WARD TO ORGANISE PUBLIC RALLY IN SUPPORT OF TESCO

In a press release issued by the Independent councillor he said sorry to local people following his row with Sinn Fein over their decision to back the town's traders.

"I would like to start by issuing an apology to the people of the Banbridge District for allowing myself to be dictated to by my former party in relation to my position on this matter," he said.

"Now that I have released myself of these people; people who have no regard for, interest in or understanding of the needs of the people of the Banbridge District, I would like to state in unequivocal terms my full support for what the developers are trying to achieve at Bridgewater Park.

"I believe passionately in trying to bring jobs, investment and opportunity to the people of the area and bringing Tesco to Bridgewater Park will do exactly that. "It will also consolidate the existing jobs and investment at the Outlet and will pave the way for further jobs and investment on that site and across the district as a whole.

"The people of Banbridge need to take full advantage of Banbridge's location on the main Belfast to Dublin economic corridor and if we don't then someone else will.

"The people of Banbridge are no longer going to let themselves be dictated to by a small number of traders in the area who are running scared of a little bit of healthy competition."

He added, "My message to these serial objectors is that the gloves are now off.

"In the time ahead it is my intention to organise a mass public rally in the area so that the people of the area can voice their undoubted support for this venture.

"This will also be an opportunity for people to vent their anger and frustration at the Minister for the Environment for rejecting this application while at the same time approving similar applications in other areas.

"Information about the time, date and location of this rally will be advertised through the media in due course."