Clifton Voice July 2025

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Big Friendly Wallace, inspired by Roald Dahl's much-loved character, the BFG, pictured in front of Clifton Suspension Bridge ahead of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail, which will feature a host of movie-inspired sculptures across Bristol from June 30. Image: Ambitious PR

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Downs rally demands action

AROUND 300 supporters of a campaign to protect the Downs gathered on the parkland in June, urging the council to take action over its deteriorating condition and increase in van dwellers.

The two-mile walk, organised by Protect the Downs campaign group, started at the water tower

and ended at the sea walls.

Clifton resident Tony Nelson, chair of the Protect the Downs campaign, said the walk was “not a protest” or a “negative campaign”, but “an event where people who love the Downs can show their support for the Downs.”

He added that the march was “not just about [the van

dwellers]. The Downs has become a dangerous place.

“We want the council to realise that hundreds of people want them to protect this area.”

A higher turnout was expected at the event, but 300 arrived to call on the council to protect the area, which Mr Nelson says has become a “sink”.

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Pedestrian zone hits a roadblock

Princess Victoria Street's pedestrian scheme has struck a delay, Bristol City Council has told the Clifton Voice PAGE 5

Field 'not a town green' – judge

Campaigners have expressed disappointment over the ruling, which says a school field cannot be used as a 'town green' PAGE 7

Club AGM marks successes aplenty

One of Clifton Rugby’s most successful seasons in their 150year history was celebrated in style at the club’s annual meeting PAGE 22

n NEWS

Lights, camera, Gromit Unleashed!

CLIFTON will be home to more than half a dozen Gromits as part of the upcoming, star-studded Gromit Unleashed 3 trail.

The dazzling trail of sculptures, based on Aardman’s much-loved Wallace and Gromit characters, will be inspired by the movies and is set to be unveiled from June 30 across various locations in Bristol.

Stretching from the city centre and throughout the wider region, the trail features Wallace, Gromit, Feathers and Norbot, Wallace’s smart robot gnome from Aardman’s latest film

Vengeance Most Fowl.

One local artist, Jenny Urquhart, pictured right with her Gromit before it was painted, says she is "chuffed" to have her art showcased on the trail.

Jenny, who is renowned for her vibrant paintings and collages of sights around Bristol and has painted sculptures on the previous Shaun the Sheep and Gromit trails, will have her

Gromit featured outside CrossFit in Henleaze. Speaking about her involvement, Jenny said: "I was so chuffed to be involved in Gromit Unleashed 3, having painted a couple of Shaun the Sheeps and a Gromit in previous trails.

"This year’s theme is the movies and hopefully my Gromit, that will be displayed outside CrossFit in Henleaze, will remind people of this classic film that most people (of my age) will have watched!

"He took about a week to paint, and each leg, took about a

Circle of Security - Parenting Building Secure Parent - Child Relationships Th h D d f Att h t R h

day with the multiple layers.

"I can’t wait to see people’s reactions to him, when they walk past as he won’t really blend in with Henleaze high street."

A recent announcement by charity organisers The Grand Appeal and Aardman revealed that trail-goers can discover two glittering sculptures inspired by Road Dahl’s classic, the BFG and Netflix’s Wednesday.

For intrepid sculpture hunters, there is a dedicated app and printed map to guide families, residents and visitors around more than 50 different locations. The locations in Clifton include:

• Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queens Road

• Clifton Observatory, Clifton

• Clifton Suspension Bridge (Leigh Woods side)

• Freemasons Hall, Park Street

• Victoria Rooms, Queens Road

• Victoria Square, Clifton Village

• Whiteladies Road, Clifton

Nicola Masters, director at The Grand Appeal, commented:

"We are thrilled to be bringing the magic and wonder of cinema, film, stories and legends to our third Gromit Unleashed trail this summer, turning the streets of Bristol and beyond into a living storybook.

"Each Aardman sculpture is a character, each corner a scene, and together they form a spectacular adventure – all to raise funds for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity."

The 2025 trail builds on the runaway success of Gromit Unleashed, Shaun in the City, and Gromit Unleashed 2 – which collectively have generated over £20 million for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity and Cots for Tots, the dedicated charity for the neonatal intensive care ward at St Michael’s Hospital.

Visit www.gromitunleashed. org.uk for the list of locations.

Understand your child’s emotional world by learning to read their emotional needs

Support your child’s ability to manage emotions successfully

Join us at All Saints, Clifton for eight weeks on Fridays from 1000-1200 19th September - 14th November 2025

Enhance the development of your child’s self-esteem

Develop your attachment security with the Circle of Security Parenting course to: www lingmellpsychology com

Honour your child’s innate wisdom and desire for security

Visit lingmellpsychology com/ circleofsecurity for more info and to secure your place

Dr Andrew Bamber is a Bristol based child clinical psychologist and COSP trainer, supporting children and families for over 15 years

We also offer other exciting courses, including:

Heart of the Matter - Resource Yourself to Navigate Complexity

Join this one-day workshop, lead by Dr Rachel Brown, to explore your experience, feel validated and resource yourself on Monday 11th August 2025 at The Roundhouse, Springfields Allotment, Bristol BS4 1AL Calling all parents who want to understand their child’s needs and build joyful relationships

Are you noticing elements of what we call burnout' within your place of work? Perhaps you find yourself pulled out of line with your values and need space to recalibrate?

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n NEWS

'Dangerous' Downs needs urgent action

Continued from page 1

He added: “It is rat infested, people drive across the grass and damage it.

“The van dwellers are responsible for over-crowding of the area, causing obstructions.

“Walk around the Downs and you’ll see human waste dumped on open grassland.

“It’s unhealthy and the council should do something to stop it.”

Mavis Hale, who regularly walks on the Downs with her dog, told the Clifton Voice: “When I moved to Bristol and bought a house on the edge of the Downs, it was such a beautiful place. There were very few caravans, now more of them arrive almost every day and they spoil the view.

“I’ve written to the council several times, but I’ve never had a reply. I pay more than £3,000 council tax and expect the council to keep the Downs tidy and clean, but they don’t do anything.”

At a committee meeting in June, Green councillor Paula O’Rourke said that action on caravans and Travellers on the Downs is “needed quicker”.

Housing chiefs at Bristol City Council are currently drawing up a new policy for van dwellers, but this won’t be signed off until the end of the year, despite impatience growing.

Council lawyers are also getting ready to apply for a possession order, which should quell the“unprecedented” period of a high number of encampments of Travellers pitching up on the grass.

About 800 people live in vehicles in Bristol, with over 100 of these on the Downs. Numbers jumped during the pandemic, as rents shot up and became unaffordable for many people. A new policy for vehicle dwellers is due to be published in December.

The Downs committee was urged once again to act sooner, during a meeting on June 9. In response members said the matter was one for the council.

• Includes reporting from Alex Seabrook, LDRS reporter

Resident Sharon Scott, pictured front, on the march across the Downs

Pedestrian zone scheme hits roadblock

PRINCESS Victoria Street’s pedestrianisation scheme has struck a delay, Bristol City Council has said.

The project on the 50-metre stretch of road, between Regent Street and Waterloo Street, started in January 2025 and was due to be completed by early July.

But a “delay with the delivery of some materials” has caused a setback, the council has explained.

It is currently not known how much longer the project, which has also increased in cost from £550,000 to £655,000, will take.

Additional funding is understood to have been secured from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA), via the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) fund.

In October, it was reported that City Hall officials approved the budget increase after

contractor quotes for the work on Princess Victoria Street came in significantly higher than anticipated.

