Redland Greengrocer Wanted

By Al_Shaw | Monday, March 08, 2010, 23:47

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.

fruit and veg

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?