Social supermarket could open to tackle food poverty

Gloucester City Council would make about £10,000 annually from renting out The Club

A church group plans to launch a social supermarket and weekly free breakfasts to tackle food poverty.

One Church leaders also hope to run a debt counselling service and children and parents programmes if they are given permission to take over a community venue.

Gloucester City Council is considering granting One Church a ten-year lease for The Club at Tuffley Park, after the venue's owners went into liquidation in July last year.

"By using this wonderful building we will be able to be a touch point for people to make real human connections," said church leader Lisa Daniels.

"Our priority has been about serving our community, their needs and celebrating their amazing strengths as well," she added.

The council repossessed the building after the liquidation in 2023, and now plans to invest around £50,000 in carrying out repairs.

'Safe and approachable'

"We run a really successful pop-up cafe. We would love to continue to do that on a greater scale," Ms Daniels told an overview and scrutiny committee on Monday.

The charity, which has been running for ten years, currently runs free weekly breakfasts and community meals.

"We would like to increase that [free meals] by looking at the possibility of running a food bank or social supermarket," she told the meeting.

Social supermarkets grant people who meet a certain membership criteria majorly discounted food from mainstream retailers.

The church leaders said they wanted to create "a safe and approachable building that has a great welcome every time people walks through the doors".

A number of applications to take over the building were submitted, but One Church's was particularly "strong", according to the council.

The authority predicts the lease will generate an income of £10,000 per year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports.

Cabinet members are expected to make a decision on granting the lease later this month.