In a letter shared with the Clifton Voice, which can be read in full on page 15, local resident Don Shapland, has expressed frustration over the scheme.

He says that the money allocated to the project would have been better spent on other roads in Clifton, which urgently require repair. He said: "In complete contrast almost nothing at all has been spent on adjacent Waterloo Street over the past 40 years and it is rapidly resembling one continuous pothole with the road surface breaking up along its length.

"With the increase in pedestrian traffic the narrow pavement in Waterloo Street (there is only one) is also proving inadequate and unsafe forcing pedestrians to walk in the road. Many other roads and pavements in the area are in a very

poor state.

"Is it therefore too much to ask that our councillors, the new West of England Mayor and our member of parliament [...] next find the money to sort these and other rather pressing local matters out?"

The scheme is being completed alongside pedestrianising Overton Road in Ashley Down, which is costing almost triple the amount originally earmarked for the project, due to underestimates at the initial bidding stage.

The permanent infrastructure replaces the temporary daily timed closure of Princess Victoria Street, which had been in place since August 2021.

The temporary road closure has given visitors traffic-free space from 11am to 5pm to walk, wheel and cycle along.

And it has also allowed hospitality venues extra space to place tables and chairs on the road for outdoor eating

and drinking.

A spokesperson from the council said: “The project began in January 2025 and was due to be completed by early July, however due to a delay with the delivery of some materials officers are reviewing this timeline.

“Currently the project is forecast to cost £655,000.”

Speaking previously about the scheme, councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport and connectivity committee, said: “Princess Victoria Street is a vibrant area that has seen the benefits of offering a traffic-free space.

“I would like to thank the Clifton councillors who have really championed the pedestrianisation scheme and all the businesses and the Clifton Village Business Improvement District who have helped us to shape and refine the plans.”

• Includes reporting from the Local Democracy Reporter Service

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n NEWS

School field not a 'town green', judge rules

A 15-YEAR-LONG saga over the use of a school playing field has reached a tentative conclusion, after a judge ruled that the green space should not be used as a village green.

Cotham School, which has a 125-year lease on the field from Bristol City Council, said that it is “absolutely delighted” at the ruling.

However, campaigners from the We Love Stoke Lodge (WLSL) campaign group, expressed bitter disappointment over the judgement.

In November, Bristol city councillors unanimously agreed that four walking routes across Cotham School’s playing fields, which the school has been using for PE, should be registered as public footpaths.

The decision followed years of dispute between the campaign group and Cotham School, which came to a head when the school erected a fence around the field.

The campaigners successfully applied for the land to be established as a ‘town green’ to maintain public access to it – a decision that the school then challenged.

However, WLSL argues that although the school won the ruling, they cannot legally block access to the public footpaths.

In a statement, headteacher Joanna Butler, said: “Cotham School is absolutely delighted that His Honour Judge Matthews has handed down his judgement, which confirms that our school playing fields are not and should

n NEWS

not be a Town and Village Green.

“The judge has handed down a 110-page judgement which has been found fully in Cotham School’s favour.

“We're absolutely thrilled that justice has prevailed! The rights and opportunities of our 1,700 students will finally be restored.

“We couldn't be more excited to be able to positively plan to get back onto our Playing Fields as soon as possible.

“This decision affirms our commitment and tireless endeavours to resolve this highly challenging issue in pursuit of delivering a high-quality educational experience within a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our students.

“It supports the approach we have taken, and we remain dedicated to meeting all statutory

obligations, including the provision of Physical Education, in a way that best serves the needs of our students.

“Cotham School will now review how the site will be remobilised and will provide further updates on our plans in due course.”

In a statement shared by WLSL, the group said: “This is unexpected and very disappointing.

“We are giving detailed consideration to the judgment and grounds for appeal.

“The Judge made very clear that he was only considering the legal test – and going forward, any appeal will also consider legal issues only.

“We hope that [Cotham School] will undertake a serious rethink of its previous approach, given the enormous controversy

it created.

“The land remains a registered village green now and until the outcome of any further litigation is known.

“If the school is ultimately able to put up a fence again in the future, then since there are four public rights of way in the process of registration across the land … it would obviously be foolish to try to block those routes.

“Perhaps we will see evidence of greater consideration of these issues when the school publishes its remobilisation plans.

“However, the immediate priority is for us to take advice on next steps and grounds for appeal.”

• Includes reporting from the Local Democracy Reporter Service

Second weekend closure for Ladies Mile

A ROAD through the Downs could close to cars for the second time during a weekend in September.

Ladies Miles cuts through Clifton Down, running from the middle of Stoke Road down to the top of Bridge Valley Road, and was closed for one Sunday last month.

The Downs committee, voted

on June 9 in favour of setting up another closure.

A volunteer from the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge had reportedly tried to get the road closed for a quarter of a century. Now that the road has been closed once, and a second time is on the cards, temporary closures could become more routine and happen more often.

Green Councillor Paula O’Rourke, representing Clifton,

said: “We managed to close Ladies Mile for a day, with somebody from Fodag having tried for 25 years to do that. And that was a lovely day. I would like to propose that we close Ladies Mile again on the second or third Sunday in September.

“People can come and bring their kids to learn how to cycle, we had playing out, and it was quite a simple thing to do in the end.

“It was a big street party. It had great value and everybody really enjoyed it.”

One concern which councillors previously raised is that people living in Stoke Bishop would have to drive further to get to the shops in Clifton.

“Many people there drive down Ladies Mile to get to the shops, who would otherwise have to drive “an awfully long way round”.

An aerial view showing the footpaths across Stoke Lodge playing fields. Images: Bristol City Council/Google Earth

n FROM BRISTOL CENTRAL'S MP

Holding Labour to account over cuts

I KNOW many people across Bristol will be relieved that the government is reinstating the winter fuel payment to many pensioners. Two million pensioners live below the poverty line and I have campaigned against the cuts to ensure that pensioners can keep warm during winter. Now, the government must also commit to scrapping proposed cuts to PIP and Universal Credit.

Last week, I held a virtual ‘town hall’ meeting with disabled people in Bristol to hear how the government’s proposed cuts to disability benefits will affect them. Whilst the Labour government doubles down on its cruel cuts, I will continue to fight for proper support for disabled people and push the government to instead tax the wealthiest to fund public services and welfare.

This month, I also joined union leaders and campaigners in handing in a letter calling on the government to support the Climate and Nature Bill. I’ll keep working to hold the government to account and ensure they are

n NEWS

protecting nature, addressing the climate crisis, creating jobs and securing clean air and water for us all.

In Parliament, I proposed an Energy Jobs Bill to future-proof British industries and secure a better future for our children and our planet. Decades of missed opportunities have seen people forced out of work, communities damaged and young people forced to choose between poor-quality jobs here or moving abroad to find work as the fossil fuel industry declines. It’s time for a new plan: the move away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels towards the industries of the future must guarantee the livelihoods of those currently working in the oil and gas sector and ensure that they are given support to retrain.

This month, I also urged the Home Secretary and the Policing Minister to allow an Overdose Prevention Centre (OPC) to be opened in Bristol. Backed by Bristol Council, Avon & Somerset Police and drug safety campaigners, this centre would

bring down the number of drug overdose deaths and ensure users are connected with treatment services.

There are 200 OPCs around the world, and in decades of service provision and millions of visits, no one has ever died from overdose when using one. The opening of an OPC would be a vital step towards saving lives and preventing an opioid crisis like the one we’re seeing in the US — and I will keep applying pressure on the government to make it happen.

