As Bristol Rovers prepare for a play-off final that could return them to the Football League after one season, they are also appearing in the High Court to sue Sainsbury’s.
The supermarket chain was going to bulldoze the Memorial Ground to build a supermarket. However, with the changes in the retail sector, they have pulled out of the scheme. They claim that it is because they are unhappy with conditions in the planning permission that restrict the number of trucks that can deliver at night.
As Bristol Rovers prepare for a play-off final that could return them to the Football League after one season, they are also appearing in the High Court to sue Sainsbury’s.
The supermarket chain was going to bulldoze the Memorial Ground to build a supermarket. However, with the changes in the retail sector, they have pulled out of the scheme. They claim that it is because they are unhappy with conditions in the planning permission that restrict the number of trucks that can deliver at night.
The change of heart is seen as catastrophic to the club, putting it in a perilous financial position. The redevelopment is crucial to the club’s hopes of building a new stadium next to the University of West of England campus on the northern fringes of Bristol. If the club wins the case, Sainsbury’s could have to pay as much as £30m in damages.