brands. This balance has served our community well (and already includes two Tesco Express stores) but the scale and product depth of an Extra format store runs the risk of weakening this range of local provision, both food and non-food.' Promising?
They continue by saying: 'Bristol already has a major part of the City designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and there are real concerns that congestion and air pollution pressures will grow if an Extra store is built given the scale of parking offered and the destination nature of such a store'. Well said. And they also describe: '... engagement with the community as weak and incomplete.'
So there can be no doubt then our three labour councillors will join Charlie Bolton in opposing a supermarket development at Ashton Gate? Well, maybe no.
In the penultimate paragraph of their letter to Tesco they say: 'We ask that your application should include a mix of affordable and other tenure residential space'. So is the reality that they are happy to support a Tesco store at Ashton Gate providing it drops the 'Extra' title and there are a few flats thrown in for good measure?
A conspiracy theorist might suggest that perhaps the 'South Bristol Three' have had early site of a slightly watered down planning application and are ready to claim credit for changing Tesco's mind. Well of course we'd never suggest such a thing at Simply Southville.
What we want to see at Ashton Gate is affordable housing and no supermarket!
Whether it is a Tesco Extra or just a large Tesco the potential negative effect on small independent shops remain and it would be a wasted opportunity for Bristol City's current ground.
Why not read the letter on the BERATE website and leave a comment here at Simply Southville to say if you agree with our view.
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It has an all-too-familiar-ring about it, this. I'm not sure I would agree with the conspiracy theory, but on the evidence of their letter, I certainly don't think that the view of the 'South Bristol Three' is absolutely set against Tesco at Ashton Gate; far from it. Personally, I think they're indicating to Sir Terry exactly what they WOULD find acceptable...
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