Tesco negotiating lease for old shut-down pub in Horfield, Bristol
AN old Horfield pub could be turned into a Tesco store, the Evening Post has learned.
The Fellowship, in Filton Avenue, has been sold and its management told they have until April to vacate the building.
It was recently owned by Admiral Taverns, the largest independent tenanted and leased pub company in the UK, which owns around 2,000 pubs.
A spokesman confirmed the pub had been sold but said that due to a confidentiality agreement they could not reveal the name of the buyer.
But a Tesco spokesman told the Post that the supermarket was currently negotiating a lease for the building, although there were no "firm plans" for a store yet.
The large pub, which was built in 1929 and was originally owned by George's Bristol Bridge brewery, lies on the border between Horfield and Filton.
It has changed hands many times, and in 2008 was shut down after being raided by police when a cannabis factory was found.
The large chain supermarket has at times caused controversy and much resistance when applying to open stores in different areas of Bristol in the past.
Last year a Tesco store in Cheltenham Road, near Stokes Croft, became the focus of riots after it got the go-ahead to open when thousands had opposed it.
There were also protests before Tesco opened a store in former Knowle pub The Friendship Inn in Axbridge Road. Residents feared it would lead to more traffic in the area and stop local shops thriving.
Bristol Civic Society also tried to get the 81-year-old pub protected as a listed building, but the development went ahead in 2009.
The same year, parish leaders and residents in Hanham opposed plans by Tesco to build a new store on the former Kleeneze site.
A shop owner in Filton Avenue, who did not want to be named, told the Post: "Everyone around here is talking about Tesco opening in the Fellowship.
"It's strange as the pub is only about two doors down from a Co-op.
"We don't need another supermarket on this road."
Andy Clifford, property and strategy director for Admiral Taverns, said: "We regularly review the pubs that we own and from time to time we do have to take the decision to sell a property that we do not believe has a long-term future as a part of our business.
"It is our strong preference that any property that we sell remains as a pub, although we have to accept that the future use will ultimately pass into the hands of a new owner."
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by andygeezer
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 4:56PM
“Another great local pub that will be closing very soon to never return & will be sadly missed by all those regulars who have drunk & enjoyed themselves there over the past 82 years. Filton ave does not need another supermarket it has the co-op & another one by the bulldog pub 400 yards away & if the public want to shop in Tescos then a short journey to golden hill could be made very easily but i am sure the pub will be closed & boarded up for many months or even years before Tesco decide to ruin the area by opening yet another store & ruining a perfectly local area.”
by 911InsideJob
Thursday, February 09 2012, 4:04PM
“@SpinyHedgehog try reading outside of our controlled media and you may understand more - Webster Tarpley's excellent book 911 Synthetic Terror Made in the US ( http://tinyurl.com/yjxus93 ) outlines who the hidden powerful are and how they work (false flags etc), you can continue to believe the official fairy tales of 911 that saw the 47 story WTC7 free fall into it's own footprint without even being hit by a airplane - did you see the footage of this? It wasn't shown in the USA at the time of 911see http://tinyurl.com/4266g2p ! However you may have inadvertently hit the nail on the head along with TRM, the Co-op probably have historically one of the biggest high street presences in the U.K. although they do not to my belief have Super stores (Leos was closed in Filton) the likes of which Tesco have dotted around the city. It would seem Tesco is looking to take on the Co-op who do not have the benefit of a large scale outlet, Tesco are losing the war against the likes of ASDA and are hedging their actions on the high street instead. Unfortunately this behaviour can also mean the loss of local newsagents, veg shops and pubs like the Friendship and Fellowship and although you may like to choose your company carefully even Chavs need pubs to drink in, pubs are very democratic in this respect.”
by Trymriverman
Monday, February 06 2012, 9:41PM
“@SpinyHedgehog So it's pretty much like I said in my original post then, that is, in the near future most highstreets will be just be flats and supermarkets (Tesco just being the worst of the pack) and the only reason anyone will have to go there is if they live there. Does anyone know how the Stokes Croft peoples' supermarket is doing? I know that kind of thing would be too much effort for the average punter in 'highstreet uk' to want to bother with though.”
by Oddly
Monday, February 06 2012, 9:37PM
“Somehow the Co-oP in Princess Victoria Street, Clifton & Tesco Express, Regent Street, Clifton ,got missed.”
by SpinyHedgehog
Monday, February 06 2012, 8:13PM
“@911InsideJob (and that says more about you than I ever could)
Just for comparison - The Co-op:
1
0.07 miles The Co-operative Food Baldwin Street
2
0.18 miles The Co-operative Food 26-28 St Augustines Parade
3
0.22 miles The Co-operative Bank 16 St Stephens Street
4
0.37 miles The Co-operative Food The Square
5
0.46 miles Britannia 22 - 23 Castle Gallery
6
0.62 miles The Co-operative Food Clarence Place
7
0.63 miles Britannia 14 Broadmead
8
0.64 miles The Co-operative Pharmacy 143 St. Michaels Hill
9
0.70 miles Britannia 63-65 East Street”
by SpinyHedgehog
Monday, February 06 2012, 8:05PM
“@Trymriverman
Sorry, you miss my point. I was saying that Clifton is full of snobbish types who can afford to do all their shopping at expensive artisan outlets, and they do! They wouldn't be seen dead in Tesco, Asda or the Coop.”
by Trymriverman
Monday, February 06 2012, 7:51PM
“@SpinyHedgehog First, I know you have a sense of humour but in response: in my experience people who have made a bit of money, and managed to hang on to it, don't tend to be the types who spend it unnecessarily, e.g. by popping into Tesco every five mins. I honestly can't remember if there is a Tesco in Clifton but then the area is beautiful and bland is invisible.”
by kidory
Monday, February 06 2012, 7:20PM
“Isn't that in Northville?”
by SpinyHedgehog
Monday, February 06 2012, 7:01PM
“@Morrissey9
"I'd rather it became a pub that isn't stuck in the era where everyone puts their pints down and stares at you when you walk in."
Well, yes, when I talked about saving pubs, the Fellowship wasn't very high up my list.
Why is it that pubs called Fellowship, Wayfarer, and Jolly Nice Chaps are full of aggressive chavs? Or were, in the case of the first two...”
by 911InsideJob
Monday, February 06 2012, 6:56PM
“Check out Tesco's store finder http://tinyurl.com/detl7 14 stores in centre of Bristol from BS1 search and 40 in Bristol area :-
COLLEGE BRISTOL EXPRESS
0.22 miles from search
BRISTOL CANNONS EXPRESS
0.32 miles from search
BRISTOL CLARE STREET EXPRESS
0.35 miles from search
BRISTOL WINE STREET EXPRESS
0.59 miles from search
BRISTOL BLENHEIM COURT EXPRESS
0.61 miles from search
BRISTOL METRO
0.69 miles from search
BRISTOL PARAGON EXPRESS
0.79 miles from search”