Bristol's hot political football

Fred Wedlock is Bristol City FC through and through. His grandfather, affectionately known as "Fatty", was one of their greatest players.

But Fred knows that if City are to play in the Premiership this century, they probably need a new stadium.

"I support the idea of a new stadium because the existing one is too small, slightly inconvenient and old-fashioned," he said.

Bristol City FC agrees - and wants to build a new stadium on land close by.

Building work could start in 2012. But to raise the £20m-plus it says it needs, the club says it has to sell its old ground to a foodstore.

Tesco was in the frame. But Sainsbury's has now stepped in.

The new superstore would fund the new stadium, which would help with Bristol's bid to be part of the 2018 World Cup - the club says.

But having a supermarket at Ashton Gate has raised questions about how Bristol should develop.

"The authority always wears two hats and quite often gives itself planning permission. The planning department... is completely independent"

And what pressure decision makers are coming under.

The club said it was looking at the bigger picture.

Colin Sexton, chief executive of Bristol City FC, said: "You can't have the World Cup unless you have a new stadium. You can't have a new stadium unless you raise the funds for it.

"If that's putting pressure on people to make a sensible decision for the benefit of the whole city, then I'm sorry, they're in the wrong business."

Not everyone agrees.

Architect George Ferguson has a different vision.

He worries the council is being handbagged. That the priorities are wrong.

"The World Cup, as good as it would be for Bristol, we've got to get it in proportion. It's four games of football... it doesn't bring to the city the hundreds of millions of pounds being quoted," he said.

"It may bring expenditure over a short period, but what's much more important is that this city builds a reputation as one of the best cities in Europe, one of the greenest cities... that would then have people coming here on a permanent basis."

The council then is the referee in this game of political football.

They support the World Cup bid, but also have to marry local and city-wide interests, all under planning law.

But, they say, they are used to these tensions.

The deputy leader of Bristol City Council, Lib Dem councillor Simon Cook, said: "I wouldn't say there were tensions. The authority always wears two hats and quite often gives itself planning permission.

"The planning department... is completely independent."

A decision on the new stadium is due on 4 November.

Deciding on the plans for a supermarket at Ashton Gate will take a while longer.

What "Fatty" Wedlock would have made of it all is anyone's guess.

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