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southbristolvoice May 2016 No. 7
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LOCAL NEWS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE
POLICE HUNT GREGGS ROBBER P3 | LETTERS P24 | PLANNING P27 Get looking for BS3 wildlife Page 5 Complaints about GP delays Page 6 Deadline passes for Faithspace sale
Page 7
Parking zones set to be reviewed
Page 15
Residents rail at Ashton Vale homes
Page 18
Art attack: ‘Princess Leia Hepburn’ by Stephen Quick, part of SouthBank Arts Trail; right, Briswool ©Briswool
Something creative is in the air THERE’S plenty to celebrate for art lovers in South Bristol in May, starting when the Southbank Arts Trail opens its doors with exhibitions, drama theatre and music at 60 venues on May 14 (more on p15). On the same comes the
unveiling of Briswool – now celebrated across the city, but it’s been designed and created in South Bristol by Vicky Harrison, owner of the Paper Village craft shop in North Street. When first displayed in Paper Village three years ago, Briswool
attracted 4,000 visitors queuing down the street. Now it’s found a home at M-Shed on the harbour. “It’s quite terrifying,” said Vicky. “May 14 will be the first time I have seen it all put together!” The Suspension Bridge, ferry Continued on Page 3
WIN! An evening at the Bierfest Page 19 On Facebook www.facebook.com/southbristolvoice
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southbristolvoice Paul Breeden Editor and publisher
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Editorial team: Beccy Golding and Giles Crosse
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Intro
WHAT makes it worth living in South Bristol? Is it being near the centre of the city, with all its big-name shops and leisure facilities? Or is it the area where you live – the pattern of streets, the corner shop, the pub or café that’s run by a character? For many people, it’s the local attractions – and people – that are just as important as the city centre stuff. Vicky Harrison of Paper Village is some kind of hero – the creator of Briswool, one of the city’s most talked-
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about artistic creations. Vicky doesn’t get paid for it but she’s happy to give her time and her expertise to a project that is not only much admired, but has involved hundreds of other people, many of them learning new skills along the way. The Southbank Arts Trail, starting May 14, is another example of a major venture done for love, not profit. Window Wanderland, Upfest, the Lantern Parade ... they are all there to be enjoyed. But when you do, remember the people who put the hours in to make it happen.
How do I get in touch with ... My MP? Karin Smyth MP By email: karin.smyth.mp@ parliament.uk By post: Karin Smyth MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA By phone: 0117 953 3575 In person: Surgeries on Friday May 13 and 27 at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, BS4 1WH, 9.15-10.45 am. Call 0117 953 3575. My councillor? Councillors are all standing for re-election on May 5 Brunel House, St George’s Road, Bristol BS1 5UY Celia Phipps Labour, Bedminster
By phone: 07469 413312 By email: celia.phipps@bristol. gov.uk Mark Bradshaw Labour, Bedminster By phone: 0117 353 3160 By email: mark.bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk Surgery at Marksbury Road Library, 4th Saturday of every month, 10.30am-12 noon Stephen Clarke Green, Southville By email: stephen.clarke@bristol.gov.uk Charlie Bolton Green, Southville By email: charlie.bolton@bristol.gov.uk
USEFUL NUMBERS Bristol City Council www.bristol.gov.uk 0117 922 2000 Waste, roads 0117 922 2100 Pest control and dog wardens 0117 922 2500
NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTNERSHIP The Greater Bedminster Community Partnership is the local forum that brings the public together with councillors, council officials and other bodies. Next meeting June 27, 2016, 7pm Bristol International Bowls Centre, South Liberty Lane BS3 2TY
0117 922 2900
Housing benefit 0117 922 2300 Social services 0117 922 2900
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EDITOR’S NOTE: South Bristol Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. Feedback is welcomed: call editor Paul Breeden on 07811 766072 or email paul@southbristolvoice.co.uk. All stories and pictures are copyright of South Bristol Voice and may not be reproduced without permission in this or any other plane of the multiverse. South Bristol Voice Ltd | 18 Lilymead Avenue, Bristol BS4 2BX | Company no. 09522608 | VAT no. 211 0801 76
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Police appeal after East St robber foiled POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an attempted robbery at the Greggs bakery in East Street, Bedminster. The incident happened at 6.25pm on Thursday April 14. A man entered the shop and demanded cash from the employees. However, nothing was handed over and he left empty-handed and ran off towards Dean Lane. The suspect is a white man, slim, under 6ft, in his late 20s or early 30s with his face covered with a balaclava. He was wearing a green-grey hooded top and black trousers. He also had with him an orange coat with grey bits on. He left on a white bicycle. Anyone with information is asked by police to call 101,
Suspect: The balaclaved robber quoting reference 5216079853. Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111. • Officers also want to identifty four men who broke into a home
in Bristol South End, off St John’s Lane in Bedminster. The burglars were disturbed by the people who live at the property at about 1.05pm on April 8. The offenders ran out of the front door, elbowing one of the occupants, a 64-year-old man, in the face. Items stolen during the burglary were found in a lane off West View Road. All the offenders are white. One is 16-17 years old with a thin face. He wore a light blue fleece jacket, black jogging bottoms and black trainers. The second is about 6ft and wore black clothing, a black knitted scarf and trainers. The other two were similar in appearance to the second man. One was carrying a black holdall.
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Briswool’s back Continued from Page 1 boats and balloons, St Mary Redcliffe and many other landmarks are all part of Briswool. The crocodile from last time has bred successfully and there are now five crocs to spot. The project is a labour of love for Vicky and hundreds of volunteers – all unpaid and funding their own materials. Even the classes which Vicky runs in her shop to teach the skills needed are unfunded. Even so, few of the admiring visitors will realise just how much labour has gone into knitting, crocheting, designing and sewing together thousands of pieces into one big cityscape. “It represents thousands of hours of work,” said Vicky. “One lady made St Mary Redcliffe, which has 120 windows. Each window took her three hours! “A tree probably takes three hours too – and there are a few hundred trees in Briswool!” More arts events in May: Page 15
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New factory for Baileys caravans THE UK’S largest and longestestablished caravan factory is set for a multi-million pound rebuild. Baileys in South Liberty Lane is asking for planning permission for a 14,700 sq m facility to
New look: Baileys builds 7,500 caravans and motor caravans a year, employs 300 and has a £90m turnover replace outdated buildings on the 14.5 acre site. For the first time, all materials would be stored
indoors, allowing every step of manufacture to take place in the new building. Access would be
mainly from Winterstoke Road. Solar panels would make the building carbon-neutral.
Open-air drama is all true Dramatic setting: Ashton Court will perform at 6.30pm on May 12 and May 13. The play will start near the school, with performances taking place along the route to the
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who owned Ashton Court, and some of the staff who served them, will appear along the way. Sheila Hannon said, “I was thrilled to meet the great-greatgreat-great-great –that’s five greats! – granddaughter of Henry Wood, who designed the lodge. And when she told me who one of his descendants married I could hardly believe it. But it’s all in the show, with a wonderful surprise at the end.” Tickets are free from http://bit.ly/peepsandbursts
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mansion. One of the stops is the estate gatehouse, on the A370 beside Ashton Park School, which is being restored. The script is constantly being adapted as restoration work turns up new finds. Oyster shells and an old inkwell have both been written into the play. The story features Henry Wood, the architect who designed the gatehouse in 1805 and Humphry Repton, a 19th century landscape designer. Members of the Smyth family
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A HOMEGROWN play will bring the history of Ashton Court to life this month – with all the action taking place outdoors. Called Peeps and Bursts, it will tell the story of some of the people who lived and worked on on the grand estate. The drama is being created by producer Sheila Hannon, of Bedminster theatre company Show of Strength, which specialises in true history plays. The actors are drama students from Ashton Park school, who
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Watch out for wild sightings across BS3
Wrong species: Seen in a Bedminster garden, a jay tries to woo a sparowhawk in an excess of spring ardour
The natural side of Bedminster HOW can we make BS3 more attractive to wildlife? That’s the aim of My Wild Bedminster, an idea of Avon WildlifeTrust and Bedminster’s neighbourhood partnership, the GBCP. It includes improvements to parks by introducing wildflower meadows and working with local gardeners. Several small plots that were prone to flytipping have been turned into
Park life ideas WHAT DO you want to see happening in your local park? That’s the question posed by the Greater Bedminster Community Partnership (GBCP) as members debate how to spend money on improvements. Suggestions are welcome from residents, park Friends groups and community groups. Ideas might include new seating, repairs to fences and landscaping work. GBCP has about £30,000 to spend, which comes from a levy imposed on developers who are
community gardens, and many residents have made their gardens attractive to insects and birds by incorporating ponds and nectar-rich plants, by leaving tangled patches for nesting and hibernating, and avoiding chemicals. Now an appeal has gone out for wildlife pictures taken in BS3, whether of birds and mammals or smaller creatures like butterflies, spiders and snails. The contribution above was taken in Willada Close, and shows an amorous jay mistakenly trying to woo a kestrel. carrying out developments across Bedminster and Southville wards. Work already funded by the partnership in recents years includes the creation of gardens and floral meadows, improvements to Bartlett’s Bridge across the railway, and improvements in Dame Emily and Gores Marsh parks. If you have any suggestions or ideas for improvements in any of our parks or open spaces, request a GBCP Improvement Form from neighbourhood officer Lorena Alvarez by email: lorena.alvarez@bristol.gov.uk
Sightings of hedgehogs are very welcome as there seem to be fewer in Bedminster than other parts of the city. Most gardens in Bedminster are too small to sustain a hedgehog, let alone a family, but by making small gaps in fences and walls, they can roam over larger areas. Ashton Park School is planning an exhibition of wildlife pictures at the end of the summer term. Later in the year, there will be a second exhibition of school and community pictures. Email photo inquiries to gbcpnewsletter@gmail.com
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Family chemist tops awards shortlist ahead of big rivals A BEDMINSTER chemist’s aims to beat the big pharmacy chains at their own game with a major showing in the industry’s awards. Bedminster Pharmacy in Cannon Street has been nominated for four awards in the C&D (Chemist and Druggist) awards 2016 – more than any other business in the country. Ade Williams, proprietor, said he and his staff were surprised to head the nominations list, which are usually dominated by pharmacy chains and NHS bodies. The business is nominated for Independent Pharmacy of the Year and Pharmacy Team of the Year, while Mr Williams is shortlisted as Community Pharmacist of the Year and Manager of the Year. Mr Williams said: “I have the privilege to be working with really great people who really care about their community, and that’s really what it’s all about.” The awards will be presented on June 15.
