SOUTH BRISTOL’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE
May 2021
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This month
6. City landlord fined 8. Horoscopes
10. Castle park plans unveiled 12. Families urged to insure their perts 14. £125 working from home tax 18. Your garden in May 20. Labour news 22. Seven ways to improve your kitchen 24. Local election news (Lib Dems) 28. Bank Bristol
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Baggy trousers and slouchy jeans are back! Ten years ago, if you had asked anyone to put on a pair of jeans or trousers that weren't skin-tight, we'd have rolled our eyes in disgust. For what seemed like forever, we gave skinny jeans and leggings our undivided attention. That is, until one day when a light appeared at the end of the tunnel and saved us from another year of wearing pants that were uncomfortably tight. A decade and a handful of half-hearted trouser trends later, we've finally found a silhouette with the potential to rival the skinny jean era in a real way. Baggy pants, or as some people like to call them, puddle pants, have been on the rise for quite some time now, but it wasn't until they started popping up on every street style photograph. It was last year that the trend became crystal clear. A year later, they're back — and the options are better than ever. From slouchy, distressed denim to loose, extra-long trousers — check out offerings for the latest trends this year in baggy, slouchy and cool comfy jeans. From our fashion editor Molly
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City landlord fined thousands for property failures A Bristol landlord has been handed nearly £30,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to maintenance and safety failures at three properties, following a prosecution brought by the city’s Private Housing Team. Portfolio holder Naomi Knapp, of East Street, Bedminster, agreed to pay £2,000 a month for at least the next year to meet the fines, costs and victim surcharges totalling £29,597.59, after admitting failing to meet required standards of management in three properties rented as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the case at Bristol Magistrates Court on Monday (19 April). Confirming, in mitigation, that she had carried out the work required and produced relevant safety certificates, Ms Knapp also recognised it would be a responsible step to engage a property management company and agreed to hand over 18 properties to an independent agent to manage the HMO licences. Bristol City Council’s Private Housing Team visited the three properties – in Dartmoor Street, St John’s Lane and Wedmore Vale last summer and discovered conditions to be poor in each. Following up a complaint by five tenants of the HMO at St John’s Lane about an electric shower as well as concerns about the condition of the property they had just started renting, council officers uncovered a long list of breaches under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, (The Management Regulations). These included failing to ensure the means of escape from fire was clear, adequate maintenance and keeping outdoor spaces safe and free of rubbish. A further complaint from HMO tenants at Dartmoor Street led to similar findings, with a long list of items in disrepair and safety breaches uncovered. 6
Meanwhile, a check at the HMO-licensed Wedmore Vale address revealed that work on additional kitchen facilities, improvements to the fire safety systems and ventilation to the bathroom had not been completed, with further management regulation breaches including a huge stack of rubbish and cycles in the garden. Ms Knapp entered guilty pleas to three offences for Dartmoor St, for which she was fined a total of £8,000, three offences for St Johns Lane, (£8,000) and two offences for Wedmore Vale, (£6,000). Tom Gilchrist, Bristol City Council’s Private Housing Service Manager, said: “This is the third successful prosecution brought by the Private Housing Team this year. We continue to bring to court landlords that fail in their responsibility to adequately manage their multiple occupied properties. “Naomi Knapp is a portfolio landlord who has been renting property for many years and the magistrates commented that as such she should have the knowledge and experience to act on the issues identified. “The council has agreed with Ms Knapp that all the properties which require a licence with are handed on to a professional agent to hold the licences. As a consequence the tenants can expect the properties to be managed and maintained to a higher standard in the future.”