Recently, I joined the Red Line for Palestine outside Parliament to call on the government to enact a full arms embargo on Israel. I will continue to hold the government to account on their complicity in the horrors we are seeing in Gaza. I also asked the Foreign Secretary to publish the government’s assessments of the risk that the Israeli government is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, he refused to acknowledge this.

Finally, I hope all Bristol Muslims had a wonderful time celebrating Eid, and Happy Pride

Carla Denyer writes for the Voice

month — see you at Bristol Pride on July 12!

• If you live in Bristol Central and have a local issue you need support with, you can email me at bristolcentraloffice@parliament.uk or write to Carla Denyer MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA For enquiries about national issues email me using carla.denyer.mp@ parliament.uk

Family man ready to step up as BGS head

DAN Simson — the new head of Bristol Grammar School's infant and junior school — joins BGS from Sefton Park infant and junior schools, which he joined in 2011, becoming deputy head in 2016 and headteacher in 2020.

He is taking over the BGS reins from Heidi Hughes. Last year, after a 20-year career in educational leadership, Heidi decided to step down from her role at BGS to take the exciting step of looking at new ventures. In her six years at the helm, she led the school through Covid and onwards with passion, care and commitment and has built and developed a committed and talented team.

As Dan now looks ahead

to his new role in September we find out what’s important to him and what his first few weeks might look like.

What have you been doing ahead of the new role?

I’ve actually been lucky enough to take some time off over the last few months and spend valuable time with my family whilst bolstering my energy for the exciting role ahead.

I really enjoy the outdoors and especially fishing, cricket and hiking and so have particularly enjoyed having time to walk in the Brecon Beacons with my father.

It was a rare chance to talk and reconnect with each other over a matter of days rather than the few snatched moments

we all get used to in our busy lives. I know the value of family and community are ones that BGS shares with me. They are key to creating a supportive environment for children to thrive and as a school for the community, this is something look forward to developing further at BGS.

What are you most looking forward to?

I’ve enjoyed meeting many of the parents, children and staff at BGS over May and June and am really looking forward to getting to know what it feels like to be a child at BGS, to understand how they experience the school and how their day feels for them. Play is such an important developmental tool - it’s key to a child’s ability to learn and I’m excited about seeing how we integrate this into our teaching and open up further opportunities for this in our

classrooms and activities.

Having met many of the staff, I also know I’m joining a fantastic team who are passionate about developing each child and I’m looking forward to working with them and partnering with our parents.

What appeals about BGS?

I was already familiar with BGS as one of my own children goes there, so I knew enough to understand that we share a common belief that a child who feels known, nurtured and celebrated is a happy and fulfilled child. Getting to really know children and their families is key to this, to ensure they are able to grow and fulfil their potential to the fullest.

I know that we are starting on common ground and I can’t wait to get started!

I look forward to meeting current and prospective children and parents in September.

n NATURE WATCH with

Admiring nature's beauty on a rainy day

ONE day, I set off to my allotment for the rewarding summer job of picking strawberries. Showers were forecast so I had a brolly with me and also a big square of cardboard to cover some of my (many) weeds. As I arrived a shower began so I set the cardboard on the damp garden chair under the apple tree and, shielded by tree, cardboard and brolly, I prepared to sit it out. It was warm, humid and very peaceful.

Even the birds seemed to pause to watch the rain gently falling, except for a pair of magpies that flopped over the hedge and lolloped off across the allotments on some reasonably leisurely business that, nonetheless, didn’t allow for idleness.

After a while it occurred to me that the unending grey of the sky and the unceasing nature of the precipitation suggested not a passing shower but weather that

I’m not the only one round here who likes strawberries. A wood mouse must have made this little stash amongst the fallen rose petals by my strawberry patch

was better categorised as "steady rain".

Thoughts of strawberrypicking receded and instead I began to notice the many plants that share my allotment with the approved list of official fruits and vegetables. One section of my plot resembles an old-fashioned potager and here in particular a number of grassland herbs and

“weeds” have rooted amongst the fruits, herbs and flowers. To me, they have all earned their place. Self-heal is a little plant in the mint family with rich purple flowers whose leaves were traditionally used to bind wounds and soothe bruises. Red clover is beloved of bees and the form in my plot is particularly bold and attractive. Lamb’s lettuce leaves can be eaten in salads as can bittercress. Vetches and tares are leguminous plants and fix nitrogen whilst ribwort plantain improves nitrogen availability to surrounding plants. The little seeds of forget-me-nots and cut-leaved crane’s-bill are an easy snack for the adult birds that hunt caterpillars and other insects to fatten up their nestlings.

Then I found myself admiring the silvery flowerheads of false oat grass. It is an undoubted pest, seeding freely and bulking up to football-sized tussocks in what feels like a few days.

Those tussocks provide good over-wintering shelter for small invertebrates but, in the wrong place, they are the devil to dig out. I watched a droplet slowly gather itself to the tip of a drooping panicle and then gracefully fall. The stem gently rose by a degree or so with a gesture as expressive as a dancer indicating a mournful farewell by lifting a finger. I found myself enchanted by this grassy ballet and watched as a hundred panicles all played out the same simple movement. I felt that these grasses had earned their place today, they may have muscled in unwanted to my patch but they had certainly entertained me during this ‘shower’. All my wildlings have their role to play and it would seem that the role of false oat grass is that of prima ballerina. And then I gave up the strawberry collecting idea altogether and went home.

n PHARMACY BLOG

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a condition where the brain works differently to most people. This neurodevelopmental disorder is characterised by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. It affects how people focus, behave, and regulate their emotions. While ADHD is often associated with childhood and diagnosed then, many adults live with the condition—often undiagnosed—and face complex emotional and psychological hurdles as a result.

A UK study put the adult incidence rate at 3-4% (1.9 million). There is no one cause of ADHD, but it is considered a result of an often complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors, with genetic factors being responsible for 70%-80% of the probability.

The impact of ADHD across age groups will differ, reflecting both the individual's changing maturity and the changing circumstances and expectations surrounding them. As an individual matures, they may be better able to cope, yet continue to struggle due to the increased behavioural expectations placed upon them.

ADHD in adults goes far beyond difficulty focusing or being easily distracted. It often coexists with conditions like anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and even substance use

Bedminster Pharmacy now offers a private adult ADHD assessment

issues. Studies suggest that nearly 50% of adults with ADHD also experience an anxiety disorder, and around 30% deal with depression at some point in their lives.

Living with undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD can take a toll on self-esteem and mental well-being. Adults with ADHD may struggle with time management, job performance, relationships, and selfregulation. Over time, these daily stressors can contribute to chronic feelings of frustration, failure, or low mood—creating a fertile ground for mental health problems.

It is a two-way street: mental health struggles can also worsen ADHD symptoms. For example, depression can make it harder to concentrate or maintain routines, while anxiety can amplify restlessness and emotional dysregulation. This cycle can be exhausting and disheartening—but it is unbreakable. Diagnosis is the first step to effective management and care.

Partnering with MakeWell Clinic, we now

offer on-site Adult ADHD assessments at Bedminster Pharmacy. We already have a longterm relationship with MakeWell colleagues, working together to establish physical health services, including our COVID-19 vaccination clinics. This private assessment service, with input from a dedicated multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, takes a holistic approach, considering not only the symptoms but also the impact of ADHD on various aspects of their lives, such as relationships, education, and employment. For details about the service, including cost, selfreferral and preassessment screening, please call MakeWell on 01908731293 or email: bookings@makewell.co.uk

Bedminster Pharmacy has taken a national lead on population health, and we hope that, like many other services we have pioneered, NHS adoption will follow to ensure and protect universal access. To find out more about ADHD, please visit the Charity ADHD UK: https://adhduk.co.uk

n NEWS

Gardeners breathe new life into unused car park

A LITTLE used car park at Clifton Down has been turned into a gardening centre.