Free sea show A SILLY sea show is promised for preschool families at the Acta theatre in Gladstone Street, Bedminster. Free performances at 11am take place on Thursdays May 12, 19 & 26. Sea-themed snacks available from the café. • www.acta-bristol.com
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Free classes on offer in new yoga studio
A YOGA teacher is celebrating opening her new studio by offering free classes to people who might benefit from yoga but can’t afford to pay. Manon Vis opened her own studio in a former industrial unit in Whitehouse Lane, Bedminster, because of the shortage of community spaces in the area. She used to teach at Faithspace, the former Methodist church in Stackpool Road, Southville but that has closed. She opened her own space in September after she had a baby. “The feedback I am getting is that it’s a very welcoming and cosy space,” she said. “I only opened the studio because when I had my baby I did some yoga and baby massage and wanted to teach those classes somewhere that was cosy and secure and had space for prams.” The industrial unit has been transformed inside to make it warm and relaxing with candles and low lighting. The free yoga classes are on Sunday May 29 from 2-453.45pm. Places are limited and must be reserved by emailing info@flowyogabristol.co.uk.
MORE and more patients at South Bristol GP surgeries are finding long delays before they can get an appointment with their doctor. A wait of of two weeks for a non-emergency appointment with a GP is not uncommon. One diabetic patient from the Bedminster area protested that the best his surgery could do for an urgent blood test was 15 days. “On one occasion the doctor said to book an appointment for a week’s time. The receptionist said sorry, nothing available for three weeks. The appointment system only works if you are not working. The early, late and Saturday appointments are like gold dust,” he posted on Facebook. Another patient spoke of his frustration at trying to book an appointment at another practice. “I give up – they tell you to call at a specific time, which is then like trying to get a ticket for Glastonbury ... engaged, then all gone!” he said. These experiences are backed up by the recent GP Patient Survey for NHS England. This found that in 2015, 31 per cent of
MP warns that system is ‘open to market forces’
people in Bristol waited a week or more to see or speak to their GP – or couldn’t get an appointment the last time they tried. Bristol South MP Karin Smyth blamed a lack of investment by the Government. She said: “Sadly these figures do not surprise me, and they will come as no surprise to many in South Bristol. “Bedminster residents, for example, have recently faced difficulties with Malago surgery and Bedminster Family Practice diverting patients in the past year to other areas, having closed their lists. “These new figures show things are going in completely the wrong direction. It is becoming harder, not easier, to see or speak to a GP.” Ms Smyth said the Government was “effectively leaving surgeries open to market forces”. Extra help of £2 million given
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to six South Bristol GP practices in deprived areas was withdrawn under new NHS guidelines. Areas with more elderly people or high deprivation also find it harder to employ GPs, said Ms Smyth. “Surgeries in these areas tend to find it harder to recruit because the workload can be greater, but the pay remains the same,” she said. A spokesperson for NHS England told the Voice that several ideas were being tried in Bristol to reduce delays with GPs. “We’re investing in more weekend GP appointments and introducing new online GP advice services. We’re also increasing pharmacy and physiotherapy services in local practices which will free up GPs to concentrate on the patients who need them most,” she said. Patients are being encouraged to use online services such as AskmyGP and eConsult. A project called GP Forward View has just started to look at expanding the workforce, integrating GPs with other care services, improving support, and better technology and regulation.
Appeal to keep art on the streets UPFEST, Europe’s largest festival of street art, is appealing for volunteers and donations to make sure this summer’s event is as good as 2015’s. The festival, which takes places from July 23-25, has become a South Bristol institution since it started in 2008 and attracts artists from all over the world, as well as 30,000 visitors. “It takes a huge amount of input (and money) to stage the event each year,” said founder Steve Hayles. An appeal on fundsurfer.com had raised more than £6,000 of the £15,000 needed as the Voice went to press. Meanwhile, a walking tour of some of the best street art in BS3 is on offer on Saturday May 7 as part of Bristol Walking Festival. It starts at 2pm in the Tobacco Factory car park, Raleigh Road. It’s free but booking is necessary. • www.facebook.com/ bristolwalkingfestival
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Will a developer take a chance on converting into homes? THE FUTURE of the Faithspace as a community venue hangs in the balance as Southville waits to hear the identity of the successful buyer. The former church in Stackpool Road was declared sold on April 11 by its owners, the Methodist church, more than a year after the building was closed to the public. The Methodists will not reveal the name of the buyer, or their intention for the site, until the sale contracts are finalised. The building was advertised with a guide price of £325,000, but it seems likely the winning bid was more than £500,000. Its value if used for homes would be in the millions of pounds.
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Faithspace is sold – but who’s buyer? Bids were rejected from the two organisations which had promised to retain community use in the building – the Russian Orthodox Church and the Elephant House. The Russian church wanted to take over part of the building for worship, and said they would ask the Southville Centre, which is next door to Faithspace, to run the rest of it for community use. The Southville Centre already runs many community activities for children, adults and the elderly. It has a long waiting list for nursery spaces, and wanted to use part of Faithspace to meet
some of the demand for childcare. Also unsuccessful was an offer from the Elephant House, the privately-run community hall in Dean Lane, Bedminster. Matthew Hemming runs the building with his father and a business partner, subsidising the community use with rooms upstairs which are let to language students and others. The Hemmings had hoped to follow the same model at Faithspace. “We are disappointed that we didn’t get it. I do hope that it is going to someone who’s not going to try to develop it purely for residential use,”
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Matthew Hemming said. “Speaking as a local resident, I hope they don’t just sit on it for years until it gets to the state where the neighbours will accept any kind of development.” A campaign called Let’s Keep the Faithspace, to keep it open for community use, is backed by hundreds of residents. The building has a covenant restricting use to religious or educational purposes. Developers often mount legal challenges to covenants, but in this case Bristol city council has said it would like the covenant enforced. Campaigner Lynda Keeys said residents would put pressure on the council to keep its promises and enforce the covenant. For the Methodists, the Rev David Alderman said: “A number of bids have been received and have been carefully considered, taking into account the covenant that exists on the property. “We are unable to provide further details of the sale or the buyer until the process has been finalised.”
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Aerial view: Packing a lot into one of Bedminster’s back gardens
Small is beautiful in the garden A COLD but sunny spring day didn’t spoil events for Bedminster’s Secret Gardeners on Sunday April 24 when 15 gardens were thrown open to the public in aid of charity. Bedminster’s terraces mostly have small, shady outside spaces which can be a challenge to gardeners. Secret Gardens urges people to share their ideas about how to make the most of their
outdoor area. “It was really successful – we had about 250 people coming along, and we had lots of positive feedback,” said organiser Matthew Symonds. “We expect to have raised more than £700.” The money raised will aid community gardening projects. Suggestions for how to spend it will be invited after the second Secret Gardens event on June 12.
Advice on: • healthy living • medication • minor ailments • incontinence products • mobility products
At Bedminster Pharmacy we pride ourselves on our customer service. That’s why we are very proud that we are nominated for 4 awards in the C+D Awards 2016, a major award scheme for pharmacies. This is more nominations than any pharmacy in in the entire UK!
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Transport conditions must THE ARENA is coming – thanks to a unanimous vote by councillors on the development control committee on April 6. But what does the news mean for residents? Approval of planning permission on April 6 for the £91 arena, and outline permission for the homes, workplaces and leisure outlets on Arena Island, was a u-turn after councillors rejected the plans the previous month because of a lack of detail on transport issues. But the planning permission is not final – conditions on public transport, pedestrian and cycle access, parking, highways, signage and event management must be put to councilors before the arena can open. For the first time, residents can see where parking controls might be imposed. A map shows the zone within a 20-minute walk from the arena and extends from
IN BRIEF • Residents to be consulted on parking this summer; • Changes to existing RPS, new RPS areas, or tougher parking restrictions; • Car drop-offs in Albert Road and Silverthorne Lane; • Coach drop-offs in Albert Road; • Taxi rank in Feeder Road; • Albert Road and Cattle Market Road closed at major events; • Existing city centre car parks thought to be sufficient; • But car park at Fish Dock – the Barton Hill through St Philip’s Marsh to Arnos Vale, Upper Knowle, Totterdown and Windmill Hill. The map does not show exactly which roads will be affected. Consultation on the areas and the restrictions will start in the summer (see panel). As the effect of any RPS is to
Kwik Fit site – not ruled out; • Park & Ride from Long Ashton, Portway and Bath Road • No Park & Ride for A37; • No changes to Three Lamps junction – yet; • 180 extra cycle spaces at arena to give new total of 440; • A mobile phone app and variable traffic signs to direct drivers to Park & Ride sites; • A Travel Plan to reduce car use to be ready early 2018; • Arena completion in June 2018 – 6 months later than expected. push parking outside the zone, the area covered can be expected to increase. Redcatch Road, for example, is only partly included. Calls from Liberal Democrat councillors for the cost of RPS permits to be paid by the developer were rejected by the rest of the committee – partly for fear of setting a precedent for
other areas. A Lib Dem survey in Windmill Hill and Knowle found 268 people demanding an arena subsidy for to help residents pay for RPS permits, while 97 per cent backed evening parking restrictions, 92 per cent for weekend hours and 78 per cent for weekday operation. The transport update also says that extra bus stops for the Park & Ride services may be installed on Bath Road, if safe locations can be found. Park & Ride buses will run until 11.30pm to Bath Road and Portway, and midnight at Long Ashton. The arena budget includes £750,000 if extra services are needed. A “park and rail” service will be available at Parkway station. As revealed in the April edition of the Voice, future plans for the Temple Quarter enterprise zone call for a wide pavement and cycle way from
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Arena
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be met before arena opens PARKING CONTROLS
ARENA Bedminster East RPS
Look at this map in more detail at www.southbristolvoice.co.uk/arena Parking zone: The yellow area shows 20-minute walk from arena Temple Meads to the arena – the Bath Road Promenade. But this will require expensive new bridges across the Avon and the Plymouth railway line, and no plans – or funds – exist. In the meantime, stewards will direct pedestrians from Temple Meads to enter the arena via Cattle Market Road. From the Three Lamps side – where the pavement will be widened – stewards will prevent pedestrians using the Bath Road pavement to head for Temple Meads. The stewarding plan has met with scepticism (see below). It has not been explained how stewards will separate people
walking to the arena from those going elsewhere. Nor is it clear if the pavement will be fenced, or if stewards will be able to prevent a crowd from crossing Bath Road. A new walkway will be built on a pontoon along the Floating Harbour from Temple Meads to the arena. Taxi ranks will be on Avon Street and, if needed, Feeder Road. The nine coach spaces to be provided on Albert Road are expected to cope with demand, but “layover” coach spaces on Cumberland Road will be reinstated by the time of the arena opening in 2018. This work will cost £480,000, to
WHAT THEY SAID From the development control committee, April 6 On traffic congestion “Bath and Wells roads are congested already. To have a 12,000 seat arena, at rush hour times it’s just not going to work.” Eileen Means, Labour councillor, Brislington West On paying for RPS “If a developer was putting up a block of flats, and it brought the need for a zebra crossing, would you then go to the residents and ask them for a pound a week [to pay for it]?” Cllr Gary Hopkins, Lib-Dem party leader, Knowle On Bath Road pavements “We
have already had fatalities and if the Bath Road Promenade is not done there will be more fatalities.” Cllr Hopkins On stewarding of arena-goers on Bath Road “This isn’t going to happen, people are just going to run across the road and I’m concerned about people being knocked over.” Cllr Stephen Clarke, Green, Southville On hours of operation of RPS “We need to learn from the mistakes when RPS was brought in around Ashton Gate stadium. If RPS had run there until 6pm it would give people the chance to get home [and park] before the influx.” Cllr Helen Holland, Labour leader
include improvements to Albert Road and the Victor Street area. Pavement parking in St Philips will be outlawed. Up to £300,000 is set aside for bus stops and other work to boost bus services. First Bus will look at laying on extra services. “We consider the commercial opportunity is sufficiently great to encourage operators to provide extra services at times of maximum arena use,” says the council’s transport update. Better trains were a key demand, and GWR has promised to look at later services to key destinations such as Westonsuper-Mare and Bath. The package of transport works will cost £6.2m. The largest single element is the Southern Access Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists on the Three Lamps side, costing £3.6m. Supporting extra Park & Ride and train services, temporary
PARKING TIMETABLE May 2016 Council officers draw up detailed proposals to deal with arena parking in residential streets; September 2016 Informal consultation with neighbourhoods; December 2016 Strategy presented for parking controls in residential areas; 2017 Formal consultation with residents, and regulations issued to allow RPS or other parking controls; 2017-2018 Parking controls introduced. road closures and event management will cost a further £7.75m. Both sums will be met from the £91m arena budget and the £28m for Arena Island. More detail on the plans at www.bristoltemplequarter.com
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Windmill Hill residents set WHaM – Who we are
WINDMILL Hill and Malago (WHaM) is a community planning group covering Windmill Hill, East Bedminster and Victoria Park, recognised by the Neighbourhood Community Planning Network. We welcome development that has at its heart the needs and well-being of both current and future members of our community. And to that end we wish to work with anyone, be it stakeholders, including residents, developers and Bristol City Council (BCC), to achieve a functional, appropriate and wellbuilt environment. We provide a platform for residents and developers to discuss projects and will encourage pro-active community engagement. In February we successfully launched our Vision Document for Malago Green to 150 people at the Windmill Hill Social Club,
and we thank everybody who came along to support us, express their views and now continue to support our progress. Malago Green is our name for the area of land that includes Bedminster Green (the patch of grass and trees beyond the zebra crossing on Whitehouse Lane) and Pring St Hill, the land to the south of Hereford Street that is currently for sale and home to a car wash. What makes a good development?