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May Horoscopes Aquarius Jan 20-Feb 18 With things going on at present, you may be feeling quite down. Remember you are not the only one feeling this way. This could be a good time to reflect and try new hobbies, maybe read a book you have never picked up. When communicating with others, they may be feeling similar so bring your sensitive side with you. Use some of this time for yourself, and remember not to be too hard on yourself or others. Keywords new things and sensitivity
Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 Someone new may need your help and support, but you may have a few things of your own to deal with right now, if so try and just be flexible and sensitive in regard to speaking to this person. This could be a good time to have a reflect on those practical things as well as some of those inner turmoils we sometimes have, and see what things would help to sort them out, to ring back your balance. Keywords for stop sensitivity and balance
Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 Through the challenges we have at the moment, you may be finding it hard to keep calm and in balance. Maybe take time to give yourself a breather, and try and see things in another light. It may be an idea to start thinking of new ideas and projects to begin at this time, that you could continue when things begin to ease. Keywords. Re-view and re-new
Gemini May 21 - June 20 Although it may seem a struggle at times, there will be some new changes for you, and a sudden realisation will dawn on you. This realisation maybe something you need to explain to someone and this should clear the air if there were some difficulties. Remember also to be kind to yourself, and stay calm, Maybe read that book you’ve been putting off, I try a new recipe, find something new. Keywords. Realisation and communication
Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19 We are all facing obstacles at the moment, and staying in touch with your loved ones and friends is important, but remember there are many ways now through ordinary phones and modern technologies. Remember to use your intuition at this time, as it seems to be very important to follow your inner guidance. Keywords intuition and communication
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Cancer June 21 - July 22 There could be some new ideas for projects, and this could be a new interest a project or something totally new. Communication is something very valuable in general, but even more so now. Stay in touch with people who are important to you, and also give yourself that time, to read the book you have been putting off, or something you have not finished. Do you line keywords communication, and projects
Want to find out more about what’s in store for you this month! Contact Marie on: 07949 800354 Leo July 23 - Aug 22 We are in trying times at present, and things can sometimes seem bigger than they actually are. Keep lines of communication open with your friends and family, there are many ways And technologies as well as good old fashioned phones. Maybe take some time to sort a few things out in your home environment, or at least have a think of new ideas and things you can change, refresh, or find new interests. Keywords. Communication and changes
Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22 We are well into spring, if you haven’t already done some clearing it could be a good time now to do so. If you have a tendency to overdo things, or take too much on, remember to slow down at times and give yourself a breather and try and bring some calming balance back into your life. Keywords clearing, balance, and new things.
Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 Trying to keep balance in your life at the moment isn’t easy, with all these strange challenges.Relationships are important to you even more now,It is just important to find other ways to stay in touch with people. Try and find new interests, and try to keep calmness and balance in your life. Keywords communication and balance
Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 If you have things you need to change, it may be a good idea to do so round now. Although actually socialising together with people is not viable at the moment, through different technology it is possible to still have some sort of social life. If all else fails the good old telephone is as good as anything. Relationships mean very much to you more so at the moment but stay in touch with people in the safest ways possible. Keywords. Relationships and communication.
Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 There may be things you really don’t want to deal with but it is best if you do it especially at this time. If you can do some clearing, in which ever areas you feel needed most, it would then be an idea to step back metaphorically speaking, and review situations, and things you are thinking of changing. Keywords deal with things and overview
Capricorn Dec 22 0 Jan 19 It seems as though balance in fairness are important to you at this time. There does seem to be quite a few things in the way and as well it’s all the challenges we are all facing there may be some personal ones for you. Keep the lines of communication open and try to find ways to change things in your life to make things easier. Keywords balance and changes
Disclaimer: This zodiac is for entertainment purposes only please do not take the predictions seriously Marie take no responsibility for your actions
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Castle Park plans unveiled New plans to redevelop a derelict area of the city and reinstate streets lost during the Blitz have been released. The three empty buildings at Castle Park in Bristol would be replaced with new office blocks, independent shops and restaurants. Developers MPEC said it has carried out "lot of community engagement" to ensure residents' views were taken into consideration. The Friends of Castle Park group say it is crucial developers "get it right". MPEC commercial director, Roz Bird said: “We’ve done a lot of community engagement and made sure we’ve taken into consideration what Bristolians would want to see here.
