T ODAY I have read the headline story of the refusal to grant permission for a new complex at Ashton Gate.

I, with many other people in this city, will be amazed at the short-sighted attitude of the Lib Dem get-together on the Council. What is not to understand? One football ground closing in a congested street, one supermarket closing in a congested street and both being reopened on a new site with better road links with a world-class facility.

Maybe at this time in history my local councillors, Peter Levy and Cheryl Ann, could explain to the many people who could have been employed why the jobs are no longer available. Moving the stadium further away from the existing site would only help the matchday parking that affect the streets around Ashton. Why is it that when sport is talked about in our city the council always seems to drag its heels or object in general, even when the facility could put Bristol on the map?

I think the decision by the Lib Dems, who have obviously put their heads together, is unprofessional and I say to Peter Levy and Cheryl Ann, I live in your ward, and you are certainly not representing my views

P Reynolds,

Manor Farm.

I CANNOT believe that our councillors, are so short-sighted that they turned down the application to build a new Sainsbury's on the Ashton Gate site.

I say "new" store because one exists about 100 yards up the road now, and the last time I looked, the local shops in North Street were thriving! How could this be when not only Sainsbury's but Aldi and Asda are also close to those poor, struggling shopkeepers? Should they not have all succumbed to the large supermarkets?

I lived at the top of North Street 30 years ago and then we had no choice but to use the local shops (and I enjoyed doing so). I still drive from Whitchurch to shop in North Street but what gets me there in the first place is the chance to shop in Aldi or Sainsbury's as well. There is a place for both types of shop and people will make their choice (or, like me, use both). Considering this planning application was also to affect the chance of having a new football stadium and concert arena (bringing many jobs to the area), I also cannot believe that two councillors abstained from voting at all. What are they doing on such an important committee if they don't have the bottle to make decisions? Maybe, come the next local elections, they will have all that stress taken away from them. The people of Bristol do have the bottle, and we have long memories.

Lin Dyer,

By e-mail.

WELL done the Liberal Democrat councillors of Bristol City Council. As reported in the Evening Post, you have rejected plans for Sainsbury's to relocate from one site to a larger one within a distance of only one mile.

Sainsbury's has outgrown their existing store due to high demand – this is economics, which you don't understand – and them purchasing Ashton Gate this will allow Bristol City to build a new stadium, which together with Sainsbury's will create thousands of jobs in the building sector and additional jobs for the future running of the firms (sorry, economics again).

If the World Cup comes to the UK and matches are held at the new stadium then Bristol will again earn millions (oops – economics again).

It's about time the flip-flop wearing fraternity on the council wake up and look at Bristol as a whole, not just the small minority of moaning Nimbys. Having said that, it is the fault of the silent majority for being apathetic and not voicing their opinion. But at the end of the day, we would like our elected councillors to have some common sense!

Darius Windlass,

Redland.

AS a Bristolian, I am appalled but not surprised by this decision, Steve Lansdown and the rest of the City board can be rightly angry at another chance to get the facilities this once-great city deserves squandered.

But as a life-long Gashead, welcome to our world.

Nicholas Carvallo,

By e-mail.