South Bristol Direct Direct Local Magazine March 2023

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Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in Direct Local do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publisher or their agents. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information included within this publication, the publisher takes no responsibility for errors or omissions in Direct Local. The content of Direct Local is not to be reproduced in any form without

Editor

Michael Davies

Journalist

Lisa Davies

Distribution coordinator

Matthew Clarke

10 High Street

Shirehampton

Bristol

BS11 0DP

Email: info@directlocalonline.com

Website: www.directlocalbristol.co.uk

Regular editorials By:

Andrea Sexton, Martin Powell

Daren Bane

Kayleigh Penny

kierstan Lowe

Corinna Ingram

David Hinksman

1976 OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE INTERIOR EXTERIOR QUALITY WORKMANSHIP COMPETITIVE RATES

Est.

HOW ABOUT A NEW HOME BUILT IN SOMEBODY’S BACK GARDEN

A Bristol charity is making some serious moves to help fix the UK’s housing crisis. They’re building low-carbon ‘micro homes’ in people’s back gardens and it’s pretty cool. Just look at John Bennet, 58. He was homeless and living on the streets, but he now has his own space thanks to this pioneering program.

Built using wood chip boxes, John’s new home is one of two houses built by We Can Make in Knowle West.

John said: “We’re literally building our community from the bottom up. It’s giving people different choices, better choices, about how things can be. We are the pioneers.

“No one’s ever tried to do this before. Hopefully what we’ve done is make it easier for everyone else who comes after. This could be the future for a lot more people like me.”

For Toni Gray, the dream of owning a home was out of reach until We Can Make came to the rescue.

Before then, she and her daughter were living in cramped conditions at her parents’ council house. She wanted more space but everything was just too expensive. Fortunately,

Toni’s parents stepped up to help by letting them build a two-bedroom home in their back garden. Now, this young mum has the place she and her daughter have been dreaming of—thanks to We Can Make!

Melissa Mean, director of We Can Make, said: “The UK seems permanently stuck in a housing crisis. Instead of relying on big commercial developers to fix a problem they helped create, WeCanMake shows another way is possible – about what can happen when the power and resources to make good homes are put in community hands.

“Our two homes in Knowle West are just the start. Our toolkit for unlocking micro-sites through community-led opt-in densification is designed so other neighbourhoods can use it. Imagine 33,000 new affordable homes across the country – all inserted exactly where people need them most – helping elders to downsize, and ease pressure on overcrowded families.

“It opens up a new way to scale with real impact, one where communities are in control.”

The plan for Knowle West council estate in Bristol, created by the community-led housing land trust, has just been approved by Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Michael Gove.

This exciting development will result in 150 additional homes being built across a 5,000 home-estate − representing an uplift of three percent. Cabinet Member for Housing Bristol City Council, Cllr Tom Renhard, expressed his delighted at this transformative development saying: “As a council, Bristol recognises that we need to go beyond ‘business as usual’ in order to tackle the housing crisis.”

“We Can Make offers an innovative and additional way to unlock land and deliver high quality, affordable homes where people need them most. We think it is an approach that can scale-up, both in Bristol and in helping set a new model for estate regeneration across the UK.”

The charity estimates that its scalable model for building homes in existing council sites could result in a further 33,000 affordable homes being built across England - creating a real solution to Britain’s housing crisis.

The low-carbon homes are made from woodchip building blocks, which can be slotted together on site.

Jonathan Lewis, programme manager at the Nationwide Foundation said: “To combat the housing crisis, we need innovation and flexibility. We’re proud to fund and support WeCanMake.

“Often, projects that test completely new solutions are seen as a risk the first time they’re tried. We’re confident that the homes in Knowle West, and the people living in them, are tangible proof that this model works.

“The next step is to shout about what has been achieved and take the learning to other areas so that more affordable, decent homes can be created for and by local communities.”

Be who you want to be at Trymview Hall

At Care UK’s Trymview Hall care home in Westbury-on-Trym you can continue to be who you’ve always been, or who you want to be, while receiving award-winning care and attention in a place you can call home.