The bombed out St Mary le Port tower would also be repaired and the church opened up to visitors. The site was heavily bombed during the Bristol Blitz in 1940 and became a car park before being leased to the Bank of England and Norwich Union Insurance company for office buildings in the 1960s. There have been previous proposals to develop the site but none have yet been approved by Bristol City Council. The Friends of Castle Park group met the developer to take a first look at the latest plans. Member of the group Russ Leith said: “A whole range of really positive feedback came from that.
“It’s about bringing it alive, opening it up and making the connections between St Nick’s Market, Castle Park, the Floating Harbour and “It’s the most significant piece of land around the old city and it’s crucial they get it right.” Wine Street and for it to be a really inviting place.” MEPC is holding a public consultation on the plans until 26 April.
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Virtual public consultation meetings are set to be held on 21 and 22 April.
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FAMILIES ENCOURAGED WITH PETS TO UPDATE THEIR WILLS FOLLOWING SURGE IN OWNERSHIP DURING LOCKDOW “It might also be possible to ask a charity to rehome your pet. For example, the Dogs’ Trust operates a scheme whereby the owner completes a canine care card. Someone is chosen by the owner as the Dog Guardian who can pass over ownership of the dog to the Dogs’ Trust who will then attempt to find a The surge in pet-owning homes takes the national total to 17 million according to the Pet new home. Food Manufacturers’ Association and lawyers “One of your executors may be the best say owners should make sure these animals choice of Dog Guardian and it would be a are provided for after their death. good idea to include these instructions in your Will. The owner might like to leave a legacy to Private Capital expert Paul Davies from national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP says adding the charity re-homing the pet. A similar service a pet to your will is simple and can save your for cats is offered by Cats’ Protection and both loved ones from a lot of stress later down the charities pledge never to put down an animal because a new home can’t be found.” line. With recent statistics showing that 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a pet during lockdown, lawyers are encouraging owners to update their wills to cover the new member of the family.
“Everyone knows that a pet is not just for Christmas and it’s not just for lockdown either! Taking ownership of a pet is a big decision and part of that is considering what would happen to your pet when you die,” said Paul. “A pet can be left under the terms of your will and there are various options available. The most formal is a trust in the owner’s will with trustees given a sum of money to provide for the pet’s care and asked to find a home for them. This needs to be carefully drafted by a legal expert. “Another option is to give the pet to an individual in the will with a request that they provide a home for the pet. The request would not be legally binding so thought would have to be given as to what happens if the person can’t or won’t look after the pet. “The least formal option is a letter of wishes accompanying the will setting out how you would like the executors to deal with your pet. This can be updated without changing the will but is not legally binding, although it would have moral force.
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Clarke Willmott recently developed a free, online tool called ‘Which Will?’ to assist people looking into making or updating a will. The tool prompts the user to think about what is important to them when making a will and recommends which will best meets their needs. The tool covers all considerations including businesses, homes and children and generates a free report for the user who can then go and seek further legal advice. Paul continued: “Our Which Will tool is a great place to start when thinking about making a will, we’ve compiled all the information you need in one place, meaning you don’t have to complete numerous internet searches. “Outside of wills we also provide services for drafting ‘pet-nups’ dealing with what would happen to your pet in the event of the breakdown of a relationship.” For more information or to use the free Which Will? Tool visit https://www.clarkewillmott.com/ which-will/
Independent PCC candidate pledges more support to tackle shoplifting and staff assaults John Smith, independent candidate in the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections, has pledged to assign additional resources to tackle shoplifting and assaults on staff, and to continue initiatives to support local businesses if elected on Thursday May 6. John says: “I worked with the Police and Crime Commissioner to set up the Avon and Somerset Business Crime Forum, which brought businesses and the police together to implement a Business Crime Strategy. This group has undoubtedly made progress but in my view additional resources for, and prioritisation of, business crime is needed to adequately address concerns.” If elected, John would prioritise business crime and address the following: The police need to encourage business crime reporting and recording so that an accurate picture of business crime across the area can be collated. Businesses must be encouraged to adopt prevention, deterrent and self-help measures. A Business Crime Prevention Campaign would be launched and work in partnership with members of the Business Crime Forum. The police should urgently review the current approach to shoplifting – called Operation Heron. Shoplifting is an important crime, one that can be linked to drug and alcohol dependency and more crime if not addressed. John would ask the police to reprioritise shoplifting prevention.