Twenty-five gardeners are now growing vegetables and flowers in planters which have been installed on the land at the back of Clifton Down Shopping Centre.

Clifton Down Community Association is behind the project which is known as Clifton Down Growing Space.

“The site was a little-used car park. It belongs to the Sovereign Group and we are thankful to them for letting us use the space for the next two years,” said Merche Clark, a member of the team.

The site is big enough for 40 planters and Growing Space are hoping more gardeners will join the scheme.

“With a growing interest in food cultivation and a significant demand for allotments in

Bristol, this project presents an opportunity for people to develop their gardening skills,” said Merche Clark.

In June, Growing Space launched a campaign to raise £6,000 to install a secure water feed with a lidded dip-in tank.

“At the moment one of the stores in the shopping centre is letting us use a tap of theirs and we are grateful for that,” said Merche Clark.

n NEWS

Book lifts the veil on Bristol's churches

Bringing to light intriguing facts about some of the city's sacred spaces, Churches of Bristol is the latest of many history books by

Clifton Voice’s Maurice Fells ...

IT'S hardly heard of today but pew-mongering was once an innovative method of raising funds for churches — especially when extensions were being planned.

Renting out individual church pews in parts of Bristol was a popular practice until the twentieth century.

This was something I discovered when researching and writing a new book called Churches of Bristol.

Owning your own pew was a popular practice especially in Clifton, where in 1836 at the parish church of St Andrew’s one went under the auctioneer’s hammer for the sum of £190.

Another churchgoer in Clifton owned thirteen pews and rented them out. In 1873 a pew at St Andrew’s Church was advertised as “being in the best situation facing the pulpit”. The seller was asking £88 for this particular pew.

St Andrew’s was badly bombed in the Second World War but it wasn’t until the 1950s that the church authorities decided not to rebuild it.

Another church in Clifton that was bombed and not rebuilt was St Anselm’s in Whatley Road. The site was sold and is now a health centre. A plaque inside the building commemorates the church. St Anselm’s had been built to ease overcrowding at other nearby Anglican churches.

Above, Bristol Cathedral was the first church in the city to have electricity. Image: Trevor Naylor. Left, Maurice Fell's latest book, Churches of Bristol, is available to purchase from July 15 from bookshops across the city

When Holy Trinity church at Old Market was consecrated by the Bishop of Bristol in 1832, there was seating for 2,200 people.

The church was packed for the occasion and 1,500 seats were made available free of charge for those who could not afford to pay the rent for "desirable seats near the front of the church".

The church was closed in the 1970s due to a declining congregation and a lack of funds.

Apparently, the thinking of many churchgoers at the time was that the closer you sat to the altar the holier you were

deemed to be!

Researching the book, the first of its kind in Bristol for many years, I came across fascinating gems of church history:

• St Mary Redcliffe church is said to be one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the country. The church, with its cloud-piercing spire has been standing on the red cliffs above the floating harbour for around 900 years. It was originally at the very centre of shipping and industry in the city which is the key to its history. The merchants of the port of Bristol began and ended their voyages at the Shrine

of Our Lady of Redcliffe.

• Bristol Cathedral which evolved from a 12th-century Augustinian abbey is unique as a “Hall Church”.There is no other like it in England. The vaulted ceilings of the nave, quire and aisles are all the same height of 56 feet. The cathedral is sometimes described as a ‘pocket cathedral’ on account of its size.

On a lighter note, I discovered that Bristol Cathedral was the first to have electricity!

Churches of Bristol is published by Amberley Publishing on July 15 and will be on sale in many bookshops.

cliftonvoice

n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS

News from Green Party Clifton Down councillors George Calascione and Serena Ralston

Hello from Serena and George, your Green Party councillors for Clifton Down. With students moving on and the school holidays on the horizon, it’s a busy time in our area.

Blooming good news

The Clifton and Hotwells Open Gardens weekend featured some stunning gardens again this year, including nearby Arlington Gardens and All Saints Church gardens. Clifton Down is unusual in Bristol in that there’s no public open space in the ward such as a council-owned park (the Downs are not within the ward boundaries). Many people here live in flats. Gardens are havens for people and wildlife, and trees are so important for our well-being, particularly in hot weather. We are very pleased that Arlington Gardens, a community space run by volunteers, received Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding last year for works for its path.

Another CIL project is the Clifton Down Growing Space which has magically transformed a disused car park behind the shopping centre into space for fruit, veg and flower growing. The project received CIL funding from the council last year and has applied for another round this year to create more planters. But it is missing one vital ingredient — a water supply. The growing space team has launched a fundraiser to raise £6,000 to install a secure metered water feed into a lidded dipping tank. Find out more at www. crowdfund.co.uk/p/water-to-cliftondown-growing-space

Thanks to all the volunteers who work so hard to care for these precious green spaces.

Students on the move

We’re pleased that Bristol Waste’s and the University of Bristol’s Students on the Move campaign seems to have gone smoothly this year. At the time of writing, we haven’t received any complaints. We met with Mark Aston and Sam Hosseini of the university’s community liaison team last month for an update.

Information leaflets were delivered to student properties in our and other areas to encourage students moving out to sell, donate, recycle and as a last resort bin their unwanted items.

From 9th to 30th June, large, designated bins were strategically placed in high density student areas, along with British Heart Foundation donation bins, to encourage recycling.

We’d love to know how you feel student moves have gone this year so get in touch if you have comments.

You can contact the university’s community liaison team by emailing community-living@ bristol.ac.uk

Children go free on the buses

The long summer holidays can be an expensive time for those with children so we welcome the news that children and young people under the age of 16 can travel for free on buses across the region this summer school holidays. This is thanks to new investment proposed by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. No bus pass or registration is required.

One-way Hampton Lane

We’ve noticed that some drivers are using

Hampton Lane as a cut-through from Cotham Hill. The Hampton Park and Cotham Hill Residents Association reported this issue to us too. The lane is one-way only from Aberdeen Road to Cotham Hill and driving up the wrong way is putting pedestrians and cyclists in danger. We’ve flagged the issue with the police and asked council officers to consider making the one-way signs more prominent. We’ve also asked some local traders to ensure their drivers are aware of the one-way system.

Redland Library events

The Friends of Reland Library continues to run a hugely popular programme of exciting events which we are proud to have in our local library. June’s event featured prize-winning author Tessa Hadley who was born in Bristol and visited Redland Library every week as a child. The next event is a ‘Beasts and Birds in Words’ talk by award-winning poet Liz Brownlee on Thursday 10th July at 7pm.

Our sofa hero

A big thanks to the sofa hero who lugged an abandoned sofa from the road onto the pavement recently. Serena had spotted the flytipping while out on her bike and was reporting it to the council when this kind passer-by stepped in to help. The sofa joined a dumped armchair on the pavement (at least it hadn’t morphed into a full three-piece suite). Serena used the FixMyStreet app on her phone to report the flytipping. This app is quick and easy to use and covers a whole range of street issues – not just flytipping –from potholes to lighting. Do consider using it if you spot problems on your street.

Councillor surgeries

It was great to see so many of you at our June surgery. Our next surgery is Friday 4th July from midday to 1.30pm at Redland Library on Whiteladies Road. Come and speak to us about any local issues.