We treat everyone as individuals so that you can take your life with you on your journey into care. You’ll be supported to continue much-loved interests, to rediscover long lost hobbies or to try something new, as well as making new friends.

It’s all about lifestyle

At Trymview Hall our team is passionate about supporting you to enjoy a fulfilling life, full of meaningful experiences.

When you join us, we’ll learn all about your personality, your interests and preferences so we can create a fully personalised lifestyle plan to support you to live life in the way you want.

We organise an array of daily activities, such as exercise classes, pet therapy and gardening, as well as events, entertainment, outings and treasured oneto-one time. Then there are our strong ties with local groups, charities and schools so residents feel connected to local life.

Residents of Trymview Hall love going for an outing in the minibus, visiting local

parks, shopping centres and cafés. Other residents enjoy spending time baking delicious homemade treats, from scones, cupcakes to jam tarts!

Everything under one roof

Trymview Hall is a purpose-built care home where every luxury has been thought of. There’s a coffee shop, hair salon, cinema, bar, and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Trust us to care

At Care UK, we’ve been delivering high quality, person-centred care for over 40 years. That’s why over 8,000 families across the country trust us to care for their older loved one

To find out more about Trymview Hall, please call 0117 911 1605 or email nicola.wolff-donitz@careuk.com

Trymview Hall care home

Southmead Road, Bristol BS10 5DW careuk.com/trymview-hall

BRAIN TUMOUR AWARENESS MONTH

It's Brain Tumour Awareness Month! March 1st to 31st is when we come together to spread awareness about brain tumours and increase research funding. Plus, the last day of MarchFriday the 31s - is Wear A Hat Day, Brain Tumour Research's biggest event. It's a great way to show your support and have some fun while doing it. Lastly, remember that Brain Tumour Research is the only charity in the UK devoted solely to brain tumour research.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A BRAIN TUMOUR?

The symptoms of a brain tumour will depend upon which part of the brain is affected. The most common symptoms are caused by an increase in pressure in the skull (intracranial pressure) caused by the growth of a tumour in the brain.

ARE HEADACHES CAUSED BY A BRAIN TUMOUR?

Headaches are one of the main symptoms of a brain tumour, but of course there can be many reasons for having a headache. Headaches caused by a brain tumour tend to:

• Be severe and persistent

• Often worse in the morning

• Get worse over a number of days

• Give stabbing pains if you do anything that increases the pressure in your head, for example coughing, shouting, bending over or doing exercise.

EYE SYMPTOMS OF A BRAIN TUMOUR

Please remember that there are many reasons why people display these eye and vision-related symptoms, but if any of these symptoms have come on suddenly they may be caused by a blood clot or infections such as meningitis or encephalitis, so it is worth seeking medical advice as a matter of urgency.

• Squinting

• Worsening vision

• Blurred or double vision

• Restricted field of vision, loss of peripheral vision, blind spots

• Problems with looking upwards or controlling eye movements

• Abnormal eye movements such as flickering eyes

• Head tilt, usually because the patient is turning to see things out of the corner of their eye rather than looking straight at them

• Brief loss, blurring or “greying out” of vision, sometimes triggered by coughing, sneezing or bending down

• As the tumour grows, it may cause the eyeball to bulge forwards. This is known as proptosis.

It is always worth seeing both your GP and an optometrist (optician) to investigate such symptoms. If your doctor suspects the presence of a brain tumour, they will immediately refer you for a scan at a hospital in order to be sure whether or not one is present.

JUST 1% OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH SPEND HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO THIS DEVASTATING DISEASE

BRISTOL SLIMMER REACHES SEMI-FINALS AFTER LOSING 9ST 5.5LBS

A 54-year-old super slimmer from Bristol has reached the semi-finals of a competition to find the UK and Ireland’s most successful female slimmers, after losing a life-changing 9st 5.5lbs.

Sally Bundell secured her place in the semi-final of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition after members from her Ashton Vale group voted her as their representative in the annual contest. She was then delighted to be one of 37 women from across the UK and Ireland invited to share her story at Slimming World head office in Derbyshire and be in with a chance of taking the overall title.

