Council to ‘look at’ whether supermarket and pub can open in Bristol community

A Bristol City Council cabinet member has suggested a much-wanted supermarket and pub could eventually open in Knowle West.     

Tom Renhard has confirmed there are “active discussions” with at least one supermarket provider about opening a store in Filwood Broadway.  

And he has also suggested a pub could potentially open in the area, on a part of a site where plans for housing have recently been withdrawn.         

The cabinet member for housing delivery and homes spoke to BristolWorld about the matter during a government minister’s recent visit to Filwood Broadway to mark it receiving a £14.5m investment.      

The money is being used to regenerate the different parts of the high street - but some residents would like to see a commitment to building a supermarket and pub.    

Knowle West has not had a pub since the closure of the Venture on Melvin Square decades ago, and there have long been calls for a supermarket to open in the area.   

Plans have been approved to build 17 flats and 13 houses in place of the 85-year-old former cinema on Filwood Broadway, which was only demolished earlier this year despite a campaign to save it.   

Those plans also include some ground-floor commercial space for retail or community use among the three- and four-storey buildings which will be created fronting onto Filwood Broadway.     

And Renhard has said he “really hopes” a supermarket opens in Knowle West, potentially in the ground floor of the redeveloped cinema site.   

“We’re looking at whether we can get a supermarket there,” he told BristolWorld. 

“There are active discussions with at least one provider because we know it’s the thing that comes up most frequently so we do want to help the community realise that ambition.” 

On the other side of the street is the former Filwood Swimming Baths site, which has stood empty since the 1960s pool was closed and demolished in 2005.    

It was due to have 29 houses and apartments built on, but housing association LiveWest has now withdrawn its planning application for the site for unknown reasons.    

Following the withdrawal, Renhard told BristolWorld the council is going to look at what they can do with the site, which they see as a “key” housing site.   

But he has suggested the plans could also include non-residential space, in response to residents’ desires, and that a pub could potentially be built there.  

“If we’re creating commercial and non-residential spaces, we can create the opportunity and I’m always up for exploring things and seeing what we can do,” he said.      

“Perhaps now we’ve got the swimming pool site, we can have a look at whether we can redesign that, put some ground-floor uses in and look at something there maybe. We need pubs.”