Tesco DID go back on its promise to involve the community in the new name for the town centre, The Bradley Stoke Examiner can reveal.

The supermarket giant has named the new town centre The Brooks Centre without any consultation – a move which has angered Bradley Stoke Town Council.

In a press release issued by Tesco, which was issued on 30 November, 2007, and seen by the Examiner, a spokesman for the firm, Felix Gummer, is quoted as saying: “We now have to find a new name for the town centre and will be launching a competition to find that name in association with the town council early in the new year.”

The town council has criticised Tesco saying the new name was too similar to that of the Brook Way Activity Centre and said the proposed signage was too much like South Gloucestershire Council’s logo.

Speaking on BBC Radio Bristol this morning, Tesco spokesman Dan Bramwell said the idea of a competition to name the site was discussed but “never promised”.

“It was suggested but it was never promised at at planning meeting. A piece appeared in the local paper the following morning and the town council and myself sent a letter to the paper correcting them saying there were no promises.”

Mr Bramwell also suggested on-air that a competition to name the centre would “delay building”.