Police should focus on prolific acquisitive crime offenders through a carrot and stick approach, offering additional support for offenders that engage but swifter punishment for those that do not. The police to prioritise their response to violent crime, abuse and hate crime against retail staff. The Police must also work with national, regional and local colleagues to improve the response to cyber crime for businesses. The current national Action Fraud response, as well as regionally and locally, is not good enough and needs to improve. John added, “To some these crimes can seem low level, but they cause real distress to staff and real financial costs to businesses, so I would ensure they are and are seen to be a priority of Avon and Somerset Police if I am elected on 6 May.” John is hosting a virtual policy roundtable event on April 22 to discuss why the approach to business crime needs a rethink. The attendees include John Mayer from Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Steve Bluff from Broadmead Bid, Gareth Williams from the Yeovil Crime Reduction Team, Paul Hannah from the Co-op and Keith Rundle from Bristol City Centre Bid. Elections for the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner are being held on Thursday May 6. John’s full manifesto can be viewed on https://www.johnsmith4pcc.com/. 13
£125 working from home tax relief
Did you know the government has recently made it much more easier for those working from home to claim tax relief worth up to £125 to help cover the extra costs of things such as stationery and some household bills. Current coronavirus advice across all UK nations is for people to work from home where possible, with many employees seeing some outgoings increase as a result. It’s possible to make claims for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 tax years, which could mean a rebate of up to £250. How can I claim working from home tax relief?
For the next step, you simply state what date you started working from home. You’ll receive a rebate for the full year even if you don’t know when you’ll be going back to the office and even if you’ve only had to work from home for one day. The government has recently made it much easier for those working from home to claim tax relief worth up to £125 to help cover the extra costs of things such as stationery and some household bills.
The government’s microsite makes claiming tax relief pretty easy, but there are some eligibility criteria.
If your claim is successful, your PAYE tax code will be changed, which means you’ll be able to earn more before tax payments kick in. If you started working from home before 6 April 2020, this will take into account any tax relief owed for the 2019-20 tax year as well.
To have a claim, you must:
How much will you get?
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Only be claiming expenses for working from home
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Not pay tax by self-assessment
Tax relief for the full tax year will be worth either £60 or £125, depending on the rate of income tax you pay.
• • •
You can claim tax relief on £6 a week; if you Not have had your expenses paid by your pay the 20% basic-rate income tax that will employer mean a gain of £1.20 a week (20% of £6) or £60 a year. Have started working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic If you’re a higher-rate taxpayer, the tax relief you receive will equate to a gain of £2.40 a Have encountered higher costs since week (40% of £6) or £125 a year. If your emworking from home. ployer chooses to give you the working from
The government’s eligibility tool will check all of these facts. To proceed, you must have a Government Gateway user ID and password – but if you don’t already have one it will guide you to the right place to create one. 14
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Take a break and solve theses puzzles! Here are this weeks 3 puzzles to test your number crunching skills ranging from easy to medium and hard.
There are seven differences between these two pictures. Can you spot them?
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Retain Widen Hostage Persist Isolation Jealous Shoot Engineer Gem Restless Executive Prisoner Infinite Pair Good Site Squash Apology Criticism Thank
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Your Garden In May
Spring is well under way now. The spring bulbs are fading and the herbaceous border is growing in leaps and bounds. The May days are longer and warmer and the risk of frost should have gone by now. The idea of getting out in the garden during the fine weather and ‘ticking things off the list’ becomes much more appealing. Spring flowering bulbs and plants will need clearing in preparation for summer bedding, and its promise of colour to come. But don’t get overwhelmed by those seemingly endless list of gardening jobs – here are our three most important…
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Plant summer bedding May is the month to get your summer bedding started in borders and containers. If planting borders lift out old plants run a fork through the soil and add a good fertilizer before replanting summer plants.
