Burlington Rd, Street Party

This was the scene today on Burlington Rd, just off Whiteladies Rd; the locals clearly enjoying the scorching sunshine on a summer’s afternoon.
This is a fantastic reminder to every one that the Whiteladies area is more than just a shopping high street, it's a community, it's a place people call 'home'. :)

First stage a success!!

Great news! Have just received a letter from the council... Our objections to Sainsbury's alcohol licence have been considered valid! So it will now go to a licencing commitee and a hearing! Just going through all the rights and legal documents now, will update shortly with more information.

Last chance to oppose Sainsbury's alcohol licence!

We now only have today and tomorrow to submit objections of the alcohol licence application for Sainsburys. For information on how to do so please look to the prior blog entry titled 'Alcohol licence objection DEADLINE' .

Here is the link the the council's licence application page:
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Business/Licences-and-street-trading/licensing-file-storage-items/licensing-register--premises-licence-club-premises-certificates-and-provisional-statements---grant-applications.en

Judicial review for Tesco in Stokes Croft appeal granted!!!!!!

Tesco in Stokes Croft appeal has been granted a Judicial Review - so we might stand a chance at removing their permission to trade! This is something everyone needs to get behind! It is massive. It's basically a world first. Do not underestimate the possibilities here!

Here is what Ashley Councillor, Gus Hoyt, says of the permission for the judicial review:

'I strongly feel the wrong decision was made by the planning committee; they completely failed to take into account the extra deliveries a 'Tesco Express' requires. The fact that the deliveries DO occur out of hour slots they were given, demonstrates exactly how much the store respects BCC guidelines. They do not deserve to earn trade in this neighbourhood'

This is a very inspiring and encouraging piece of news, not only just for us in Whiteladies but also for the whole of Bristol! Now is truly the time to get involved and push back the flood.

Here is a link to an article today in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/15/bristol-tesco-opponents-day-in-court?INTCMP=SRCH

Tesco's plans brought to light

Seems like the Evening Post are also having a hard time trying rationalise the need for five supermarkets on one street.

They have published an article today page 8, regarding the new Tesco store at the bottom of Whiteladies Rd, including a map of where all the supermarkets are situated on the road, visually showing just how absurd it is! Here is the link to the article online:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Derelict-petrol-station-shop-flats/story-12765895-detail/story.html

Sainsbury's licence error

Having received numerous comments by people saying they saw on the notice in the Clifton Bazaar premises that the deadline for objecting the alcohol licence was actually June 9th, not the 17th, I investigated to find two adjacent notices on the window each with a different deadline date.

Following this find, I contacted the licencing authority to report how misleading this is to the public, they have said that the actual deadline IS the 17th... the notice with the 9th on it was a technical advertising error and will be removed.

Hmmmm...

'Keep Whiteladies Local' in the Evening Post

News of our campaign has now officially reached every part of Bristol as we were featured in todays Evening Post (June 10th, page 23). You can also find it online by following this link:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Campaign-aims-stop-supermarket/story-12746588-detail/story.html

Alcohol licence objection DEADLINE

Sainsbury's have submitted their request for an alcohol licence to the council. We now only have until the June 17th to be able to oppose to this…

Here’s a link to Cotham councillor Neil Harrison’s blog advising on the best course of action:

http://cotham.blogspot.com/2011/05/sainsburys-licence-application.html

So, if we want to oppose the licence, as many people as possible need to either email or send a letter to the council with a valid reason why Sainsbury's should NOT have permission to sell alcohol. It will only take one feasible, valid objection to stall them (however, validity of the objection is at the council’s discretion, grim I know!).

Emails should be sent to Nick Carter (executive officer of licensing for Bristol city council): licensing@bristol.gov.uk

IMPORTANT! Application reference must be included, please quote: 11/01124/PREM

Please refer to one of the four areas of legitimate objection below:

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

Even if you do not live near by (perhaps you work in the area), please continue to send an objection anyway… the more there are, the better!

I have queried if a petition signed and printed would be sufficient but I was recommended that every one writing a personal letter would hold much more weight, so this is what we should do! Please can you spend just a few moments of your time to email or write a small letter to help us put the FIRST dent into Sainsbury’s plans on Whiteladies Rd.

PS: Don't forget to put your name and address on it!

Whiteladies is under siege...

OK, if you are not aware, Sainsbury's have planning permission to open a new store in the former Woolies/Clifton Bazaar building on Whiteladies Rd. Like a snake in the grass, they have done this very quietly whilst all attention has been on the Tesco in Stokes Croft.

They already have a large store in Clifton Down shopping centre on Whiteladies, but feel the need to open a new one just above and across the street to Tesco, clearly trying to leap frog their rivals and catch footfall heading DOWN the road. In response it seems Tesco have decided to do the same at the other end of Whiteladies road... they are trying to open a store opposite the BBC studios, thus catching the footfall coming UP the hill before people reach Sainsbury's.

It's a war... and Whiteladies road is the latest street caught in the middle of it.

If both the proposed supermarkets go ahead, there will be a total of 5 just in the small stretch between the Downs and Clifton Down.

Sainsbury's is the immediate threat as planning permission has been granted... BUT not all is lost yet! We still have time to oppose various licences! If they are wounded enough they may simply realise it wont financially be worth it and leave. Optimistic I know, but we have to try! So many struggling, local businesses are at stake!

So the first point of action is to object to the alcohol licence (which may even be 24/7?!) which they have just applied for... they are clearly looking to make massive revenue from students and late night alcohol sales. Whiteladies already has its issues with binge-drinking, especially at the weekends and all the problems that come with it! Sainsbury's will only make this worse...

We dont have much time.

Another day, another supermarket

Welcome to the home of the Keep Whiteladies Local campaign. This is a new endeavour to tackle the growing problem of the supermarket monopoly, and this site will be growing on a daily basis as the campaign unfolds. Whiteladies Rd. in Bristol has become the latest victim of supermarket creep, which could potentially see 7 supermarkets within a 2-mile stretch, which would include 3 Sainsbury's and 2 Tescos.

If you can help us in any way, please get in touch! Progress will be rapid, so check back frequently for updates.