On Wedensday the planning committee for South and East Bristol considered an application to change the car park at the Frienship Inn in Knowle. On the face of it a pretty straightforward application. but......The subtext to this is that the premises has been acquired by Tesco who want to convert the pub to a shop. This would leave a huge are with no local pub, and threaten the viability of the existing shops in the locality and on the Wells Rd. I spoke in opposition to the plan, and joined local residents and the Bristol Pubs Group in a small demonstration at the Council House. Knowle may be accross the city from Eastville, but the issue is the threat to local shopping areas. Fishponds Rd. is already under pressure following the sad closure of Woolworths, and we have seen some pub closures in this area too. We need to do all we can to try to keep our community facilities in all parts of Bristol. A final decision on the Friendship has been deferred to allow a site visit to take place.
2 comments:
The friendship pub isn't very nice. I live right by it and wouldn't go in there if you paid me. What would be nice is to turn it into a nice pub - like the cumberland turned the dove and star. But if the choice is between a handy tesco and a run down rough pub - I choose tesco!
You make a very good point. There are many examples in Bristol of poor and failing pubs that have been made successful. You mention one example, but The Windmill nearby is another, as is the Cross Hands near where I live on Fishponds Rd.
The Friednship is the only pub ikn the area, and has the potential to be as successful as these.
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