Sally, who slimmed from 18st 6.5lbs to 9st 1lbs, says: “Before I joined Slimming World, losing weight just felt like an uphill struggle. I felt self-concious all the time and would get out of breath doing the most simple things and, although I was desperate to do something about it, I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I would always be overweight and unhappy.

“I tried a few ways to lose weight before Slimming World and the difference this time was that Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan showed me a way of eating that fits so easily around my life, without me ever feeling hungry or like I’m missing out or restricting myself. Throughout my weight loss journey I’ve been able to still enjoy all my favourite meals like curries, roast dinners, stir-fries and burgers and chips I just prepared and cooked them differently.

“The best thing is that I feel confident that I’ve formed new healthy habits that will stick with me, like filling my plate with plenty of veg and cooking without lots of added oils and fats. These new habits have enabled me to finally take control of my weight and find the confidence I’ve been lacking all these years – it doesn’t feel like an uphill struggle anymore.

“With my new-found confidence I started thinking about ways I could become more active and took up walking. Slimming World has a physical activity support programme called Body Magic and it helped me to gradually increase how much I was doing and how often, so I could take it up a gear at a pace that worked for me. I enjoy every minute of it too.”

Sally says that the supportive environment of her Slimming World group has been key to her success. She says: “The group really made me feel welcome from the very first day I joined. We share tips and recipe ideas and cheer each other on when we need it –and even when we don’t realise we do. Ultimately, when I was at my lowest ebb it was a place I felt safe, included and free to be myself. My Consultant Susan has been amazing and really helped me to believe in myself and stay motivated, too.

“At the start of my journey if you’d have told me I would be representing my group at the finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition, feeling the way I do, I would have laughed. I still can’t believe this is my reality. I’m looking forward to a brighter, happier and heathier future and ready to seize life with both hands.”

Susan Hook, who runs the Ashton Vale Slimming World group that Sally attends, adds: “Sally’s incredible transformation has inspired so many of her fellow slimmers and she gives them so much support each week, so when it came down to voting for our group’s Woman of the Year it was really

lovely to see so many people supporting her and putting her forward. We couldn’t be prouder of her. I hope that Sally inspires other people in Bristol who might’ve been feeling the way that she did to pop along and join one or our warm and friendly groups in South Bristol.

Fortfield Road

BS14 9NX

Tuesday 9.30am

Sarah: 07879 443888

East Dundry Road

BS14 0LL

Wednesday 5.30pm and 7pm

Sarah: 07879 443888

slimmingworld.co.uk

Petherton Road

Hengrove

BS14 9BP

Saturday 9:30am

Keesa: 07399 597267

Hengrove Community Centre

Christ Church Hall

Bridgefarm Primary School

Welcome to Bristol Saver Mondays

Reduced price tickets, all day!

ALLELUJAH

When the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local community.

(12A)

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS

When the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy - aka Shazam - and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.

(PG)

CREED 3

When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring.

(12A)

FITNESS WALKING TECHNIQUES

Proper technique in fitness walking can make your workout more effective and enjoyable while helping to prevent injuries.

POSTURE

Keep your head upright, looking ahead. Your chin should be in a neutral position, not to high or tucked in towards your chest. Your shoulders remain back and relaxed, not hunched over.

FOOT PLACEMENT

Keep feet close to an imaginary line in the center of the pavement in front of you.

FINDING STRIDE LENGTH

Stand upright with feet slightly apart. Lean forward at the ankles (like a ski jumper). Transfer your weight forward and as you do, put your right foot out in front of you and catch yourself before you fall forward. This is your stride length. You should maintain the same stride length regardless of the type of walk you do (Strolling - 3 mph; Brisk/Fitness walking - 4 mph; Racewalking - 5 mph

STRIDE

Always keep at least one foot on the ground. The heel strikes the ground first, following with rolling onto the ball of your foot, finishing with a strong push off the toes (trailing foot). Focus on quicker rather than longer strides. Avoid slapping the ground with your feet and concentrate on smoothing out the movement.

