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.
