Tesco told to rethink pub car park plan

Tesco has been told it has to come back with redesigned plans if it wants to build a car park next to a Bristol pub.

The company has submitted an application to build a 12-space car park next to the Friendship pub in Axbridge Road, Knowle.

Members of Bristol City Council's development control committee deferred the proposal yesterday but said it would be refused if the supermarket chain didn't come up with something better.

Councillors were concerned about the safety of the access at the site.

Councillor Lesley Alexander said: "I thought it was a very sloppy presentation. This car park is a dangerous position and you don't even have a turning circle.

"If you couldn't find a space, you would have to reverse out.

"I'm very concerned about the speed of the traffic, they wouldn't have time to stop.

"I'm not happy with this on safety grounds."

Councillor Jim White said: "It's difficult to understand why there isn't a turning circle. It's almost as if Tesco has done it so casually, it couldn't really care less."

People living in the area have received letters from Tesco saying the company wants to turn the pub into a Tesco Express, but this isn't a matter the planning committee can take into account when making its decision.

A number of residents turned up to the meeting to speak against the proposals.

Peter Read, 60, has lived in Knowle all his life and has run Broadwalk News for 18 years.

He said: "Presumably if Tesco wants to run a pub it will want it to be a successful pub.

"In the future there will be more activity than we see today and the situation will only get worse."