ARM SWING

This makes your walk a total body exercise. You will burn an additional 5-10% calories. Let your arms bend at the elbows and swing them in step with your feet in an arc from your waist to the front of your chest; your hands should reach just below chin level. Your forearms should brush your hips to keep your stride.

BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER WINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 Cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets

1 tbsp Cold pressed rapeseed oil

2 tbsp Cornflour

½ tsp garlic granules

1 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp hot pepper sauce

For the dipping sauce

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

150ml Soured cream

¼ tsp garlic granules

50g Blue Stilton®, crumbled

1 tbsp chopped chives, plus extra to garnish

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/ gas 7

Line two bakingtrays with foil

In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with the oil until well coated

Sprinkle with the cornflour and garlic granules, season, then toss to coat evenly

Spread out the florets on the baking trays and cook for 15 mins, turning the pieces over after 10 mins

Meanwhile, put the melted butter and hot sauce into a small bowl, and stir together

Take the cauliflower out of the oven and brush it with the sauce mixture

Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 mins, until browned and crisp

To make the dipping sauce, stir together the mayo, soured cream and garlic granules until smooth

Gently mix in the Stilton® and chives

Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with a few of the extra chives

Arrange the buffalo cauliflower on a serving plate and sprinkle with the rest of the extra chives

Serve alongside the dip

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

8 Double chocolate chunk cookies

45g Unsalted butter, melted

300ml Double cream

2 x 200g Tubs soft cheese

Juice of 1 lemoned

METHOD

Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper

Whizz the cookies in a food processor or bash with a rolling pin to give fine crumbs

Put 200g of the cookie crumbs into a bowl with the melted butter

Stir until fully combined, then press into the bottom of the cake tin and chill for 1 hour until set

Put 135g of the remaining cookie crumbs into a bowl and stir in the double cream

Place in the fridge for 1 hour

Stir together the cream and cookie mixture, the soft cheese and lemon juice, then spoon into the tin over the cookie crumb base

Decorate with the remaining cookie crumbs and leave to chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours, until set

Timings exclude chilling

er Wilkinson will headline the harbour alongside four time ‘Best DJ’ award winner A.M.C, new Hospitality collaborative act LINK and many more stellar names in Drum and Bass. Signup for Hospitality’s Siren special, here: https:// bit.ly/HospitalityOnTheHarbour23-signup

Siren takes place at Bristol’s iconic harbourside, from Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th July.

Tom Hoyle, Co-Founder of Siren said: “Hospitality and Sequences are really bringing an incredible line-up to Bristol this year. After last year’s sold out event it is obvious why we have so many big names in drum and bass eager to grace the Amphitheatre stage again. This is going to be a legendary day for DNB in Bristol’s 2023 summer calendar.

Saturday’s packed bill of drum and bass giants will join jungle and DnB duo Fabio & Grooverider, who take to the Siren stage on opening night as part of their pioneering collaboration with The Outlook Orchestra, with support from David Rodigan, local boy Gardna, and more still to be announced.

Guest headliner Wilkinson will lead the Hospitality stage line-up on Saturday, alongside A.M.C, DJ Marky, Flava D, LINK and more… 2022 saw the release of Wilkinson’s 3rd solo studio album ‘Cognition’, the most successful drum and bass album of the decade, cementing him as a key front runner in the dance music scene. The man behind one of the biggest DNB singalong anthems of all time ‘Afterglow’ - Wilkinson has also worked with artists like Rag N Bone Man, The Prodigy, Ed Sheeran, Chase & Status, Wretch 32 and Naughty Boy scooping himself ‘Best Single’, ‘Best Album’, ‘Best Video’, ‘Best Producer’ and ‘Best Live Act’ at the National Drum & Bass Awards 2022.

Making their Bristol debut at the Harbour is new Hospital records collaborative act LINK. This newly-launched collective consists of four of the hottest artists in the scene right now. Expect a cross-genre showcase blasting out the sounds of old-school hardcore to precision cut drum & bass, and everything in between. All respected in their own right - Whiney, Unglued, Lens and Degs each bring their unique sound to the dancefloor, carving themselves out as trailblazers of the underground.