Contact us:

George Calascoine: Cllr.george.calascione@ bristol.gov.uk

Serena Ralston: Cllr.serena.ralston@bristol. gov.uk

Gallery transformed by 1km ribbon

PASSERS-BY on Queen’s Road will likely have noticed the RWA art gallery’s bold new look, with 1,000 metres of pink ribbon adorning its exterior.

Negotiating Space is a giant, experimental, 1km-long line drawing by international artist Luke Jerram, made of 20cm-wide magenta ribbon.

Installed on June 10, the appearance alters with the changing wing and weather conditions. The work aims to create connections between civic spaces by continuing onto neighbouring buildings that include the University of Bristol’s Beacon House.

Luke said: "This artwork is both a simple sculptural intervention of the space outside the museum and an experimental threedimensional drawing. It’s been great fun, developing this new experimental project with the team. We’re literally taking a line, for a walk!"

n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS

News from Green Party Clifton councillors Paula O’Rourke and Jerome Thomas

Greens reduce herbicide use

Greens are keen to reduce the use of unnecessary pesticides and herbicides in Bristol to promote biodiversity and minimise any know adverse health impacts from their use. We are pleased that glyphosate use by the city council has been successfully reduced by a third in the last three years, However it still remains the most effective way to periodically manage weeds on a small number of streets in Clifton.

Grand opening of Princess Victoria Street in July

Work began on the new infrastructure in Princess Victoria Street on 27th January and it is now predicted to be finished on 27th June, just in time for the grand opening planned for 5th July. So hopefully by the time you read this, all the improvement works will have been completed! It has been a long haul to get here! We would like to thank the traders for their patience.

Better buses and we need to improve bus shelters

We have shared the good news about the improved bus service to Clifton. Instead of having only the number 8, we now have the 505 and the 5 and the recent new re-routing of the 77 to take people up to Clifton Down!

This is very welcome and to be celebrated, as we have always been keen advocates of active travel. However, there are some teething problems and we are trying to get them fixed. First of all, the information on the bus stops for the new 77 is incorrect in places and needs to be corrected, but only officers in WECA can do that! Also, the bus shelter on Christchurch Green has been removed following a road traffic incident. We have been told it will be restored "when funding permits". Not content, we are following this up and pressing for its swift return.

Proposal for Hotwells Primary School to lose Key Stage 2 pupils

Parents and the local community are very concerned by the recent news that Hotwells School, with its falling numbers, is now threatened with a merger with Cathedral Primary School from September

2026. Ironically, the plans for Western Harbour will bring more children into the area, but, right now, there is not the demand for primary school places. We will be attending consultation meetings and ask you to complete the consultation which is now live now. If the formal consultation has closed by the time you read this, please email Jerome and Paula and we will try and ensure that your views are taken into account.

The consultation can be accessed here: https://tinyurl. com/5x7dc22

What is the future for the Mansion House?

You may have read the article asserting that the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House on Clifton Down is "being sold off by the Greens”. This is an extrapolation from the news that the catering contract with the present company has been cancelled.

As we understand it, the contract came to the end of its life and the procurement rules applied to the new contracts meant that the present contractor was not eligible to apply for the tender. The administration has said that it will "review" the potential future use of the Lord Mayor's Mansion House.

Paula as a former Lord Mayor obviously has strong feelings about this. She said: "When I was Lord Mayor (2022-23) I didn't actually spend much time in the Mansion House, as most of the functions of the office have moved to City Hall. However, whenever I was there, I was frustrated to see such a lovely building being so under-used. It is a four-storey building but, really, only the ground floor, the conservatory and the gardens are used for weddings and receptions. The rest of the building is not used well. This is because fire regulations deem the building unsafe for overnight stays due to the open design of the central atrium; the only way to mitigate the danger would be to have an outside staircase built."

We believe that the Lord Mayor’s Mansion cannot continue forever without investment and/ or better use being made of the mansion. We believe the last refit

of the house must have been in the 1970s (judging by the decor), it is shabby and losing some chic.

We don't want to see the Mansion House sold and will be working with officers in the council to see if the mansion can be included in its transformation programme which would allow us to "invest to save". This would mean investing in the property to increase its utility (eg, education) and still leave it open for civic use, however, we are alive to the challenges that the building presents.

Clifton Down Encampments Update

Since our June newsletter we can report that more ticketing of vehicles and caravans with registration plates is taking place, a court order was enacted to remove tents and a campsite in the Peregrine Watch area and the council has applied for a

‘possession order’ for a year for the whole of the grassed area of the Downs and Ladies Mile area.

If this possession order is accepted by the courts, it will become significantly easier for the council and police to require travellers to move on without going through lengthy legal processes on each separate occasion. This combination of actions won’t eliminate the challenges with encampments, vehicle dwelling and anti-social behaviours on the Downs, however we are maintaining a strong focus on relevant actions to address and hopefully reduce each of the problem areas.

Contact us

Jerome Thomas: cllr.jerome. thomas@bristol.gov.uk

Paula O'Rourke: cllr.paula. orourke@bristol.gov.uk

Mini golf course plans could spark hefty legal challenge

PLANS for a mini golf course on the Downs could spark a legal challenge similar to a recent one that cost taxpayers £400,000. The course would be built behind the water tower on the expansive park in north Bristol.

A company operating the mini golf course would also take over the maintenance of the adjacent public toilet block. A lack of money has plagued the Downs for many years but a mini golf operator would help bring in cash to pay for the upkeep of the park and public toilets.

However, the Downs committee was warned that a mini golf course could end up being “very expensive”. The committee consists of Bristol councillors and members of the Society of Merchant Venturers, a historic business group.

Susan Carter, from the Downs for People campaign, said: “If the mini golf facility is enclosed, it will be unlawful under the Downs Act. The committee only has powers to build changing rooms, not leisure and hospitality facilities. These proposals could be challenged in the courts, and be very expensive.”

No decision has been made yet on whether the mini golf course would go ahead.

Image: Google Maps

n WHAT'S ON

Various dates

n LA SCALA DELI HENLEAZE

Join us for our Italian wine tasting evenings. Limited availability. Led by our in-house sommelier.

July 9 - Pride Tasting

July 11 - Rose, the summertime red wine

July 18 & 24 -Trentino Alto Adige

July 19 - Mountain side vineyards

August 1 - Mountainside Vineyards

August 7 & 22 - Friuli-Venezia Giulia

August 21 - "The Big 5" of Northern Italy

Sept 5 & 18 - Lombardia

Sept 6 & 19- The "Big 5" of Central Italy

Oct 3 & 23 - Veneto

Oct 4 & 24 - The “Big 5” of Southern Italy

Special events: WINE & DINE

6 wines paired with 5 courses

JULY 26 WINE & DINE - Puglia

AUG 9 WINE & DINE - Puglia

SEPT 20 WINE & DINE - Sicily

OCT 25 - Sicily

Private Events also available Bookings: www.lascaladeli.com

Various dates

n WANT TO LEARN TO NORDIC WALK?

Our Beginner Workshops are run by friendly, professional instructors, are full of chat and laughter, and you’ll get an effective total-body workout.

Meeting on Clifton Down 7th May, 10th May, 17th May, & 21st May.

Visit www.bristolnordicwalking.co.uk or call Ros on 07886885213.

n BRISTOL HOME LIBRARY SERVICE. A free home delivery service for Bristolians provided by local volunteers. For anyone affected by age, disability or caring responsibilities. 07714898558

n BLAISE COMMUNITY GARDEN, behind Blaise Museum, BS10 7QS. Open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Interesting walled kitchen garden, free to enter, new volunteers welcomed. Plants always available. Events: Plant & Pollination Day with Café on 12th July 10-2, and Café on 9th August 10-2.

