Redland Greengrocer Wanted

Local environmentalists are appealing for an energetic entrepreneur to

step up and re-open a popular local fruit and veg store that closed in

January.

As previously reported on Redland People, The Redland

Fruitery on Lower Redland Road closed this year after forty years of

trading when owner Terry Goad retired.

Now local environmental

group Sustainable Redland is appealing for a willing business person or

group to take on the lease of the empty shop and re-open a local food

shop.

The Redland Fruitery sold mostly local fruit and veg with

zero packaging and was popular with local customers, many of whom lived

within walking distance of the store. "The atmosphere was always sociable

and friendly," says local environmentalist Angela Raffle of Sustainable

Redland. "Without the greengrocer, the prosperity of the other local

food shops in the row – Wild Oats and Sheepdrove – will also be

threatened."

A planning application has been submitted to the

Council to change the premises to a restaurant and members of Sustainable Redland are unhappy

that there was limited consultation on this move. "Only close neighbours

were notified, so this gave little time for the many customers to learn

of the proposed changed use," says Angela who is hoping that the council

will be flexible about their application deadline if a suitable

business group or person can be found.

What do local residents

think? Could it run as a local community shop? Is there a business

person out there with a vision for local food?

Or, could Arthur Potts Dawson help?