Poundland has hit back at a transport container for using its name to describe the crumbling state of Bristol Temple Meads.
The city station was described as the “Poundland of national rail stations” by David Redgewell, of passenger group South West Transport Network.
The comments were made at a meeting where a multi-million pound revamp of the station was pushed through.
Now the bargain retailer has hit back, posting a response to its 119,000 Twitter followers saying it was “somewhat irritated” by David Redgewell’s comments to the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) Joint Committee.
'You’ll find our lawyers react rather quicker than the 10.41 to Yate'
It wrote: “Don’t bring us into your rail fail @RedgewellDavid @networkrail,” with a link to the Bristol Post report of the meeting and an attached statement from the company.
The post said: “Dear Mr Redgewell, we were somewhat irritated by your description of Bristol Temple Meads as a ‘Poundland’ station on Bristol Live.
“Frankly our 18,000 colleagues are a bit fed up of people using the name of their company to describe things that may or may not be a shambles.
“Let me be clear. Our stores have never once closed due to overcrowding.
“They have never failed to open because of the wrong kind of rain.
“They run to time, not to some mythical timetable that’s the figment of Network Rail.
“When we sell something for £1, it’s not five times the price if you buy it before 9.30am or after 4.30pm.
“Mr Redgewell — I would urge you to think of an adjective that more properly describes the shambolic state of the rail network and leave us out of it.
“If not, you’ll find our lawyers react rather quicker than the 10.41 to Yate.”
It was signed off: “Love, Poundland.”
At the Weca meeting on June 14, Mr Redgewell urged members to approve an initial £2.5million to develop plans for a massive revamp of the station.
A new eastern entrance to Temple Meads and into Temple Quarter will be created, extending the existing passenger subway, used to access platforms, directly through to the development site on Cattle Market Road, where the University of Bristol is building a new £300million enterprise campus.
The campaigner told the leaders of Bristol city, South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset and North Somerset councils, who comprise the committee: “I hope the money goes through for that because it’s the worst station.
“It’s the Poundland of national rail stations.
“This is a gateway to the South West of England.”
Weca has earmarked £26.6million for the project, while Network Rail is spending £40million over the next five years to refurbish the station’s roof.
In response to Mr Redgewell’s comments, Network Rail said after the meeting that the Grade II-listed building was the “jewel in the crown of Brunel’s railway” and had recently seen several improvements, including new gate lines for passengers, more bicycle space and extra seating.