Regular events

Various days

n YOGA IN REDLAND

Tuesdays 6.30pm & 7.45 Wednesdays 7.30pm

Suitable for beginners & improvers

Yoga in Clifton Saturdays 10.30am

Suitable for improvers Text Charlotte on 07533732035. www.yogabristol.com

n WEST OF ENGLAND BRIDGE CLUB based at RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. Five sessions every week, catering for different standards. Thursday afternoon is Improvers. Monday and Friday afternoon is for more capable players; this is an EBU recognised session. You may come alone to any afternoon session; a partner will be found. The evening

sessions are on Wednesdays and Fridays, and are open to pairs. www.woebridgeclub.co.uk or contact Secretary, Chris Frew, on 0117 962 5281.

Monday

n PLAY BOWLS at Canford Park in a friendly, social atmosphere. Qualified coaches and equipment provided. Contact: Les on 07305695579

n DICKENS SOCIETY. 7pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. New members welcome. See www. dickens-society.org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875 for details.

n WESTBURY AND CLIFTON AREA

DISCUSSION GROUP meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday 9.45am to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the world. If you would like to help to solve some of today's challenging issues with good company, tea and biscuitscontact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628.

n WESTBURY ON TRYM WOMEN'S INSTITUTE meets on the third Monday of the month in the Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, BS9 4AG, from 2-4 pm. Interesting speakers, crafts, lunch club, skittles and outings. Our lively, friendly and inclusive group welcomes visitors. Call Sascha on 07961619806 or Traci on 07766073917 Tuesday

n WESTBURY PARK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Girl Guide Hut on Westmorland Road from 7.009.30pm. We are an active and friendly group with a varied programme plus extra sessions for craft, coffee, book clubs, walks etc. Visitors are always welcome and for more information do call Sue on 07813795936 or email westburyparkwi@gmail. com

n MEET UP TO MEDITATE

Free Class Every Tuesday 7.30 pm-8.30 pm Starting 14th Jan 2025 At 80 Queens Rd Bristol Email: info@meetuptomeditate.co.uk

n COMPANION VOICES BRISTOL is recruiting new members We are a 'threshold choir' actively looking for new people to join us. We meet in Easton on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm to learn soothing and uplifting songs by ear and build skills in sensitivity/compassion/ loving presence to sing at the bedsides of people nearing the end of life. To join or support us in this work, contact Valerie on bristol@ companionvoices.org. Visit www.facebook. com/CompanionVoicesBristol and www. companionvoices.org

n BRISTOL BRANCH OF THE KNITTING AND CROCHET GUILD meet on the third Tuesday of the month, 10am-12pm, usually in the function room at the Boston Tea Party on Whiteladies Road. Free to attend, all welcome (members and non-members). We cater for beginners through to experienced makers. Email BristolKCG@gmail. com for more info.

Wednesday n HENLEAZE CHORAL SOCIETY

We are a thriving, non- audition choir performing mainly classical repertoire. Rehearsals take place

at Henleaze Bowling Club, Grange Court Road on Wednesdays 7.30-9.00pm New members welcome. Go to www.henleazechoralsociety.org. uk.

n CLIFTON CRAFTERS

We all have craft items we started and are now lurking in a drawer unloved – dig them out and come and share with us a morning of knitting, crochet, tapestry, rag rugs or whatever you would love to resurrect or mend. Clifton Library every Wednesday 10.30am-12.30pm

n BLAISE COMMUNITY GARDEN, behind Blaise Museum, open Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Originally a walled kitchen garden. Free to enter. We’re looking for volunteers. Our Café (+ homemade cakes) open 10-2, 18 March and 8 April.

n WELCOME WEDNESDAY Friendly and free coffee afternoon on the last Wednesday of the month, 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your area. Call 0117 435 0063.

n CLIFTON CRAFTERS We all have craft items we started and are now lurking in a drawer unloved – dig them out and come and share a morning of knitting, crochet, tapestry, rag rugs or whatever you would love to resurrect or mend! Every Wednesday in October at Clifton Library 10 30-12 30pm.

n GOLDEN HILL WI Meets the first Wednesday of every month. 1-3pm. Golden Hill Sports Ground, Wimbledon Rd, BS6 7YA A vibrant, lively new afternoon WI in BS6. We have an exciting and varied programme to offer. For more information contact Pam Scull at goldenhillwi@ gmail.com.

n CLIFTON WOMENS INSTITUTE

We are a friendly bunch who meet on the last Wednesday of the month at Alma Church, Alma Road, Clifton BS8 2HG, from7.30pm. Anyone interested in coming to a meeting as a visitor is most welcome (£5). Visit our blog cliftonwi. blogspot.com for forthcoming events. For info about us contact thecliftonwi@gmail.com

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30 start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www. westburyparksc.org

n SPIRITUAL HEALING Spiritual Healing is available from 2pm to 3.30pm by the accredited healing team at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www.westburyparksc.org

Thursday

n LOCAL CHOIR ACTIVELY RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. We meet at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, BS9 1BW on Thursday, 7.45 - 9.15pm. We are a well-established mixed choir performing both sacred and secular music. See website www.henburysingers.org contact secretary at secretary@henburysingers.org.

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR Come and join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278.

n HEALING FOR WELLBEING - NEW TIME 5.00 PM TO 6.15 PM Feel more relaxed, peaceful,

BOOK REVIEW

The Mersey Sound

AS A TEENAGER, in the nineteen sixties, I ignored poetry believing it had little relevance to my everyday life.

That all changed with the publication in 1967 of The Mersey Sound, a collection of poems by Adrian Henri, Brian Patten & Roger McGough. Suddenly I had poems which I could relate to with irreverent, witty and freewheeling verse. Tonight at Noon is an ode to young love whilst wishing for a better world where America will declare peace on Russia and poets will get their poems in the Top 20. Without You finds the poet mourning the absence of his lover where every morning is like going back to work after a holiday, where Clark Kent forgets how to become Superman and where they forget to put the salt in every packet of crisps. The futility and brutality

n WHAT'S ON

of war is cleverly evoked in Why Patriots are a Bit Nuts in the Head and in Mother the Wardrobe is Full of Infantrymen. The vibrancy of youth and the desire for an adventurous life is expressed in Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death with the poet wishing at the age of 73 to be mown down at dawn by a bright red sports car on his way home from an all night party. The racism experienced by black persons in England during the sixties is referenced in I’m Dreaming of a White Smethwick whilst Lakeland Poem finds a young man comparing the body of his lover to the beautiful landscape of the Lake District. These are just a few of my favourite poems from the bestselling poetry anthology of all time. For this book and many more please come and visit your local library in Gloucester

calmer. Drop in sessions (no need to book) with trained practitioners. Venue: Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. All welcome - donation basis. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/BristolHealingGroup or https://www.thehealingtrust.org.uk/healing/ healing-centre or phone Selina 0117 9466434.

n BRISTOL BACH CHOIR are now recruiting new members. We are a friendly auditioned choir of between 30 and 40 singers. All voice parts are welcome. We rehearse on a Thursday evening at Bristol Grammar School from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. If interested please contact Julie at membership@bristolbach.org.uk

n FRIENDS TOGETHER DEMENTIA FRIENDLY CAFÉ A Dementia accessible café for all on the first Thursday of every month, 10am12pm; The Randall Room at All Saints Church, Pembroke Rd, Clifton. Support, guidance, information and friendship with complimentary tea, coffee and homemade cake. No need to book – just come along and be a part of our community! For more information contact All Saints Parish Office: 0117 974 1355

Friday

n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB. Come along at 5.45pm on Fridays to see if bowling could be the sport for you. Coaching available. Experienced bowlers welcome. Situated in Grange Court Road, by Newman Hall. This is a friendly Club with good bowling facilities and social events throughout the year. Phone, Tom Logan, on 0117 962 1669 or

Road. You will be greeted with a friendly smile and a warm welcome.