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HE most popular ideas coming out of our research favour high density development that contains a mix of uses, housing types and tenures that are available and accessible to all social groups, with plenty of wildlife-friendly green spaces and the imaginative use of private gardens, roof
The Voice invited community group WHaM to give its views on plans for the £100m development
gardens and courtyards laid out to maximise light. Low rise buildings encourage, among other things, improved natural surveillance of an area and accessibility which will help make an area feel safe and add to its general well-being. Happy streets are an indication of a thriving community and provide lively, sociable and safe spaces that can be used at all times of day, encouraging interactions between neighbours, visitors and care for the more vulnerable residents. Existing amenities such as a doctors’ surgery, a
dental practice, a library, or a school, will be stretched beyond capacity if significant thought is not given to expanding the existing, or encouraging the building, of new facilities. With any city development there are going to be issues with traffic. Car use needs to be considered within the wider context of a city-wide transport system of buses, trains, cycling routes and walking networks 15 minutes from the city centre. Bristol is a city blessed with spectacular views and historic vistas and it is important that these are maintained and reinforced to preserve the natural character of our city, and not despoiled by high-rise buildings. We are currently researching into the proposed district heating centre, which will provide power for any new development, and are concerned that the scale of the centre is linked to a vision of
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out the vision they’d prefer
high rise living which isn’t suitable for this area. We need to know if the proposal is still workable for a low rise development and whether its emissions and safety record are suitable for such a potentially densely populated area. Bedminster has huge potential as an area very close to the city centre and this is a unique opportunity to create a desirable place in which to live, work and play. Come and join us as we strive to influence and shape the new community developing on our doorstep. Do get in touch. Write to South Bristol Voice, email us at whamalago@gmail.com and find us on Facebook - WHaM Malago Community Planning Group, to learn more about our regular meetings. We welcome your views and hope this piece will become a regular feature of the South Bristol Voice.
Aerial view of the proposals by Urbis
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May 5 Elections: Bristol Mayor WHOEVER wins the mayoral election on May 5, we should at least learn one thing: Is Bristol more enthusiastic about having a mayor than we were four years ago? In 2012, at the first mayoral election, only 28 per cent of voters turned out, meaning that 72 per cent chose not have a say. George Ferguson won with 37,000 votes against 31,000 for Labour’s Marvin Rees. Mr Ferguson won with the support of 35 per cent of those who voted, but only 11.5 per cent of all voters. Turnout in the referendum earlier in 2012 on whether to have a powerful elected mayor was even lower. Bristol was one of only 10 cities voting in 2012 to produce a majority – 53 per cent of votes – in favour. However, in the referendum only 24 per cent of voters turned out – meaning more than three quarters chose not to vote at all. The turnout varied wildly across the city, largely in line with the prosperity of an area. The lowest vote in the 2012 mayoral election was in deprived Hartcliffe, where only 11 per cent voted. In well-off Henleaze, the figure was 43 per cent. In mildly prosperous Knowle, turnout was 24 per cent, and in slightly better-off Windmill Hill, it was 28 per cent. In Bedminster, 25 per cent voted for a mayoral candidate in 2012, while in Southville the figure was 32 per cent. But have four years under George Ferguson produced more support for an elected mayor, or at least more interest in city politics? A recent study shows the new
WHO WILL YOU VOTE FOR?
OUR coverage of the mayoral candidates, their promises and their policies was in last month’s South Bristol Voice. You can find statements from the candidates and in-depth coverage of the Totterdown hustings online. • www.issuu.com/ southbristolvoice • www.southbristolvoice.co.uk/ politics For reasons of space, we’ve
How many will turn out to vote for a mayor?
Even second preference votes can change the result system has changed things. In 2012, under the old system of a council leader elected by the biggest party, 24 per cent of Bristol people thought the city had “visible leadership”. In 2014, that figure had risen to 69 per cent, according to research by Professor Robin Hamilton of Bristol University. Voters also seemed to think that the change to an elected mayor meant the interests of Bristol are better represented, with 54 per cent agreeing. Among managers in business and community sectors, the figure was even higher at 78 per cent. But among councillors – deprived of some of their influence by the mayor – only 33 per cent thought the city’s interests were better represented. Citizens’ trust in the council to make good decisions has improved only slightly – from 19 per cent in 2012, to 23 per cent in 2014.
HOW THE VOTE WORKS IN the council elections, it’s first past the post, meaning one vote per voter, with the winning candidate being the one who gets the highest total, even if the margin is only one vote. Hoevere, in the elections for mayor, and for the police and crime commissioner, the system is the supplementary vote. Each voter has two votes – although in 2012, most people used only their first vote. Voters can mark their first choice candidate, followed by a second choice. If any candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the firstchoice votes, they win. If no candidate gets half the votes, the second preferences are counted. Whoever has the most votes after this stage wins. Mr Ferguson polled less than 50 per cent in the first round; he won when 6,000 second
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LATEST ODDS George Ferguson Bristol 1st........................2/5 Marvin Rees Labour..............................7/4 Charles Lucas Conservative.................25/1 Tony Dyer Green.............................33/1 Kay Barnard Liberal Democrat........100/1 Paul Saville Independent................100/1 Paul Turner UKIP.............................100/1 John Langley Independent................200/1 Christine Townsend Independent................200/1 Tom Baldwin TUSC.............................200/1 Tony Britt Independent.................200/1 Stoney Garnett Independent.................200/1 Mayor Kudehinbu Independent.................200/1 From Ladbrokes.com preference votes were added. Second-placed Marvin Rees had more than 5,000 second preference votes – which still left him 6,000 votes behind. However, the 2012 result makes it clear that second preferences have the potential to change the result – even making a winner out of a candidate who was behind in the first round. More information on the supplementary vote system, and on the research into attitudes about the mayor, from the Bristol Cable, the city’s co-operatively owned news magazine. • thebristolcable.org
focused this month on the candidates in the council ward elections and the police and crime commissioner – see following pages. For more interviews and footage of all the mayoral candidates, including some who put their names forward after the Voice articles were written, try the election pages at Bristol 247: • www.bristol247.com/ channel/news-comment/ mayor-election-2016
MORE ELECTION COVERAGE: Page 14: Police & Crime Commissioner
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May 5 Elections Police & crime commissioner
Independent Sue Mountstevens
Conservative Mark Weston
Labour Kerry Barker
Green Party Chris Briton
Liberal Democrat Paul Crossley
UKIP Aaron Warren Foot
Independent Kevin Stewart Philips
Who should lead the police? THE POLICE and crime commissioner is a new post created in 2012. Like the Bristol mayor, it is a position which has yet to prove its popularity with voters. In the 2012 election, turnout in Bristol was just under 28 per cent – but across the whole area, including Somerset, it was much lower, at under 19 per cent. The voters elected Sue Mountstevens, an independent, over second-placed Conservative Ken Maddocks. Almost 244,000
people voted. But there were more than 9,000 spoiled ballots, an apparent protest against a new position which some voters thought was a waste of money. The PCC gets a salary of £85,000. The post replaced a committee system, the police authority, composed of councillors and others. The PCC carries the power to dismiss a chief constable, but not to direct police operations. Ms Mountstevens has worked with three chief constables; one,
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Colin Port, left soon after she took office, claiming she had wanted him to retire. He was followed by Nick Gargan, who resigned in 2015 after allegations of “sexting” to female colleagues. Ms Mountstevens lost confidence in him and asked him to step down. The current chief constable, Andy Marsh, raised eyebrows because his wife, Asst Chief Constable Nikki Watson, is part of his senior team. Among future changes for the Avon force, officers will wear cameras to record their work on duty. However, such innovations come after waves of cuts to the police budget of £60 million, with more expected. Independent Ms Mounstevens said that since she was elected in 2012, anti-social behaviour has been reduced, increased confidence has led to a 50 per cent rise in reporting of domestic and sexual violent crimes, and that burglaries hit an all-time low in 2014 with increased crime prevention. She says investment in education and enforcement has resulted in fewer killed or seriously injured on the roads. “As an independent I’m determined that party politics have no place in policing,” she said. The Conservative candidate, Mark Weston, said he would encourage visible community policing, which he says has cut anti-social behaviour in his own area by nearly 75 per cent since 2009. He added: “Over the last three years police numbers have fallen, police stations have closed, yet the PR team has grown by a quarter and the office of the PCC now costs £100,000 more than the previous police authority. “The current priorities are wrong. We must protect the front
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line, not inflate the back office.” Labour’s candidate Kerry Barker said he will “bring back policing to the people”, with more officers in communities and reinstating specialist teams to deal with child abuse, sex offences and domestic violence. A barrister specialising in criminal law for over 25 years, he says he will combat low morale among police officers. Green Party candidate Chris Briton said he would like a “serious debate” about drug reform and decriminalisation. “Imagine crime falling year on year because the causes of crime are being dealt with. Inequality, substance misuse, mental health issues, school exclusions. We need to address those,” he said. For the Liberal Democrats, Paul Crossley said his priorities are to safeguard frontline policing, cut re-offending, improve detection rates and provide closure for victims. “Police officers have a tough job and need more support. We need to free up the police to spend less time with bureaucracy and in offices and have more time in our communities,” he said. UKIP candidate Aaron Warren Foot said he would ensure that all crime is recorded, and reverse the decline in police numbers. He would guarantee rural police units get “the tools they need to tackle crime”, and try to stop people with mental health issues being detained in police cells. Independent Kevin Stewart Philips was for 26 years an officer with the force. “Avon and Somerset constabulary has gone through a difficult period over the last few years. I want to change that, to be the person that can rebuild the reputation and service delivery in partnership with the new chief constable,” he said.