Try to fill pots and containers in the position they are going to stay – they can become heavy when filled! Water retaining crystals will help to reduce the amount of watering and keep the compost moist during warmer periods. Don’t forget to feed with fertiliser during flowering period. Prune evergreen hedges and spring flowering shrubs There’s no better time to give evergreen hedges a trim to get them looking neat and tidy. Smaller hedges can be tackled with a pair of shears, but you may need a hedge trimmer for larger bushes. Prune any shrubs that flowered in spring as soon as they have finished flowering. Broom, forsythia and ribes all need pruning now.
Remove around a third of the oldest flowering stems – this will make the plant look better and encourage new growth to create a good display next year. Be sure to check large shrubs and hedges for nesting birds before you start chopping!
Looking good this month...Geranium Why should you plant them?
Geraniums make popular Plant out young veg bedding plants – either in the garden or Marrow, courgette and sweetcorn are all in pots and hanging baskets. They thrive ready to be sown in the greenhouse. The likes of brussel sprouts, kale, peas and swede outdoors in the summer but are also great for should be okay covered outside. using a houseplant. They look good planted in a group in a flowerbed all by themselves If you have already grown tomatoes, move or mixed in with other annuals – the perfect them outside to harden them off. Keep them plant for any spot that calls for a splash of outside during the day and bring them back inside at night for two weeks to acclimatize colour throughout the season. them. How should you plant them? If you have potatoes that are starting to emerge, pull a few inches of earth around the Geraniums need to be grown in well draining plant with a rake to give the plant more soil to soil or if planting in pots a good quality free grow. draining compost. They should be located in a bright spot in the garden that gets plenty of sunshine. Soil should be allowed to dry Enjoy your garden! between watering to avoid root rot. 19
Carolyn Magson, Labour Councillor Candidate for Brislington West on fighting for more sustainable travel routes for Brislington I am a keen cyclist and walker and in fact I didn’t own a car until I was 40, preferring to use public transport and cycling to travel everywhere. I now live close to Sparke Evans Bridge and the main cycle route into Temple Meads and beyond. I’ve used this route for over 8 years and during the pandemic I noticed how busy the path was becoming, I would estimate that usage increased by over tenfold and this seems to have continued. This led me to thinking about what I could do as a candidate to support other cycle and walking routes. THE TRAMWAY Cllr Tim Rippington and I got in contact with Liveable Neighbourhoods who had been speaking to two companies called Greenways and Cycleroutes and Meanwhile Creative with a view to getting The Tramway open soon to fulfil this need. 20
We’re pleased to report that the council, including Kye Dudd, Cabinet Minister for Transport listened to our feedback and promised to back these plans. Kye and Tim work closely together in transport across both Brislington wards and beyond. A planning application has recently been submitted by Greenways and Cycleroutes to open up the route with a modest amount of work required. The route is largely surfaced already, having previously been used as a large car park. The Tramway has fantastic potential to link areas of Bristol by allowing people to travel on foot, by bike, scooter or wheelchair, hand bike or adapted cycle.
OTHER CYCLING AND WALKING ROUTES. What’s more, together with Tim Rippington we have been also looking closely at providI run a local residents association and have ing better alternative routes along Feeder been actively involved in many of the local Road and beyond to support linking up other development proposals for many years, even areas of Brislington to the centre such as St securing £25,000 of section 106 money for Annes, by providing alternative routes along the local area. some of the St Philips area. I am now a stakeholder in both the regeneration of St Philips and Temple Quarter and within my work here I am actively feeding back suggestions to improve both existing and future cycle and walking routes, including for example improved safety and lighting. My co-candidate Rob Logan is also a keen cyclist and together we will make it a priority to improve and increase cycling and walking routes across this area and beyond.