Review by Bob Deacon of Bishopston Library

Clifton Library opening hours

Monday 10am-2pm

Tuesday 1pm-5pm

Wednesday closed

Thursday 1pm-5pm

Friday 10am-2pm Saturday 1pm-5pm Sunday closed

email hbcsec@henleazebowlingclub.org.uk for details.

n BRISTOL SPANISH CIRCLE. We meet every month from September to June, usually on the last Friday of the month, at St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze. For more info, see https://www. spanishcirclebristol.com/.

n FOLK NIGHT every third Wednesday of the month at the Victoria inn, Chock lane, Westbury on Trym. 7.30-10.30pm. All musicians and singers welcome or just pop in. Call 0117 959 0834

Saturday

n SEA MILLS REPAIR CAFE offers sewing, woodwork, general, electrical and cycle repairs at the Methodist Church, Sea Mills Square, from 10am-12pm, every second Sat (except August). This is a voluntary service run by experienced repairers.. FFI see Facebook @seamillsrepaircafe or email: repaircafe.seamills@gmail.com

Cash would be best spent elsewhere n LETTERS

I NOTE that the largely unwanted scheme generously funded by the West of England Mayor and Bristol City Council to pedestrianise fifty metres of Princess Victoria Street has overrun its 10-week schedule of being finished by May 23.

In complete contrast almost nothing at all has been spent on adjacent Waterloo Street over the past 40 years and it is rapidly resembling one continuous pothole with the road surface breaking up along its length.

With the increase in pedestrian traffic the narrow pavement in Waterloo Street (there is only one) is also proving inadequate and unsafe forcing pedestrians to walk in the road.

Many other roads and pavements in the area are in a very poor state.

Additionally in Clifton most of the road markings have been neglected and have worn away such that road junctions and in particular pedestrian crossings have become increasingly dangerous.

Is it therefore too much to ask that our councillors, the new West of England Mayor and our member of parliament (who I understand is taking a renewed interest in her constituency) next find the money to sort these and other rather pressing local matters out?

Don Shapland, address supplied

For younger readers

Easier

n NEWS

Cash-strapped council eyes sale of house

BRISTOL City Council is considering selling off the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House in Clifton. The local authority has confirmed that a review of the current and potential future use of the historic Victorian building is being carried out. No decision has yet been

made but council services will be asked if they could make use of the property before recommendations are brought forward on whether to keep or dispose of it on the market.

Long-serving Conservative Cllr Richard Eddy has slammed the Green-led administration for proposing the move, claiming it “knows the price of everything

and the value of nothing”.

In response, council deputy leader Heather Mack (Green, Lockleaze) said that the former Conservative government had left councils with a funding shortfall legacy that meant they had to “choose between heritage and homelessness”.

She said vital services required big investment, some

of which came from selling properties.

The Mansion House, near the top of Bridge Valley Road in Clifton Down, has been the official residence of Bristol’s lord mayor for 150 years, although the holder of the office no longer lives there.

Turn to page 13 for Cllr Paula O'Rourke's comments

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Getting our region moving

IT’S been a busy first two months as your new Mayor, but I’ll continue my focus on transport for our region in this month’s column.

We recently shared our exciting plans for free bus travel for all under-16s across Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and neighbouring North Somerset during the school summer holidays from July 19 to September 5. This includes WESTlink and WESTlocal: no registration or bus pass is needed, just hop on board!

That new investment from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority could benefit 150,000 children and young people, and children from Perry Court E-ACT Academy who helped us announce it couldn’t have been more excited.

It’s right that we help people save money and encourage greener travel, so I hope that local families can more easily have busloads of fun this summer.

Working with Visit West and local councils, we will also be compiling a list of dozens of free activities for families and sharing on social media.

But we all know that it will take more than one summer to sort out our transport system –and get to where we want to be.

As a West Country girl, I know the frustration: we’ve been stuck in the slow lane on transport for too long.

Just a month after being elected as your new mayor, we’ve set the wheels in motion like never before to start that journey. That’s thanks to record investment from the new government for our part of the world: £752 million.

Three-quarters of a billion pounds of new transport money can go a long way. It’s time to really start to catch up with other city regions.

For us and our families, this will mean better buses, more trains, and mass transit.

We can secure more brand-new electric buses and the infrastructure to go with them, while also continuing to seriously invest in fixing potholes, restoring bridges, and making active travel easier.

We can also invest in our rail infrastructure, with an ambition for four trains per hour at stations across our growing suburban railways. New tracks and signalling improvements would allow more regular trains between existing and future stations, with stronger connections between two economic growth zones at Brabazon and Bristol Temple Quarter.

This new money will empower our region to start to fill the gaps in our transport network. It’s time to give local people proper alternatives to their cars.

We can cut the congestion that’s holding

Metro Mayor Helen Godwin writes for the Voice

back our full potential. Trams, metrobuses, rail, light rail, and guided buses are all on the table to make that a reality.

Over the years, as a region, we have talked too much about mass transit and delivered too little. We can deliver an overall system that people can rely on, even if we all know that can’t be built overnight.

When the first 74 electric buses in Bristol are on the road this autumn, I look forward to sharing a joined-up transport vision for our region. Working with the new government, and with genuine collaboration between local councils, it’s time for real change.

Will Writing

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n BOOK REVIEW

Just a Little Dinner by Cécile Tlili, translated by Katherine Gregor AT THE close of August, four people come together for a dinner party in a repressive Parisian flat.

The whole kitchen has become an oven. Claudia has spent three hours preparing a curry, despite the heat, her face and chest taking on the same red hues as the jagged saffron. All that she has laboured over is to please the implacable Étienne, the orchestrator of the dinner, whose motives are entirely selfish: he needs something from his friend Johar.

Johar sits on a bench a few blocks away, breathing in the summer air and trying to be as late as possible for the unwelcome event. That day, she has been offered everything she ever wanted. Her husband, Rémi, has already arrived and tries to set an enthusiastic tone with his hosts, even as he sends his wife angry messages and longs to call his lover.

Alongside courgette flowers, toasted almonds, succulent raisins and rice, wine, whisky and cigarettes, are servings of false compliments, caustic comments, and lies, some necessary, some cruel. The evening will tear down facades and expose the fragility of the characters’ relationships; the slow disaster is fascinating to watch for all its inevitability.

Taking refuge with Claudia in the kitchen or with Johar on the balcony, feeling Étienne’s blood boil as he fails to guide the conversation and reaching out with Rémi to almost touch his wife, the reader moves seamlessly between their perspectives. One understands from each character how they believe others see them and how wrong they are.

The dialogue is deft, an excellent evocation of conversations in which no one is really listening to anyone but themselves. Étienne imagines that he chooses his words with the care of a master manipulator. Johar hears something quite different. Rémi plans an announcement which we never quite believe he will make.

Claudia’s silences are misinterpreted by all and what is taken for weakness or stupidity eventually emerges as a serene power. Tlili’s simple set up delivers a series of harsh and perfectly targeted punches, making for a brilliant drama. Elizabeth Moss, Heron Books, Regent Street

n FRIENDS OF REDLAND LIBRARY

Event: Beasts and Birds in Words, a talk by Liz Brownlee

Date: Thursday, 10th July 7pm (Doors open 6:45pm)Venue: Redland Library, Bristol

Admission: £4 (pay at the door – cash only)

Liz Brownlee is an award-winning poet. Her poems appear in hundreds of anthologies, have been posted in zoos, painted on puzzles, popped in gift boxes by Lush, and printed in her seven books. She is a National Poetry Day Ambassador and heads communication at the Children’s Poetry Summit.