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Art trail adds a live venue for weekend of fun
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THE SOUTHBANK Arts Trail is back on May 14 and 15 with a new performance space at the Acta theatre on Gladstone Street. The Acta programme includes samba dancing from local schools plus drama, jazz and poetry. The Tobacco Factory has a
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Saturday art market, live outdoor painting, children’s workshops and live music. And of course there are more than 100 artists showing off their work in over 40 private houses across the area. There are more events at the
Parking zones set for official review
TRADERS and residents are hoping that problems which have arisen since residents’ parking schemes were installed last autumn will be addressed in a council review. The zone covering Bedminster East – which stretches to Bath Road – began operation in September, while the Southville area began in November. Both were supposed to be reviewed after six months. There are still no firm dates for when the review will start. But residents in the zones can expect a postcard through their letterbox asking their views in May or June, a council spokesperson told the Voice. A petition calling for the removal of parking zones across Bristol looks set for a debate at a full council meeting after passing the 3,500 signature threshold. It now has more than 4,150. While many residents are happy that commuters can no longer leave cars in their roads all day, others say they still can’t park near their home even though they have a permit.
As traders tell of impact on business, petition reaches crucial threshold
Others in the areas outside the zones say commuters are now causing congestion elsewhere. The area affected is large – it includes roads to the south of North Street, Windmill Hill and Ashton Vale and elsewhere. Even South Liberty Lane is now lined with parked cars. Some traders say they have been badly affected by RPS. “I reckon trade is down by about half since the restrictions came in,” said Derek Knapman of hardware shop Lion Stores in North Street, Southville. Though there is a parking bay outside his shop, it is usually full, and customers can no longer stop to pick up big items like
firewood, said Derek. “People say to me, ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been in, but I couldn’t park,” he said. Adrian Harrris, who runs the Butt butcher’s shops in North Street and East Street, says takings are down by 25 per cent in both. He wants a return to one or two hours of free parking. Bigger signs should also make it clearer that the first half hour of parking is free, he said.
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Grant Bradley gallery, Southbank Club, Southville Centre, St Francis church and St Aldhelm’s church as well as along the streets of Southville. One of the more unusual is beer and hymns at St Aldhelm’s at 6pm on Saturday. • www.southbankbristolarts.co.uk
Jumble sale A JUMBLE sale and May fair is being held on Saturday May 14 at Bedminster Methodist Church, British Road. Stalls include plants, bric a brac, books, cakes, perfumes and a raffle. Refreshments will also be on sale. It runs from 11am-2pm. Admission is 20p.
Blue winners
WINNERS of our Bristol Blue Glass Concorde competition will be announced in the next issue of the Voice. A bumper number of entries included many personal connections with Concorde.
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Hundreds flock to view the way things were out on West Street THE PAST came to life for hundreds of people in West Street, Bedminster, when a pop-up museum showed off the history of the area. More than 500 people of all ages visited the exhibition from April 15-17. Audio recordings, video and donated photos had been collected for several months, and at the event more photos and more stories added to the excitement. Members of the Memories of Bedminster group were on hand to regale visitors with tales of times past, and families were fascinated by the objects on show. Many people who’d left the
What’s that, mummy? Trying a foot-operated sewing machine in the pop-up museum. Picture: Way Out West area were re-united with old schoolfriends, and Miss Bedminster of the mid-1970s was persuaded to have her photo taken alongside an original Evening Post feature. The project was organised by
the West Street Neighbourhood Group (WOW), who now face the challenge of finding a permanent home for the collection. Teaching materials are planned, and an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund will
focus on ways of making West Street Stories accessible to generations to come. For now, the project has a Facebook page – search for West Street Stories. To find out more, email info@way-out-west.org
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UWE’s plan for Bower Ashton
THE UNIVERSITY of the West of England is planning a complete revamp of its Bower Ashton campus, which serves art and media students, by 2020. No major increase in student numbers is proposed, but UWE says much of the campus is outdated and needs to be rebuilt to provide modern digital facilities. The first part of the plan is the
building pictured right, to house printmaking and digital equipment. It faces Kennel Lodge Road, alongside the Ashton Court estate. At three storeys it is one storey higher than the existing building, but no objections were made to the plans, which were submitted last year. A new courtyard will follow, which will be open to the public.
New view: Artist’s impression of the building next to Kennel Lodge Road
New nursery set to open in Southville
THE SHORTAGE of nursery places in Southville is set to be eased when Southville primary opens a pre-school department in September. A nursery for three and four year-olds will offer part time places for 60 children. It will be staffed by a qualified teacher and early years practitioners. The Southville Centre in Beauley Road reports a waiting list of 250 families looking for pre-school care. The school, which is rated ’Good’ by Ofsted, say it will create a “caring and stimulating setting” for children to make an easy transition from pre-school into the reception class. Work is beginning soon on the facilities and the school is inviting parents to register their interest for places. There will be two nursery sessions available, both of two
New class: Southville primary and a half days. The first is Monday and Tuesday 9am3.15pm and 9-11.30am on Wednesdays. The second session is Wednesdays 12.45-3.15pm and 9am-3.15pm Thursday and Fridays. Fifteen hours of free funding per child is available. Southville primary head
teacher Sandie Smith said: “We are so excited about this development, with what is effectively a re-opening of the nursery we had before. “A huge advantage is in having fully qualified teaching staff which will enable the children to have fun but also become accustomed to school life. “We know nursery provision is in great demand with the rising numbers of young families in Southville, so we urge parents to get in touch as soon as possible to register their interest.” The pre-school nursery class will be part of the school’s Merrywood Road site which currently caters for the younger children. Older children are taught at the school’s new Myrtle Street site. To find out more email southvillep@bristol-schools.uk, or call 0117 377 2671.
Pupils get to quiz their MP in Parliament EIGHT South Bristol schools took 26 children to London on April 14 to visit the Houses of Parliament. The Malago schools partnership is supporting children to have more of a say about how their schools are run and are introducing them to the subject of citizenship. During the visit students were able to watch questions for Commons Leader Chris Grayling MP, visit Westminster Hall and try electronic voting. They were also able to quiz Bristol South MP Karin Smyth on her voting patterns, how she became a MP, who inspired her and her top tips to become a politician. During the visit Sophie from Bedminster Down said, “Are we actually standing on the same floor as Henry VIII?” and Amelia at Victoria Park commented: “The coolest bit was watching the MPs actually debating.”
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Residents hit out at railway homes plan PROPOSALS to build 17 houses and three flats on a railway embankment in Ashton have met a storm of protest amid fears there may be mine workings under the site. A planning application by the owners of the Bristol & Avon construction group has attracted 54 objections, most from people living in Swiss Drive, which backs on to the former railway land off South Liberty Lane. Neighbours say the threestorey new homes will be out of keeping with the two-storey houses of Ashton Vale. Mark Bradshaw, who as the Voice went to press was standing
for re-election as a Labour councillor for Bedminster, said the plan was ”problematic for all sorts of reasons”. The railway line has been disused for many years and was largely overgrown until the would-be developer cut down the vegetation and sprayed weedkiller – much to the distress of some residents. “This was a green buffer between the residents and the industrial activity behind them,” said Mr Bradshaw. “People have shown me pictures of what it looked like before JCBs arrived and it was ripped apart.” Making a road into the site
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Controversial: The new road will mean taking down a redundant railway bridge which crosses South Liberty Lane. Rail freight operator Freightliner said that removing the bridge will expose residents to more noise from its shunting operations. A resident of Swiss Drive said in a letter to the council: “New residents will have a clear sight into my garden, kitchen, dining room and bedroom.” A second neighbour said: “I have lived in my house for nearly 50 years. For the majority of that time the land in question has been a beautiful open space, a thriving haven for all sorts of
May, 2016
wildlife. This was destroyed in an instant by contractors in protective suits spraying potentially hazardous chemicals, without warning to any local residents. Surely we should be looking to retain and preserve such valuable inner city places of beauty?” Another resident protested that local schools, GP surgeries and other amenities are already overstretched. The site is designated by the council as open space, but the developer claimed it had little ecological value. The area held several coal mines, but the developer said there was no need for a survey to find out if there are any old coal shafts under the site. But a report from the Coal Authority disagreed, saying there could be shallow coal workings under the embankment which could endanger the development. The builder should be made to probe the site for coal shafts and make them safe, the Coal Authority says.
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Artwork will aim to slow motorists
Investors pile in to Ashton Vale trading estates
SPEEDING motorists who endanger children walking to Holy Cross primary school in Dean Lane will soon be confronted by an unusual warning sign – a piece of art. The school is on a double blind bend and parents are campaigning for the road layout to be changed to make it safer for children. As part of the safety programme, Bristol city council has given £5,000 to fund an artwork to be installed along the school wall to alert drivers to the danger they cause if they break the 20mph limit or drive while using their phone. An artist was being appointed as the Voice went to press. Art co-ordinator Chloe Scholefield hopes to seek views of local residents by setting up stall next to the Southbank club during the Southbank Arts Trail on May 15. More consultation events will follow, and the aim is to have the art in place during the Upfest street art festival on July 23-25.