We believe that electing four Labour councillors across both West and East Brislington will allow us to work directly with the council to bring a fully integrated travel network to Brislington so residents can choose the method they want to travel without current restrictions.
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Seven ways to improve the look and feel of your kitchen
1. Add lights under your upper cabinets. Good lighting can make a big difference. Not only will puck lights under your upper cabinets help you see what you’re doing, they can also be flicked on to set a different kind of mood. We love these LED lights from B&M Store, which can be ordered online and installed without any special hardwiring. Bonus: They come with a remote control!
2. Get a pretty floor mat. A pretty floor mat (or even a simple rug) can cover up unsightly flooring, liven up your space, and make things more comfy for you while you work. Interested? Check out Dunelm’s website for the latest trends, They also look like vintage rugs and feel like a mouse pad for your footsies.
3. Hang up a new piece of art. We’re huge fans of art in the kitchen. (Just keep it away from the sink or stove, if it’s pricey!) If you already have stuff hung up, consider rearranging it with other pieces from around the house. If art in the kitchen is new to you, give it a try. You can even lean a frame up against a wall (on a shelf or counter) if you want to try it without putting a nail in the wall. 22
4. Go through your junk drawer. Honestly, this could be fun! Take everything out of your junk drawer. Get rid of stuff you don’t need. Find new homes for things that don’t belong in there. And put the keepers back in a more organized way. Even with the drawer closed, you’ll feel much better about things whenever you walk into your kitchen.
5. Swap out your hardware. Designers call hardware “jewelry for your cabinets.” So it makes sense that swapping out knobs and hooks will give your kitchen a new look. They can be a bit pricey, but we love the look and quality of the options at The Range and John Lewis or your local DIY store.
7. Bring in some plants. Plants can do so much to transform a space! Steal a bunch from other rooms or order some online. (Yes, you can successfully order plants online!) If you’re shopping for some, we love the options at Cadbury Garden Centre.
6. Paint the walls. A lot of these sorts of lists will suggest painting your cabinets. We’ve done it and we can tell you that is NOT an easy task. (You can definitely do it, but it’s not as easy as the other things on this list.) Instead, we suggest just painting a wall or three.
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Local Election News
The Bristol Liberal Democrats have launched their 2021 local election manifesto. It focuses on sustainability, better services and better governance for Bristol. We have an ambitious but achievable plan for Bristol, and a vote for us is a vote for open and effective governance, something that is sorely lacking from the current administration. Here are our key priorities: BUILD MORE HIGH QUALITY SUSTAINABLE HOMES The Bristol Lib Dems will make building high quality sustainable homes at the forefront of our administration. When we ran the Council from 2009-2012, our worst year of house building resulted in more homes than either of the Mayors’ best years. We will aim to build balanced communities, with social homes, houses for rent and for private sale, while pushing for the highest standards. FRANCHISE THE BUS SERVICE The Bristol Lib Dems will work with Stephen Williams as regional Mayor to ‘franchise’ the buses, which takes control from the bus companies and gives it to local people to set routes, times & costs.
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This would result in better routes and cheaper fares, encouraging people from their cars, rather than forcing them out. END THE SEND CRISIS IN OUR SCHOOLS A Liberal Democrat council will ensure that the current Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) crisis is ended, and make sure that all SEND children have an Education, Heath & Care Plan in place before the 20 week deadline that the current administration has failed on. We will protect SEND children and their families from further pain. ENCOURAGE BETTER BUSINESS Our high streets and businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they need our help to recover. The Bristol Lib Dems will back the campaign to scrap business rates and will set up small business zones for startups and social enterprises. We will work with businesses to reduce packaging and help them tackle climate change.