Event: Desert Island Books — Books and the World of Crime

Date: Thursday, 24th July 7pm (Doors open 6:45pm)

Venue: Redland Library, Bristol

Admission: £3 (pay at the door – cash only)

This a panel event with panellists nominating their choice of book on crime and policing; together with a ‘wild card’ recommendation. The panel will include Clare Moody, the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner.

• These events are organised by the Friends of Redland Library. We are a voluntary group set up to support Redland Library, helping to sustain and improve its service, and also connecting it with the local and wider community. Redland Library is situated on Whiteladies Road, close to Clifton Down train station. FriendsOfRedlandLibrary.org.uk

n MESSAGE FROM POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER

Celebrating our volunteers

LAST month I marked Volunteers’ Week with an event to celebrate the 66 dedicated volunteers supporting the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner across Avon and Somerset.

These volunteers give their time, energy, and expertise week in, week out - not for recognition

or reward, but because they deeply care about fairness, transparency, justice, and community.

Each of our volunteers plays a vital role in helping me and my office hold the police to account. What they do isn’t always easy, but it matters enormously.

Reflecting on their impact in 2024, these volunteers achieved the following:

• 646 individuals in custody were interviewed by independent custody visitors. Their treatment, rights, and entitlements were checked and upheld.

• 96 police complaint files were reviewed in full. Their insights identified areas for improvement and prompted action to be taken.

• 191 cases of police use of force were scrutinised, with over 240 hours of body-worn video footage reviewed. Their findings shaped themes for change, identified areas for improvement, and highlighted examples of good practice.

• 87 Community Resolution cases were reviewed, including cases involving sexual offences, domestic abuse, hate crime, and youth knife possession. Their feedback was shared with magistrates and the Local Criminal Justice Board to drive change.

Additionally, an independent expert board continued to oversee the Tackling Disproportionality programme, helping to ensure it remains focused on achieving long-term, anti-racist reforms in our criminal justice system.

I am deeply grateful to all those who volunteer to support me, for their ongoing support to create fairer criminal justice services for all.

To find out more about the roles please visit the volunteering pages on my website, www. avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk.

With Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody
Clare Moody (front, centre) with volunteers at the celebration event

A fabulous family home full of period charm and natural light situated on a quiet residential street; complete with a southerly facing rear garden, superb self-contained annex and an off-street parking space. Generous six-bedroom family home of circa 3450 sq. ft | Additional self-contained one-bedroom annex | Landscaped southerly facing walled rear garden | Paved drive with off-street parking | Lovely light-filled full-depth family kitchen and dining room | Sitting room with a balcony overlooking the garden | Retained period features throughout | Internal as well as external access to the lower ground floor | Easy access from both the hall and lower ground floors into the garden | Superb location close to The Downs and several of Bristol’s leading state and independent schools | EPC: E

n ADVERTORIAL

Clifton, Bristol

£1,850,000

Bristol-based The Window Hub progresses on green goals

This stunning maisonette in the heart of Clifton covers some 3000 sq. ft and is arranged over the hall and lower ground floors, complete with three allocated off-street parking spaces and private use of the extensive, fully walled west facing rear garden.

Bristol-based home improvement company, The Window Hub, is aiming to plant 3,000 trees over the next three years as part of its commitment to being a climate conscious business.

The trees will be planted at Boyd Valley Lake, which is located in Bitton. This is in addition to continuing its policy of recycling all old frames so they don’t end up in landfill.

Over their years of ownership, the current owners have significantly enhanced and improved the property, with a bespoke Chalon kitchen and bathrooms fitted with the very best Drummonds bath and sanitary ware with Lefroy Brooks taps and mixer units.

The window installation company was launched during lockdown in 2020 by seasoned industry professional Danny, who wanted to create a business that was “built on quality rather than greed”.

With its own private entrance on the hall floor the maisonette is “upside down” giving the reception spaces and kitchen access out onto the huge, paved terrace, with steps leading down into the private garden below.

In addition, there is a useful utility area, separate cloakroom, and access to extensive storage, as well as a privately owned single garage accessed from the private rear lane. With views over Clifton College close and a sizeable private garden catching much of the day’s sun, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Rupert Oliver Property Agents 14 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4BT 0117 452 3555 home@rupertoliver.co.uk rupertoliver.co.uk

scheduled to open this month.

Across the lower ground floor lies four double bedrooms served by three bath / shower rooms – one of which is en-suite.

From humble beginnings, The Window Hub now operates from a head office and showroom in Staple Hill in Bristol with offices, showrooms and installation depots across the South West.

because he wanted to be much more than just a double glazing company.

into your home can be stressful, so we have introduced as many initiatives as possible to be fair and reasonable in our approach to give our customers the best experience possible,” he said. “Sales begin and end with treating customers properly. And

The hard work of Danny and

n SPORT

Successes aplenty celebrated at club AGM

CLIFTON Rugby celebrated one of the most successful seasons in its 150-year history — marked by a promotion to National League 1 — in style at the club’s AGM where teams, coaches, players and volunteers were recognised.

The National Rugby League’s "team of the season" included six Clifton men Ricky Cano, Zak Hamid, Marcus Nel, Mitch Spencer, Shay Sainsbury and Niall Gibbons, with director of rugby Matt Salter and head coach Luke Cozens recognised as the league’s top coaching team.

Internally, Gibbons was awarded the coach’s player of the year with Hamid nominated as the player’s player of the year. Centre Will Owen and Sainsbury were selected to represent the world-famous Barbarians, reflecting recognition for them and the club.

Clifton’s success is underpinned by a committed executive committee and others who volunteer in off-the-pitch roles.

The 2024-25 season’s winners of the historic Beloe Trophy, presented normally to an individual who has made a significant contribution, broke tradition with husband-andwife duo, life members and vice presidents Wyn and Katy Tingley being the joint recipients.

The Tingleys arrived at the club in 2003 when son Huw joined the junior section. Wyn turned out as a player for ten years and became supportive of charity teams.

A loyal home and away supporter, Katy was

“volunteered” to become the club’s 4th official in 2017 — a role that supports referees and touch judges from the technical area, and requires her being on the touch line in all weathers to administer scorers, yellow and red cards and introduce replacements.

Katy’s efficiency via her iPad in club colours earns her respect from players and referees with her advice to opposing 4th officials often sought. The Rugby Football Union often takes her guidance — the best moment being our 2025 win over Camborne in the promotion clash. Managing stop watches and waving arms to alert referees are a challenge on occasions!

Wyn was a popular club chairman for seven years after serving in other committee roles.

These days he serves as the club’s discipline officer, manages the digital arrangements, provides the well-received match day media updates, works the electronic scoreboard and supplies a much-appreciated weekly podcast. Sponsoring matches is a further Tingley family contribution.

Ever present at home and away fixtures, the Tingleys have many happy memories including representing the club at a Twickenham function, watching Huw’s first match, receiving a 30th wedding anniversary cake, playing alongside Chairman Aftab in his final game and joining the junior teams on a tour to the World War 1 battlefields.

Above, Niall Gibbons, pictured scoring a try, was awarded the coach's player of the year at Clifton Rugby's AGM. Right, husband and wife team, Wyn and Katy Tingley were the recipients of the historic Beloe Trophy for the significant contribution they have both made to the club

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