TWO of South Bristol’s longestestablished industrial estates are to be refurbished after being acquired by new owners. South Liberty Lane and Brookgate industrial estates have, between them, more than 300,000 sq ft of warehousing and industrial space in 34 units. It marks a surge of interest from investors in South Liberty Lane, which will have much better road access once the new South Bristol Link Road is joined to the west end of the road. The estates have been bought by Rockspring Property Investment Management on behalf of Cheshire West and Chester Council Pension Fund. Russell Crofts, who heads the industrial team at Knight Frank in Bristol, said: “The construction of the new link road by the end of the year will create even better access from the two industrial estates onto the ring road and subsequently Bristol airport, the Portway and the M5.” For more Bristol business news: www.bristol-business.net
Win Tickets to the Bristol Bierfest 2016 To enter a draw for two tickets for the Bierfest on Sunday May 8, including complementary food, drink and seat reservation, simply email your name to paul@ southbristolvoice.co.uk by May 6. You must be over 18.
the Hau den Lukas strongman test, bull-riding and shooting hut will be in the Fun Time Area. There’ll be all-night entertainment in the Fest Tent with live music from a German band. And you can satiate the munchies with savoury German delicacies such as Schnitzel, Brezel and Hend in a party atmosphere on sharing long tables and benches. There’s a limited capacity of 1,200 seats, so book online to secure your pew. Children are welcome in the German Village, and on Sunday only in the Fest Tent. The age limit for the Fest Tent every day except Sunday is 18+. German Village entrance is free. Fest Tent entrance is free on Thursday and Sunday, and £5 on Friday & Saturday. For tickets visit www.bristol.bierfest.co.uk email bristol@bierfest.co.uk or call 020 3239 5070. Wunderbar!
Clean campaign gathers speed RESIDENTS are being urged to report unsightly rubbish on the streets and missed bin collections as the Let’s Clean Bedminster campaign gets under way. Since the scheme started last month, troublespots such as parts of West Street have been cleared. Several problems have been identified, such as waste bins that are too big for communal cupboards, and replacement bins arranged. Organisers are exploring having stickers on dustbins, so that people can identify them if they get returned to the wrong place. The campaign is also looking at working with schools. To report a problem with rats or vermin call 0117 922 2500 or email pest.control@bristol.gov.uk. For flytipping or refuse issues call 0117 922 2100. If a bin collection is missed, visit www.bristol.gov. uk/bins-recycling
www.functionalfitness.me 0117 239 0595 177 South Liberty Lane, Ashton, Bristol, BS3 2TN
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ROM Thursday May 5 to Sunday May 8, Millennium Square will be transformed into an authentic German village, complete with beer garden, funfair and wooden market stalls, to host the city’s inaugural Bierfest. Based on a traditional “sommerfest”, this fusion of authentic cultural experiences is expected to attract up to 10,000 visitors of all ages, and organisers hope it will be an annual event. Hot wurst sausages, sweets and unique souvenirs will be among the German-inspired snacks and products. And thirsty adults can head to the Bier Garden for a cold German brew. For beer aficionados, Bavarian Weissbier, Festbier and Craftbier will be presented by Bavarian Festbeer Brewery from north Bavaria. If grapes are more your thing, the Sekt Garden will be serving
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PERSONAL TRAINING MOVE BETTER FEEL BETTER LOOK BETTER
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May, 2016
Soapworks was the pride of
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HAT’S Bristol famous for, in terms of industry? Concorde, you cry! And we had a pioneering aircraft industry well before that. In the 19th century, tobacco, paper, coal – all kinds of industrial materials were mined and made here and shipped out through the port. But how many know of the soapworks? The still-impressive brick-clad hulk of the Gardiner Haskins department store, visible to many in Totterdown and Knowle, was built in 1865 as a Victorian soap factory, the largest outside London at the time. And like many Victorian-era workplaces, it did not guarantee the safety of its employees. One of them is commemorated by a little-seen grave in Arnos Vale: his name is James Knight. James’s name was briefly known to many Bristolians when, over several days in 1902, the Bristol Times & Mirror carried stories about the terrible fire at the Broad Plain soap works. The rather breathless style of reporting at the time captures the horrific drama: “Scarcely ever, indeed, in Bristol has so great blaze been seen as that which suddenly burst forth about half past seven last evening, becoming visible at once in every part of the city and even in outlying villages, and attracted crowds of spectators.” Such an impact upon the whole city sounds like an exaggeration – but we mustn’t forget that 114 years ago there
In a time when fires claimed many lives, father-of-five James Knight of Knowle went voluntarily into his blazing workplace Tales from the cemetery
Another of our unique stories inspired by a grave in Arnos Vale cemetery were fewer tall buildings to block the view, and much less electric light to brighten the sky. The blaze was reportedly seen as far away as Portishead. An entire factory ablaze might well be visible a long way off – and of course the perilous ingredient of soap, as far as the risk of fire is concerned, is fat. “Seen from some parts, it seems as if a church were on fire, for the burning building was adorned with a castellated
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The grave of James Knight in Arnos Vale. Aged 36, he left five children parapet on each side of the roof, with ornamental chimney stacks at each end, which, in the mingled glare and darkness, looked not unlike towers. “It was not long, however, before the public discovered the scene of the outbreak, and at every street corner abutting on the scene of the fire there was a dense crowd of spectators, whom the police found a considerable difficulty in keeping at a safe distance from the premises. “All the available resources for coping with the fire were, it is hardly necessary to say, brought on the spot with the promptitude for which the Bristol brigade is justly noted, and the long struggle with the flames was begun.” But what could the city’s renowned fire brigade do? Compared to today’s firefighters, they lacked a lot of resources. Their pumps were horse drawn, their sources of water inadequate; they had no turntable ladders that could reach to the top of tall buildings. They had no breathing apparatus that meant they could safely search smoke-filled buildings. And they had little of the specialist knowledge that allowed them to extinguish different types of blazes. By the time the brigade arrived the top storey was already well alight. This floor was “stocked with
fat”, probably tallow or beef fat with which soap was made, and it was impossible to stop burning oil running into the lower floors.
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here was one thing in the firefighters’ favour, though. The magnificent soap works of Christopher Thomas & Co was a sturdy, purpose-built construction. Made of brick and iron, it withstood the flames without collapsing. Nevertheless, it was clear that the immediate aim was to stop the fire spreading to other buildings. The Times & Mirror reported that “various other departments were all in turn exposed to the danger of a spread of the flames. Between Straight Street and the fire were the oil and glycerine department, the boiler houses and the main soap house; in Russ Street was the black ash department, and in Broad Street the box department.” All eminently flammable and worse – for glycerine, once a waste product from soap-making, had been found to be the essential ingredient for dynamite. But the prospect was even worse than that. The streets around Broad Plain – now largely demolished – were narrow and tightly packed with homes and with other industrial premises – inclining a store for tallow and oil, and the Bristol Distillery. It’s little remembered now,
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Bristol – but also a deathtrap
Victorian pride: Now home to Gardiner Haskins, it was once the soap factory of Thomas & Co, built in 1865 but Bristol once made its own whiskies – not refined blends like the Scots make, but too often a cheap rot-gut that was not distilled long enough to remove the impurities. It was shipped by the boatload to London. However, the whisky made at the Bristol Distillery may have been a cut above some of the competition. The distillery was found in the 17th century and according to the 1887 book The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom by Alfred Barnard, it made grain whisky which was “sent to Scotland and Ireland to make a Blended Scotch and Irish
An early fire extinguisher, made of glass and filled with carbon tetrachloride – now known to produce toxic phosgene gas
whisky, for which purpose it is specially adapted, and stands in high favour”. On that night in March 1902, however, it was nothing more than another fire hazard. The Times & Mirror drily noted: “Here preparations were made to cope with a possible extension of the flames, which looked at one time, with the varying wind, a not unlikely contingency.” A director of the distillery, Mr JT Board, was on hand with other staff, standing on the roof with buckets of water and hand grenades. No, not explosives, but an early form of fire extinguisher – basically a glass vial, usually full of salt water. After 1900 some were filled with carbon tetrachloride, an early chemical fire suppressant which worked up to a point – except that under extreme heat it could produce phosgene, a poisonous gas later used as a weapon. It was also carcinogenic – so it was lucky for several reasons that the wind changed and the distillery was preserved from the flames. The firemen were still faced with an almost impossible task.
“On all sides inflammable goods were stored, and this rendered the duties of the firemen not only perilous, but intensely arduous. At one moment, when they appeared to be coping with one part of the outbreak, their attention had to be directed to another section which was even more important, and which previously had appeared to be practically safe. “Occasional loud reports were
heard, and these were attributed to ‘a drum going off’,” – a drum of oil presumably. Luckily the heat in the main building was so intense that all the oil and fat was burned before it could run out and spread to other buildings. “These, however, were small matters compared to the ever-present risk of the immense end walls giving way, owing to the expansion of the iron girders. “The risk became even more imminent when portions of the side walls collapsed, but this in no way unnerved the firemen and employees of the company, for all stuck to their work most pluckily.” All the resources that could be brought to the scene were there. Not only the Bristol Fire Brigade and their pumps, but the Thomas company’s own staff, who were trained in firefighting and had hoses and pumps of their own. The steam fire pump from St George was brought in – a real favour, as St George was not part of the city, or responsible for assisting the Bristol brigade. And the fire float from Prince Street bridge was brought over to play water from the Floating Harbour onto the flames. This may have been the Fire Queen, mainly intended for fighting fires on ships in the crowded Floating Harbour which could otherwise prove hard to tackle. She was 53 feet (16m) long and had a three-cylinder steam-pump powering a hose reel, and, since 1900, was also Continued on page 22
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Jet powered: The Fire Queen, thought to be the vessel used to fight the Broad Plain fire.
Hoses trained from the harbour Continued from page 21 fitted with a monitor, or water-cannon. Fire Queen served until 1922. Our picture on the opposite page shows a model in the Science Museum and made by the boat’s makers, Shand Mason & Co, London, in 1884.
