Asda accuses residents of ‘campaign of abuse’

A long-running war between residents and Asda in Bedminster over unauthorised nighttime deliveries has descended into abuse, threats, arrests and a criminal conviction, it can be revealed.

Neighbours say the supermarket has breached a planning condition banning lorries from the East Street store’s yard between 10pm and 6am an estimated 2,500 times stretching back at least eight years, causing them sleepless nights, stress and misery.

But the retail giant has issued an astonishing statement accusing locals of a “campaign of abuse” against its staff, including “physical and verbal assault, trespassing, threats through social media and a constant bombardment of emails and calls”.

Avon & Somerset Police has confirmed a man was convicted at Bristol magistrates’ court in April last year for going into the delivery yard on three occasions in December 2020 and January 2021 and being abusive to employees or delivery drivers.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge after pleading guilty to criminal damage, using threatening words/behaviour and trespass with intent to do unlawful damage.

A dispute between residents and Asda in Bedminster has arisen over unauthorised nighttime deliveries – photo: Martin Booth

Residents say the overwhelming majority of them act perfectly reasonably and insist Asda is entirely to blame for the ill-feeling because of its repeated breaches of the planning condition.

It comes as watchdogs have now upheld a complaint by one householder who lives behind the supermarket, Tony Gwyther, against Bristol City Council for not doing enough to enforce the rules.

Gwyther, of St Paul’s Road, welcomed the ruling by the local government ombudsman which decided the authority had caused injustice by failing to make clear its plan to tackle the issue and delaying issuing an enforcement notice.

The council has apologised to the 52-year-old, who complained that it failed to take action and took too long to investigate, and says officers will be visiting the shop to assess other alleged breaches.

An Asda spokesperson said: “There has been a campaign of abuse towards colleagues at this store from some residents, including physical and verbal assault, trespassing, threats through social media and a constant bombardment of emails and calls to colleagues both at the store and head office.

“Unfortunately some of these incidents have led to arrests being made and one resident has pleaded guilty to multiple charges.”

Gwyther told the ombudsman he had “suffered distress and been unable to sleep properly for a number of years because of noise caused by the late-night deliveries to the store and operations there”.

“We are shattered and are in bits,” Gwyther said.

“We have been treated appallingly – it’s disgusting and horrific. I’ve had neighbours crying on the phone, unable to get to sleep. Our community is suffering and no one seems to be grasping that.”

An Asda spokesperson said the store was granted temporary permission throughout the pandemic to receive deliveries 24/7 to help feed the nation and that its weekly grocery deliveries soared from 400,000 to more than 850,000 as online orders sky-rocketed.

They said that without extra deliveries through the night, it could not have served many customers, including those in greatest need.

“To help support the local community in Bedminster and manage an increase in online orders from vulnerable customers shielding during the pandemic, the delivery schedule at the store was temporarily changed,” the spokesperson added.

“These changes were in line with government guidance to ensure supermarkets could restock and continue to serve customers during the pandemic.

“The store’s deliveries have now returned to those in line with permitted hours.”

Main photo: Betty Woolerton

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