Tesco Keen To Purchase Ashton Gate

Supermarket giants Tesco are keen on purchasing the land which currently houses Bristol City’s Ashton Gate stadium, the local press has reported.

Tesco have officially confirmed their interest in buying the plot, with the estimated £20 million price tag a healthy contribution to the construction of City’s new stadium.

The Tesco deal, of £20 million, is four times higher than the quote City received from housebuilders, who seem willing to pay up to just £5 million for the well-placed site.

Ashton Gate as it stands today

Original 106.5, a local radio station, has suggested that if Tesco were to build a superstore there, in combination with the construction of the new football stadium, 1,000 jobs would be created.

‘Bristol City Football Club have been talking to us for some time about the opportunity to be involved in the new Regional Stadium project,’ said Melanie Chiswell, Tesco’s Regional Corporate Affairs Manager.

‘The development would represent a £120 million investment in the regeneration of south Bristol including the new football stadium and community facilities at Ashton Vale and a food store on the existing site at Ashton Gate.’

Will a store like this replace the current Ashton Gate stadium?

On paper the plan sounds like a win-win situation – the football club gets money towards its new stadium, and Tesco get a valuable site in order to boost their business still further.

However, local opposition is expected, considering the positioning of the current stadium mere minutes away from a large Sainsburys store. Tesco’s multi-goods strategy will also conflict with the electronics stores housed in the mini retail park neighbouring Ashton Gate.

The Bristol Evening Post has also reported that sources within the City Council have revealed some reservations. While the heads of the 3 main parties have remained neutral on the issue, former Lord Mayor, and Conservative councillor Peter Abrahams told the Post that the Council should not drag its heels over the building of the new stadium which could bring World Cup football and all its benefits.

Club chairman Steve Lansdown is equally adamant.

Bristol always has this habit of being reticent towards being positive about things and they have got to overcome that reticence.

‘Bristol’s reputation goes before it – of projects being pulled at the last minute and not succeeding,’ Lansdown told the Post

‘That’s always in the back of your mind in a situation like this and despite all the comforting words and actions to date, I really do need to see they are serious about it.’

Lansdown was also keen to espouse the benefits of getting the stadium built, with the sale of the old ground ‘crucial’ for funding the new build.

‘For the city to be successful, it has to attract visitors and having a major sporting institution here in a new stadium is a very good way of doing that. You only have to look around to see who benefits – the construction industry, local employment, local hoteliers, restaurants, other visitor attractions, transport. It is difficult to put numbers on these things but you just know it does bring benefits,’ he said.