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o what of James Knight? Sadly we know little of his life except the tributes that were paid to him later. We know he had five children, was married to Agnes, and lived in Redcatch Lane, Knowle – what we now know as Redcatch Road. He was 36, and was a clerk for the soap works. So how did he come to lose his life in his workplace? It turned out he was not even in the building when the fire started – he went in to try to fight it. The inquest, held eight days after the blaze, heard that the fire was first tackled at about 7.30pm by nightwatchman Charles Brown. He was alerted by a worker in the central pan building, used for drying the soap. Brown ran to the scene and found the top floor already alight. He seized a hose but realised the blaze was too much for him and called for the fire brigade. He could not account for how the fire started; the top floor had been inspected by a colleague not long before, and there were no open fires – though there was a gas light. A Dr Grey, a lawyer acting for Knight’s relatives, told the
inquest that Knight entered the premises alone at about 7.30pm – the same time the fire brigade were arriving. Knight went straight to the office where the books were kept, said Dr Grey – presumably to save these irreplaceable records from the flames. Sergeant James of the fire brigade then took up the story. He was close to the deceased when he died, the jurors heard. Sgt James went to a staging where Knight and a colleague, a Mr Edwards, were removing a number of packing cases to prevent the fire spreading into the stamping room. Sgt James “turned to the deceased and tapped him on the shoulder, and told him that whatever he did, he was not to block the passageway with the cases.” Sgt James was making a hole in the staging with his axe to put a hose through when “a crash came, and the front wall of the building fell outwards, and a solid mass of masonry came down. Witness had managed to get clear, and when he picked himself up he saw Mr Edwards emerge from amidst the darkness and smoke and debris.” Edwards was struck in the face by falling rubble, and when Sgt James went to help him, Edwards said that two more were trapped. But a shout gained just one response. One man energed unharmed; but Knight was buried under tons of masonry. It seemed likely that Knight would have died instantly. Nevertheless frantic efforts were made to find him under the fallen rubble. Edwards and a fireman
named Rogers, who was injured in the leg, were rushed away for treatment. The disastrous collapse happened at about 9pm. The massed hoses of the various fire pumps, and the water cannon on the Fire Queen, had been surrounding the blaze for more than an hour. By 9.30pm it appeared that the battle was being won and the fire could be prevented from spreading. But the deluge was kept up, because a change in the wind could have spread the flames. By 10pm the flames began to diminish – but the fear of those nearby did not, because gusts of air and shifting debris frequently brought new gouts of flame. “This gave rise to great apprehension on the part of inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and but for the oft-repeated assurances of the police, something of a panic would have occurred,” said the Times & Mirror. But the firemen fought on, “and about midnight there remained only a smouldering heap of ruins.” At 3am the firefighters finally found Knight – but as expected, he had died immediately, and so much rubble remained that his body could not be moved for some time after.
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he inquest heard that when he died Knight had already been ordered out of the building – but it even seemed possible that he had been ordered to go back in again. Mr AHR Pope, a civil engineer working for the factory, related how he had been with Knight earlier when a chunk of coping
May, 2016
Picture: Science Museum stone fell between them. Pope said he ordered Knight to leave, and saw him do so. But a short time later Pope was on the ground floor when he saw Knight and Edwards back at work moving the packing cases. Was it important that the cases were removed, lawyer Dr Grey asked Pope? “If the cases could be got rid of the place would have been free from all woodwork,” said Pope. Who ordered him to move the cases, asked Dr Grey? At this point a Mr Roscoe, the managing director of the plant, gave evidence that “there were several assisting, and they were all volunteers.” The jury was told that the plant was modern and in good order, and the fire precautions were excellent. No-one could say what started the fire. Chief Inspector John Gotts of the Bristol Fire Brigade seemed almost incurious as to the cause: it could have started with the boilers overheating, he said, but fires started in so many ways, and there was no evidence that it was deliberate. It turned out that Thomas’s had recently installed “elaborate fire-extinguishing appliances” in the factory – but the work had not finished, and they were not fully operational. We are not told what these precautions were – perhaps some of the new gas-filled extinguishers mentioned earlier – but the new equipment was said to be of some service in dousing the flames. The jury was told that they weren’t there to determine the cause of the fire, but the cause of Knight’s death. Nevertheless, one
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the usual routine …” the paper said. “As regards those who worked in the building which was burnt, temporary arrangements will be made as soon as possible in order that the hands shall lose no more time than necessary.” So that’s all right then – it was clearly in order, as far as the Times’s correspondent was concerned, that the city’s largest manufacturer of soap should not have to pay the wages of its hard-toiling workers during the time when their workplace was being repaired. It’s easy to be outraged by this casual attitude to a loss of vital income to no doubt low-paid workers, some of whom might even have been fighting the flames the night before. In fairness, this was normal for the period; it would take decades of trade union activity before workers could expect something fairer from their bosses.
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nd were those very bosses in any way to blame for the disaster? Neither
“Scarcely old enough to realise her loss” – the letter inspired by a chance meeting on a Knowle tram with James Knight’s oldest daughter of the jurymen (they were of course all men at that time – women could not serve until 1920) asked if smoking was allowed in the factory. Nowhere inside the gates, was the answer. And why was Edwards, a valuable witness, not present to give evidence, asked another jury member? He had been badly hurt, and had ”gone away for a change”, was the response. Dr Grey added that Knight’s widow would receive a company insurance payout of £300, and some extra from the firm. But still the jury was not happy. “What we want to know is, whether the deceased was ordered to move the packing cases?” they asked. “Certainly not – no man on the premises was ordered to do anything at all,” retorted Mr Roscoe. The jury was at last satisfied, and returned a verdict that the death was accidental.
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he company made further show of its humility. A letter from Christopher Thomas himself appeared in the Times & Mirror thanking “numerous friends who rendered
such valuable aid” during the fire, whose help meant “that we were fortunately enabled to keep the damage within a comparatively limited area.” But he made no mention of the employee who had given his life to the firm. That was left to another writer, one PCB of Totterdown, whose poignant letter told of an accidental meeting with Knight’s eldest daughter on a tram going to Knowle (see above). After recounting the little girl’s tearfilled outburst, the correspondent wrote, “The time may come when the little maid will say with well-deserved pride, ‘He was my father!’ But in the meantime, what about the widow and five children under the age of ten?” We can only hope that £300 went a long way to supporting the family – it was, after all, the price of a house at the time – but it would not last a lifetime. The Times report also gives away that the workers at the factory might well lose out too – because if they could not work in the ruined building, they would not be paid. “It is understood that the employees will lose but little by the fire, as the building that was destroyed was of a general character, and will not interfere to any great extent with
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the evidence to the inquest, nor anything in the newspaper reports, casts blame on the factory owners. The factory was a modern building, built of more or less fireproof stone and girders. It had its own strict rules on fire precautions, it had its own staff trained in firefighting, and it was installing the latest in fire extinguishing equipment. It was only the immense heat that eventually twisted the girders and brought part of the wall down. Even so, the building was repaired, and forms the most distinctive part of the Gardiner Haskins department store, visible for miles across South Bristol. It is slightly less distinctive now, being partly obscured by modern extensions to the rear which form an apartment block named Christopher Thomas Place. A memorial for the owner, then, but not to the employee who gave his life to the firm – except in a corner of Arnos Vale, where a grave bears witness to James Knight’s bravery.
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Please keep dogs on leads
I’d like to save this green haven PROVIDENCE Place in Bedminster is a beautiful green haven in a desert of urban
sprawl. Although in many ways it’s just a space we walk or cycle through, it also brings joy to our hearts. Each year I look forward to seeing the crocus sprouting in this area as it reminds me that winter is coming to an end. As a local resident I have seen many people enjoy this space, such as the gentleman who regularly takes his chickens to the green space. I understand this green island is under threat as part of the development of Bedminster Green. The area will disappear as part of this area makes way for a road and a footpath. This means that many of the trees will go and, as we know, they take years to replace. I understand that
Police update
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AST month saw us take part in a range of activities in support of National Rogue Trader Week, which raises awareness of doorstep crime and the slogan ‘Not sure? Don’t open the door.’ As part of this week of action, the team visited libraries to speak to elderly people who can be particularly vulnerable to this type of crime, as well as going door-to-door, providing crime prevention advice and stickers which people can put in their windows to warn off potential distraction burglars. We also visited banks and post offices, to highlight the need for staff to look out for elderly customers who may withdraw large sums of money under duress from criminals. Please remember to keep an eye out for your neighbours and relatives who may be elderly or vulnerable and report any suspicious callers to us on 101, or 999 if you think a crime is in progress. April also saw us take part in a speed awareness week. My
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I’M DISTURBED at the number of dog owners I see around Knowle who seem to think it’s OK to walk their pet in the street without a lead. Most of these dogs are perfectly well-behaved, but that’s not the point. What if they meet another dog which decides they are a threat? What if they see a cat or a squirrel? I’m sure the owners will say, “I can trust my dog not to misbehave,” and 99 times out of 100 they will be right, but it’s the 100th time I’m worried about, when a dog runs into the road, or worse. Plus, isn’t it illegal for a dog not to have a lead and collar in public places? PV, Knowle
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Have you got strong views about what’s happening in South Bristol? Email paul@ southbristolvoice.co.uk, post to Letters, South Bristol Voice, 18 Lilymead Avenue, Bristol BS4 2BX or call us on 07811 766072. Please keep letters short. We may edit your letter. Urbis plans to plant more trees, but it will be decades before they reach the maturity of the trees that we will be losing. I feel deeply saddened that in the name of ‘development’ an established green corridor will be lost for ever. Surely there are other options, as much of the area is already built on, or could the existing road network be left in place? I think Hereford Street will be closed and one of the proposed high-rise buildings will be built on it, therefore necessitating the need for a road though this green haven, Providence Place. I look forward to hearing other readers’ opinions. Ruth, Bedminster
With Sgt Paul Honeychurch, Bedminster police station
Be alert: don’t open the door if you’re not sure team were out and about conducting stop checks at various locations and we also carried out high visibility patrols around schools and retail areas, to reassure the public and to educate drivers about speeding and road safety issues. We focused our work in 20mph zones and spoke to a good number of drivers when we caught them speeding. My hope is that these conversations will have helped to educate drivers on the importance of sticking to 20mph in the relevant areas.