CLEAN OUR AIR The Bristol Lib Dems will invest in active travel routes and public transport to encourage people out of their cars, whilst also adjusting the Clean Air Zone to make sure it works for local residents, and doesn't have an adverse impact on poorer households. We will also plant 10 million trees over the next 20 years to improve air quality and tackle the climate and ecological emergency in Bristol. SCRAP THE BRISTOL MAYOR The Bristol Lib Dems will continue campaigning to scrap the role of directly elected Bristol Mayor, which has become unaccountable and undemocratic. We want to put power back into local communities and empower local democracy. We want to open up the council to make it less secretive and more accountable to you.
You can read the full Bristol Liberal Democrat manifesto here: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ ldbristolwest/pages/2768/attachments/original/1618527260/2021-04-10-COBLD-Manifesto-V02.pdf?1618527260 We believe in keeping residents up to date on important local issues and publish a quarterly newsletters, ‘Focus on Brislington West’. We also have a digital version and if you would like to receive it, please register using this link: http://www.bristollibdems.org/ efocus. By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@ bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429 & Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor Candidate (Brislington West) Email: andyvarney@hotmail.com Mobile: 07544 667968
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Hazelnut, chocolate & cookie cake
Ingredients
250g Unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 250g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, chopped 250g `Light brown soft sugar 250g Self raising white flour 50g Cocoa powder 4 large Free range eggs For the buttercream 150g Unsalted butter, softened 200g Chocolate spread 150g Icing sugar 1 tbsp Semi-skimmed milk 6 Chocolate cookies, to decorate
Method Grease and line 2 deep loose-bottomed 20cm cake tins Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 Put the chocolate, sugar and butter in a pan and melt together over a low heat, until the sugar is completely dissolved and everything is combined. Leave to cool Put the flour and cocoa into a large bowl 26
Whisk the eggs into the cooled chocolate mixture, then whisk the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients Divide between the prepared cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely Once the cakes are cool, make the buttercream Whisk together the butter and chocolate and hazelnut spread until light and fluffy Whisk in the icing sugar, then add the milk to loosen slightly Place one of the cakes onto a serving plate and spread a layer of the buttercream over the top Sandwich with the second cake, then spread over the rest of the buttercream To decorate, cut 3 of the cookies in half and crush the other 3 into crumbs Pat most of the crumbs around the sides of the iced cake, push the halved cookies at intervals around the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cookie crumbs to serve
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Bank Bristol Dan O’Regan, is a trained Barista. When I was first introduced to him I thought, “Great, someone who can make that parking charge disappear!” However that’s not what he does. This is what happens when you don’t read things properly. Dan is in the coffee business (not the law business) and has been his entire career. Working with coffee roasters such as Origin in Cornwall and Colonna based in Bath and Bristol. He’s also had the good fortune to work with Selfridges, Soho House and Society Cafe. All in all he’s got quite an impressive CV. Dan has spent the last five years competing in the UK Barista Championships (Not law school), qualifying as a finalist twice, and as a runner up in 2018. He is now ready to take his wealth of experience and his passion for coffee and food and open up his own coffee shop and eatery in Totterdown called Bank. His vision, is to create the very thing he as a customer would like to visit on a daily basis.
Offering, exceptional coffee and an exciting brunch menu he wants Bank to become the go to daytime place for everyones daily caffeine intake as well as a place to eat some great locally sourced, fresh and of course tasty food. During the evenings, Dan would like to move to a casual dining and bar vibe. Concentrating on sustainability and seasonality he hopes to work with some of the best food and drink producers around? in fact he has already announced that his tea will come from Canton Tea in Bristol, house beers from Lost and Grounded also in Bristol. And his coffee from Origin in Cornwall. With the South Gloucestershire countryside on his doorstep, I’m sure Dan won’t struggle to get the very finest, fresh produce. Bank is due to open soon in Totterdown. Dan and his team are really excited about opening and welcoming customers into Bristols newest place to be for food and drink. Head over to their social media page on Instagram to follow their progress and keep up to date with when they will be opening. @BankBristol Article by Peter Abraham Bristol based food critic
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