Anger at ‘manufactured’ store supporters’ group (From Daily Echo)

Anger at ‘manufactured’ Sainsburys supporters’ group in Bishop's Waltham

1:51pm Wednesday 11th August 2010 in News By Ash Bolton, Senior Winchester Reporter

Members of BWAV supporting plans for a new Sainsbury’s store in the village

CAMPAIGNERS have accused store bosses of manufacturing a group in support of plans to open a controversial supermarket in a Hampshire village.

Plans to open a Sainsbury’s store in Bishop’s Waltham have been met with widespread opposition by villagers, but now a group of residents have set up their own group in support of the plans.

Calling themselves Bishop’s Waltham Another View (BWAV), the group are supporting a bid by the food giant to open a store on the Abbey Mill site.

But it has been revealed that BWAV was set up with the help of Sainsbury’s marketing company GKA, and now has 44 members on its Facebook page.

The members have also held a meeting with GKA, who put them in touch with each other after they lodged their support for the scheme during the first phase of a public consultation.

Campaigners fighting the proposals have branded it a desperate move.

Tony Kippenberger, chairman of the Bishop’s Waltham Action Group, said: “It’s a very strange development at this stage for Sainsbury’s consultants to try to patch together a supporters group.

BWAG’s development and growth has been entirely organic but this is manufactured. It smacks of desperation.”

But Peter Watson, 52, chairman of BWAV, said the group was legitimate and all the members shared a common support of the proposals.

Despite their website being partly set up by Sainsbury’s marketing company, the group said they were keeping the supermarket at “arms length” but confirmed GKA had put supporters in touch with each other.

Mr Watson said: “Bishop’s Waltham is a growing town and we believe that the new Sainsbury’s would provide an increased shopping choice, create hundreds of new jobs for local people and attract shoppers from the surrounding area to stay in our town, all while saving millions of road miles every year and an increase in passing trade for the High Street.”

Both groups are now asking for a show of support at a parish council meeting in the town’s Jubilee Hall tomorrow night to discuss the application.

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said: “We’re pleased that a group has formed to back our proposals which will help to give a more balanced view of local feeling throughout the planning process.”

The news comes as Meon Valley MP George Hollingbery objected to plans for the supermarket.

He said: “ I have always said that if there is a risk of harm to the town centre and its wide range of shops, then I would object.”

As reported in the Daily Echo, more than 100 members of BWAG, who oppose the opening of the 35,000 sq ft store, handed in a 4,500- signature petition to council bosses in Winchester on July 31.

Anyone interested in joining the BWAV group should contact 01489 896899 or email pmfwatson@talktalk.net.

• To join the BWAG visit bwactiongroup.org.uk or email info@bwactiongroup.org.uk.