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hile we’re on the topic of road safety, we are always looking for volunteers to join our Community Speedwatch group, which gives local people the
Raising awareness: Police officers have been visiting vulnerable householders chance to help improve road safety where they live. Such schemes can be set up in areas subject to 20, 30 or 40mph speed limits. Volunteers give a small amount of time each week to monitor motorists’ speeds, with repeat offenders facing action by the police. If you’re interested in setting up such a scheme, please get in touch via the ‘Your Area’ pages of our website. Until next time, Sergeant Paul Honeychurch
May, 2016
Don’t change our character IT IS great that so many businesses seem to want to move into Bedminster now, expecially North Street. New shops seem to be opening all the time. But I hope we don’t lose sight of the old Bedminster. If we have a North Street full of coffee shops then we will have to travel elsewhere to get our essentials. I hope that no more of the long-established retailers disappear. NP, Bedminster
Can’t see round the corners! WE now have parked cars in our area and it will get worse. To try to help us with this, it would be better if we had double yellow lines on every junction off Duckmoor Road about six metres round every corner so at least we can see to get out of our roads safely. Sue, Ashton
Time to test the street food revolution TASTE the best in Bristol’s street food in a special event at the Tobacco Factory courtyard. The aim is to showcase the city’s many street food vendors and small independent businesses alongside music and kids activities. The events is organised by BEATS, a Bristol based streetfood collective, created by a group of street-food traders. It’s on Friday May 6 from 5-10pm. The event is part of the week-long Bristol Food Connections festival. Windmill Hill City Farm hosts a Farm Feast, billed as a unique chance to sample the farm’s best produce and experience a unique connection to your food. The evening on Saturday May 7 starts with a glass of fizz, a tour of the gardens, and some starters, before the main event – “wood-fire roasted ethical goat”. It ends with dessert in the farm’s barn terrace. Tickets are £28 per person. • www.bristolfoodconnections. com
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HUNDREDS, if not thousands, have enjoyed its spectacular views, and now the Bristol South Skyline Walk is marking its first anniversary with – what else? – a good walk. The Skyline aims to become one of the best-known walking destinations in the city, linking green spaces from Arnos Vale cemetery to Redcatch and Perretts parks in Knowle to the the three sections of Northern Slopes and back towards the city centre through Victoria Park. It will be one of the prime attractions during May’s month-long Bristol Walking
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News Discover the best views in the city
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May, 2016
Descriptions of routes overleaf
Where to go: Follow big toe signs, above, on the route le
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Festival, and on Saturday May 7 all are welcome to join a guided exploration of the Skyline, starting from Temple Meads station at 2pm. It marks the first birthday of the initiative and gives a chance to join long or short versions of the route. The long route is seven miles and takes four to five hours; the shorter version is two miles, is mainly on paved surfaces
and takes one to two hours. This year the walk has won the backing of tourism chiefs at Destination Bristol. A free booklet – available from the tourist office at Canon’s Road on the harbourside and from the address below – describes the route in detail and shows the attractions, facilities and wildlife
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that can be found along the way. It also has nuggets of local history. Did you know that a medieval water pipe runs from an ancient spring on Northern Slopes right into the city centre? “It’s not just promoting the walk and the views,” explained Len Wyatt, one of the founders of the walk and part of the Northern Slopes Initiative. “The booklet is also about promoting the local community and telling people where they can stop for refreshments.” Last year’s walk from Temple Meads attracted about 70 people, and the organisers are hoping for just as good a turnout this year. The Skyline Walk is one of the lasting legacies of Bristol’s Green Capital year 2015, and is supported by most local park and community groups. For a free guide to Skyline, visit the website or write to BSSW, c/o 67 Beckington Road, Knowle BS3 5ED. • wwwbssw.org.uk • www.bristol.gov.uk/streetstravel/bristol-walking-festival
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Planning applications 64 Foxcote Road BS3 2BZ Two storey rear extension. Granted subject to conditions
74 South Liberty Lane BS3 2SY Part two storey and part single storey rear extension. Granted subject to conditions Cruikshank Motors, Winterstoke Road BS3 2LG Additional vehicular access onto Marsh Road. Granted subject to conditions 78 North Street, Bedminster BS3 1HJ Change of use of lower ground storage to single bed apartment. Refused Former Mercedes Garage, Winterstoke Road BS3 2LG Application for prior notification of proposed demolition of art deco tower. Request for screening opinion as to whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is required for the proposed demolition. (This is not a planning application and the council will not be carrying out public consultation at this stage.) Pending consideration 37 Stackpool Road BS3 1NG Removal of existing wall and fit dropped kerb Pending consideration 78 West Street, Bedminster BS3 3LL Change of use to restaurant/cafe and takeaway (Use Class A3/A5). Pending consideration 7 Clift House Road BS3 1RY Creation of offstreet parking in front garden of property. Pending consideration 36 Allington Road BS3 1PT 2 storey rear extension. Pending consideration 36 Irby Road BS3 2LY Hip-to-gable loft conversion with rear dormer. Pending consideration Former Alderman Moores Allotments, Silbury Road, BS3 2QF Request for opinion as to whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is required for proposed development of 131 dwellings with gardens, car parking, open space and access roads. The dwellings to include a mix of bungalows, flats and two
and three storey properties. (This is not a planning application and the council will not be carrying out public consultation at this stage.) Pending consideration Land at 1 Acramans Road, Southville Three storey, 3 bedroom house attached to the side of 3 Acramans Road. Garden to rear and vehicle parking to the front with access onto Acramans Road. Pending consideration 3 Atyeo Close BS3 2RH Accessibility alterations to bungalow including rear extension and porch to front. Pending consideration 172 Chessel Street BS3 3DG Single storey rear extension. Pending consideration 1 Lock Lane, Bedminster BS3 1BZ Appeal against an Enforcement Notice issued by the city council on 02.03.2016 for an alleged breach of planning: Without the grant of planning permission the change of use of the property from a commercial unit to a residential dwelling. Pending consideration 25 Banwell Road BS3 2DW Prior approval for single storey rear extension to extend beyond the rear wall by 5.35m, with maximum height of 2.8m and eaves 2.6m high. Refused 33 Jasper Street BS3 3DT Rear single storey extension. Pending consideration 75 Coronation Road, Southville Demolish brick building in garden of basement flat. Pending consideration 2 Argus Road BS3 3PA Proposed development of five 2-3 storey dwellings on former scrap metal yard. Pending consideration Parson Street Primary School, Bedminster Road BS3 5NR Single storey extension to main entrance to create larger office and reception. Pending consideration 2 Truro Road BS3 2AE Prior approval for erection of a single storey rear extension to extend beyond the rear of the house by 6m, with maximum height of 3.65m and eaves 2.75m high. Pending consideration
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21-23 Cannon Street Bedminster BS3 1BH Notification for Prior Approval for change of use from shop (Use Class A1) to Restaurant and Café (Use Class A3). Pending consideration 127-131 Raleigh Road BS3 1QU Conversion of second floor from Use Class B1(c) to form 9 apartments (Use Class C3) with third floor roof extension, external alterations, refuse and cycle storage. Pending consideration 18 Bower Road BS3 2LN Demolition of existing single storey kitchen to rear of property and erection of single storey rear extension. Granted subject to conditions 17 Friezewood Road BS3 2AD Lawful development certificate for loft conversion with rear dormer. Granted 110 Chessel Street BS3 3DJ Rear dormer extension. Granted 25 Frayne Road BS3 1RU Single storey rear, side infill extension. Granted subject to conditions 68 Ruby Street BS3 3DW Single storey rear extension. Granted subject to conditions 2 Beryl Road BS3 3DH Single storey rear extension to provide enlarged kitchen and living space. Granted subject to conditions 15 Stanley Street North BS3 3LU Window replacement
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works. Granted subject to conditions Clinton House, 27 Clinton Road BS3 5PB Prior approval for the change of use from office floor space within Use Class B1(a) to residential accommodation falling within Use Class C3 (dwellinghouses). Withdrawn 42 Foxcote Road BS3 2BZ Lawful Development Certificate for a proposed rear roof extension. Refused 168 East Street Bedminster BS3 4EH Demolition of rear annexes (retaining main building) and redevelopment as 9 apartments, landscaped deck area and associated works (as revised 16.03.2016). Granted subject to conditions 24 Mansfield Street BS3 5PR Lawful Development Certificate for proposed replacement of outbuildings with a solid structure to use as habitable space. Pending consideration 148 East Street, Bedminster BS3 4EW Notification for prior approval for a change of use from Use Class A1 and A2 to Use Class A3 (restaurant and café). Pending consideration Storage Yard, South Liberty Lane, Ashton Vale Erection of 2.5 storey building to accommodate 6 residential units. Pending consideration • The status of these applications may have changed since we went to press. Check for updates at planning online.bristol.gov.uk
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Karin Smyth A union that benefits us in South Bristol
T
HERE’LL be no let-up in local political campaigning once the May 5 Bristol elections are over. The Thursday June 23 referendum on whether we leave or remain in the European Union is the biggest political decision for generations. I was nine in 1973 when the UK joined what was then called the European Economic Community. Other Voice readers may also recall the commemorative 50p piece, featuring nine hands overlapping, each representing a member country. In the years that followed I was lucky enough to visit places that had been the scenes of horrendous world war battles, impressed at how countries torn apart a few decades earlier were now working together hand in hand. Europe felt instinctively a good place to be. For me it still does. Many people are unclear about the arguments on each side, so the debate
The MP’s view Each month Bristol South Labour MP Karin Smyth gives her perspective triggered by the referendum is welcome, allowing us to consider what membership of the EU gives South Bristol, and what would be lost if we left. Businesses of all sizes depend on European trade. Large companies from overseas choose to locate across the West and the UK because
we’re a gateway to the European single market. Leaving the EU would risk these jobs going elsewhere, and threaten employment protection for working people. On shop prices, EU membership means the average local family saves around £450 a year, because of the strength we get from being part of the world’s biggest consumer market. And staying in the EU is better for collective action between member countries on climate change. It also means we can continue to collaborate to fight crime and terrorism. Working together we can carry on facing up to, and dealing with, the many threats and uncertainty in the world. The EU might well be an imperfect institution. But if you want influence, it’s far better to work from the inside, not deliberately going outside into uncertainty, looking in, powerless to shape anything. If you want to find out more about the EU, and why the UK is better off staying in, take a look at www.infacts.org Ultimately a decision on how to vote in the referendum is a matter of judgement, but there’s no argument that convinces me Bristol South residents would be better off out. I’m happy to receive Voice readers’ views in the usual way, but the best way to voice your views is using your vote on June 23!
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That’s ace: The club keeps its courts in firstclass order
Tennis club run by the community FANCY playing tennis this summer but not sure where to go? The Greville Smyth Tennis Club is offering free taster sessions at its adult social events on Sundays from 11am-1pm or Thursdays from 6pm-dusk.
