Sainsbury's row over war memorial

Sainsbury's is facing criticism for plans to demolish a war memorial to make way for a superstore - particularly given that the firm is running a Christmas advert depicting soldiers from the First World War.

The advert has attracted controversy because Sainsbury's is using its Christmas advert to honour the memories of those who died in the First World War. It includes a re-enactment of the famous Christmas day football match played between British and German soldiers in no-man's land in 1914. It commemorates 100 years since the outbreak of war, and 20 years of the supermarket supporting the British Legion. The supermarket is also donating all profits from the sale of a chocolate bar featured in the advert to the charity.

There were those who took to social media to remark on how poignant the advert was, and that they were impressed Sainsbury's had chosen to honour the fallen rather than plug messages on price.

However, there were others who felt that the supermarket was actually exploiting the war in order to make more money at Christmas. The Advertising Stadards Agency received 240 complaints about the advert in the first two days after it aired.

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Memorial

It has now attracted even more criticism, after it emerged that clearing a site in Bristol to make way for a new Sainsbury's store will require the demolition of a war memorial. It is part of the old Memorial Stadium, which was previously the home ground of Bristol Rugby Club and then Bristol Rovers - and was built in memory of 300 rugby players who died in the war.

Sainsbury's says that the new store will feature a new memorial, using stone from the existing pillars, and the inscribed gates.

However, local campaigner, Jamie Carstairs, told the Daily Mail: "(They) have failed to grasp a basic fact: that the gates on their own do not constitute the war memorial. Nor have they shown any understanding that this sports ground is not any old brown field site, it is a war memorial."

A campaign group, called Traders and Residents Against Sainsbury's Horfield (TRASHorfield) have launched an online petition opposing the development, which has attracted more than 1,200 signatures.
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Sainsbury's disagrees with its arguments, and according to the Bristol Post said: "We absolutely refute we are operating double standards. We recognise that the site has historical importance which is why our plans preserve the memorial stone and also create a public square dedicated to the memory of former Bristol rugby players."

It's also worth mentioning that the ground was sold by the football club to raise the funds to build a new stadium in Cheswick, South Gloucester, and whoever bought it was unlikely to keep the whole of the grounds intact in order to honour the war dead. The decision to demolish the memorial was likely to be part of any plans for the site.

But what do you think?

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