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coaching available for children and adults, several social sessions and league tennis. Courts can be booked throughout the year in daylight hours. The club is next to the bowls club to the east end of Greville Smyth park. Annual membership is £47.50 for adults, £90 for families, and there are various concessions. Coaching camps for children are run in the summer holidays. • www.grevillesmythtennis.co.uk
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What’s on
Monday May 2 Meeting of VPAG – Victoria Park Action Group – to discuss issues relating to the park. 7.30-9pm, Bowling Club in Victoria Park. • www.vpag.org.uk Tuesday May 3 Talk, An Idiot on a Farm Knowle Townswomen’s Guild, 2-4pm, Redcatch community centre, Redcatch Road, Knowle. Visitors welcome. Call Stella on 0117 972 1590. • Facebook: knowletownswomensguild Wednesday May 4 The Love I Feel is Red New play by Sabrina Mahfouz. “Mona is pregnant. Her boyfriend has died. His mother is going crazy with grief and Mona has something big to tell her.” Exploring the emotive subject of abortion for the Tobacco Factory theatre’s A Play, a Pie and a Pint series, which celebrates new writing. And pies. Until May 7 at Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Rd, Bristol BS13 7JW. Food from 6.15pm, show 7.15pm. Matinee from 1.15pm Saturday. Play only £7; pie, pint and play £13. • www. zionbristol.co.uk Bristol Unsigned Presents The Out Crowd + Mid or Feed + Fades (London) + The Hartletts + Coitus Futon at the Thunderbolt, Bath Road, Totterdown. 7.30-11.30pm. £5. • www.thethunderbolt.net Thursday May 5 Edible gardening for beginners 6.30-8pm at Windmill Hill City Farm. “Learn how to grow your own vegetables and herbs in these practical sessions run by our gardens manager, Susan Barker. Also on May 12 and 19. £32 for the whole course. • www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk Bridget Christie: A Book for Her Billed as “the current queen
Mitch gets to scratch all his musical itches REVIEW: MItch Benn: Don’t Believe a Word, Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken,Southville THERE can be few performers of any kind who cram more energy, musical inventiveness or sheer nunber of words into their
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Tragic: I Capuleti e I Montecchi is Bellini’s opera of Romeo and Juliet
Opera, but not as you know it WANT TO try an opera but can’t afford a ticket? The Pop-Up Opera company brings the highest operatic standards to small venues – and their latest tour arrives at the Tobacco Factory for a performance on May 2. The story of Romeo and Juliet is told in Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi, performed in the original Italian but with pop-up captions in English. Bellini’s classic bel-canto
opera is brought to life in an intense chamber production by Pop-Up, which, according to Robert Thickness of Opera Now, has “a serious commitment to musical standards ... along with a personality all of its own”. Tickets are £20 but 10 tickets are available at £10 for the under-21s – which must be booked in advance with proof of age. • www.tobaccofactorytheatres. com
of crusading UK comedy” by the Guardian, Bridget Christie weaves the story of how she wrote her latest book – inspired by a man who farted in the Women’s Studies Section of a bookshop on April 30, 2012, and changed her life forever. 8pm, £16. Tobacco Factory theatre. • www.thecomedybox.co.uk
Friday May 6 Mark Steel: Who Do I Think I Am Writer, journalist and political commentator brings a show acclaimed at Edinburgh as “the most well-crafted and poignant” at last year’s Fringe. Tobacco Factory theatre. 8pm, £15.50. Also on May 7. • www.thecomedybox.co.uk
performance as Mitch Benn. His weekly slots on Radio 4’s The Now Show have earned him a reputation as the satirist who can whip up a musical parody on any given subject. But it’s not just lyrics he’s good at. Not only can he switch effortlessly from heavy metal to reggae to folk and back again, Mitch creates as he goes, making endless loops of his voice on his smartphone until one man and a guitar sound like a whole band. Indignation is mostly the
Multi-voiced talent: Mitch Benn name of his game, and in this show he urges us not to believe what we’re told by self-serving
May, 2016
The Phantom of The Opera Special showing of the 1925 silent movie starring Lon Chaney at Arnos Vale cemetery. A canapé reception is followed by a candlelit stroll through the cemetery to the Anglican chapel, where musician Ret Warwick will play a live soundtrack to the movie. Film rated PG, 8pm, tickets £18. • www.arnosvale.org.uk Saturday May 7 Farm Feast 7-11pm, Windmill Hill City farm. “As part of Food Connections 2016, experience a unique connection to your food. Starting with a tour of the gardens, join us for a feast in our beautiful covered barn, to include the best of spring’s produce, farm-reared meat and goodies from the wood oven. Get to know your fellow-diners over small-plate starters, our celebratory main event, and delicious desserts, while joining in the conversation about how we feed ourselves on all levels.” £28 per person • www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk Go, Go Children The 60s evening at Fiddlers Club, Willway Street, Bedminster, featuring soul, funk, rhythm and blues and more, all from original vinyl. £5. 8pm-2am. • www.fiddlers.co.uk Johnny Coppin at Saltcellar Folk Club. The well-known singer-songwriter and radio presenter has been active for many years on the local folk scene. £5, 7pm, Totterdown Baptist Church, entrance off Sydenham Road. • www.johnnycoppin.com • www.saltcellarfolk.org.uk Wednesday May 11 Friends of Redcatch Park meet at 7.30pm at the park pavilion, off Broad Walk, Knowle. More committee members needed. To join the mailing list, religious leaders, bigots and deniers of all kinds. From those who oppose gay marriage to homeopathists, and people who claim comics are frightened of mentioning Islam, he takes them all on. Want a sample? Visit YouTube and see how he makes childhood vaccinations funny. His Rasta Queen Mother is good too. PB • Eight lucky Voice readers won tickets to see Mitch in our March issue. Look out for more ticket contests in future editions.
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What’s on
emailbaront20@gmail.com. • www.friendsofredcatchpark.com The Fabulous Bacon Boys An adult retelling of the Three Little Pigs as imagined by the anarchic Living Spit players in the Tobacco Factory Theatre Bar. Bacon Construction is three builder brothers with a line in exclusive dwellings made of straw, wood and brick. But one day there’s a visit from the planning inspector, Miss Wolf. Shows at 7.30pm on May 11, June 27 and 28 and July 3 and 10. £10. • www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com Friday May 13 Gin Festival Bristol Paintworks, Bath Road. Gin Festival.com welcomes everyone, from gin novices to connoisseurs, to sample more than 100 varieties of gin, learn about the history of Britain’s favourite spirit, meet industry experts and enjoy live music and food from local vendors. Tickets £7.50 include gin glass. Sessions on Friday 6-11pm, and Saturday 12.30-5pm and 6-11pm. • www.ginfestival.com The Nightingales + Ted Chippington + Cowboy Builders, The Thunderbolt, Bath Road, Totterdown. The Nightingales: “consistently one of the best live experiences in the country. Forty minutes segued together seamlessly, a cocktail of 60’s garage and psychedelia shaken up with krautrock.” Ted Chippington: “the lost genius of British stand-up”, who had a near-hit in 1987 with Rockin’ with Rita. 7.30pm, £7 on the door. • www.thethunderbolt.net Saturday May 14 Bench mending Victoria Park. Meet at 10am near Mrs Brown’s café next to Somerset Terrace entrance. • www.vpag.org.uk Animal husbandry and care at Windmill Hill City Farm, 9am to 2pm. An introduction to animal husbandry, run by farmer Tim Child. Learn the basics of looking after sheep, pigs, goats and chickens. Hands-on sessions to explain feed, health care, breeding and regulations involved with keeping your own animals. £35 • www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk Sunday May 15 Spring Fayre Arnos Vale cemetery, 11am-4pm, showcasing local craft and produce suppliers. Funds raised go to securing the
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Paper cuts: Vivid puppets and backdrops are inspired by Hogarth
People’s hero is cast as a puppet EIGHTEENTH century London is brought to life by a puppetry collective from Bristol in a show coming to Southville’s Southbank Club this month. The Otherstory collective use the unusual technique of a tabletop set, paper backgrounds and cut-out puppets to great effect. The show is called Escape was on Everyone’s Mind – The Tale of Jack Sheppard, and tells the story of a notorious jailbreaker and people’s hero. Rebellious mobs, rapacious merchants and well-fed judges are brought to life with a zigzagging set to lead the audience through unexpected turns among the characters. The play shows a time with parallels to our own, said Otherstory’s Trevor Houghton, who lives in Bedminster. Jumps in scale, the textured future of Arnos Vale. Includes family activities, Great War exhibition, and tours. Free. • www.arnosvale.org.uk Monday May 16 Fake It ’Til You Make It Bryony is an hilarious and fearless performance artist from London. Tim is a hilarious and fearless advertising manager. Six months into their relationship, Bryony found out that Tim suffers from clinical depression. Bryony Kimmings’ new work about clinical depression and men is made in collaboration with Tim. £13 and £9, 7.30pm.
use of sound and song add drama and depth to the story. Trevor said: “We were inspired by the engravings of William Hogarth. We have taken on his picturestorytelling style: the vibrant detail, the satire, the use of one character’s story to map and critique a society on many levels; and we have attempted to translate this into puppetry.” The show will be followed by a discussion with guest speaker Roger Ball of Bristol Radical History Group. It’s at the Southbank Club, Dean Lane, Southville, on Saturday May 14 at 2.30pm. The performance lasts 70 minutes and is suitable for adults and children of 10+. Doors open 2.30 pm; tickets £8 (£5 concessions) • https://otherstory.org/ Until May 21. • www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com Tuesday May 17 Silver Screen Over 50s Film Club Novers Park community centre, behind Knowle West Media Centre, Leinster Avenue. Starts 1.30pm for movies and discussion. For information or if you require a taxi, contact KWMC on 0117 903 0444 or Karron on 0117 907 7038 or 07760 849 371. • www.kwmc.org.uk/events/ silverscreen Adult Lego evening 7-9pm at Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road.
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“Love Lego but think you’re too old? Think again … This session is for adults only, all bricks provided.” Bar open all evening; over-18s only. £3 entry. • www.zionbristol.co.uk Wednesday May 18 Only the Lonely What goes on behind closed doors? This new show from Acta Company examines the isolation of modern day lives. Acta theatre, Gladstone Street, Bedminster. 7.30pm, £3. Also on May 19. • www.acta-bristol.com Saturday May 21 Doreen Doreen Fiddlers Club, Willway Street, Bedminster. The well-known Bristol good-times band play one of their favourite venues. £8 advance, £10 on the door. 8pm-2am. 0117 987 3403. • www.fiddlers.co.uk Sunday May 22 Vintage Home Show Paintworks, Bath Road, offering mid-20th century and vintage items for the home from 30 specialist dealers. Items include teak sideboards, funky chairs, industrial lighting, retro artwork and atomic fabrics (whatever they are). Tickets £2.50, free for children. 11am-4pm. Early bird ticket at 10.30am is £4. • www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk Alice Roberts: Human Journey Join the Bristol academic and TV presenter on a voyage of discovery to find out what it is that makes us human. Anatomist, author and broadcaster Alice Roberts looks inside the human body, and back in time to find out how we evolved, and follows the ancestral journeys which led to humans emerging from Africa. £12, 8pm. Followed by book signing. • www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com Thursday May 26 Mark Watson: I’m Not Here One of Bristol’s funniest comedic exports returns home with the follow-up show to his acclaimed Flaws. Tobacco Factory theatre. Also on May 27 and 28. 8pm, £17. • www.thecomedybox.co.uk Tuesday May 31 Lego Days at Zion 10 am, May 31 and June 1. “Do your kids love Lego? Bring them along for a morning of imaginative building fun, games and competitions, with prizes for different age groups, Lego supplied, Duplo for the little ones.” £2 per child, café open all day. At Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road, BS13 7LW. • www.zionbristol.co.uk
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May, 2016
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CJ Hole Southville invite you to accept our offer of a free sales or lettings valuation. To arrange an appointment, please telephone the office or call in personally. If you have instructed another agent on a sole agency and/or sole selling rights basis, the terms of those instructions must be considered to avoid a possible liability to pay two commissions.
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