Hospitality staple, Flava D’s first venture into drum & bass came in the form of her track ‘Return To Me’, which featured on Hospital Records’ annual compilation ‘Sick Music 2019’ and was selected as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record In The World. The Bournemouth-born producer has established an internationally-successful career playing and releasing all flexes of UK garage, grime and bassline. With the success of her label debut, the imprint welcomed her back to release ‘Human Trumpet’ and she became a regular name at their events and festivals worldwide.

Technical craftsman, lifelong drum & bass curator and Hospitality special guest A.M.C is bringing his renowned razor-sharp, four-deck performances and physical, impassioned mixing style to the mainstage. Four-times Best DJ winner in the Drum&BassArena Awards 2019-2022, A.M.C has worked with distinguished labels like Ram Records, Monstercat, UKF, Drum&BassArea, Charge and Dim Mak to name a few. A.M.C’s announcement for the harbour comes fresh off the back of his incredible sold-out headline show at London’s Electric Brixton this month.

This amalgamation of worlds is a must-see event for any dance music fan, near or far. Enjoy two days of D&B classics and jungle hits at the 2nd year anniversary of Siren. Look out for the second stage lineup announcement for Hospitality On The Harbour x Sequences still to come, plus a huge announcement for the final event in the series due to take place on Friday 28th July with a very special headliner announcement coming soon.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH AS FIRMS IN TRIAL STICK WITH CHANGES

A critical key to improving employee wellbeing and productivity could lie in a four-day working week, according to an expansive trial conducted by the University of Cambridge. Out of the 61 companies in various sectors that took part in the study across June and December last year, 2,990 participants reported feeling less stressed (39%) and having lower levels of "burnout" (71%). The results have been echoed by one particular company that participated: The Royal Society of Biology. Their Chief Executive noticed improved productivity levels within its staff; which coincided with an average decrease in sick days from four to five per person per year, down to less than two. The comprehensive trial highlights that there's evidence suggesting a potential shift to a four-day working week should be seriously considered for future years.

Tessa Gibson, a senior accreditation officer for the society said it ‘made a big difference to her mental health,” and that she wouldn’t want to go back to a five-day week.

She said: “Weekends can be a pretty hectic time for the best of us, from housework that needs to get done, to the laundry pile that never seems to get smaller and for those who have children, weekends can pretty much be a write off as a time to relax. But a four-day working week allows workers an extra day to get stuff done, giving them at least part of their weekend back.”

However, not everyone is a fan of the idea, Jay Richards who is the co-founder of Imagen Insights explained how a four-day week can leave workers feeling like they have to get more done but in less time. Explaining his reasoning he said: “We do a five-day week but we work 10am to 4pm, we shorten our days so the employees have that work-life harmony but they’re not actually shortening their week, which I think would put more pressure on them.”

While some may not agree or like the idea, 92% of the companies who took part in the study have expressed their intent to continue with the four-day week now the study has finished, and 18 of them are making the change permanent.

HMO COMPLIANCE

There are 178 pieces of legislation linked to being a Landlord and HMOs are compliance heavy beasts, before you decide to invest in them, do your research well, educate yourself and understand your obligations. Let’s have a look at some of these pieces of legislation, as they relate to HMOs, now:

HMO COMPLIANCE CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO 3 MAIN AREAS:

Investor/Landlord Compliance – Being a compliant investor Property Compliance – Having a compliant property Tenant Compliance – Creating & Maintaining compliant tenancies

Let’s assume you are a compliant investor/landlord: that you have ICO registration; that any company you are using as your investment vehicle is correctly insured etc. etc. and concentrate on the property itself:

Property Compliance can be broken down into a few areas too, some are HMO specific and some are not:

Insurance & Safety – HHSRS & being correctly insured for an HMO Licensing –Mandatory & Additional Licenses Planning – Article 4 & Sui Generis LACORS – Fire Safety

INSURANCE & SAFETY:

Naturally, you will need to have your property insured, each property is going to be different, each area is going to be different and the best thing to do is work with a broker who you know and trust and be very open and honest about what you are looking to achieve (if you don’t know one, we know a great one!)

THE NEXT THING TO BE AWARE OF IS HHSRS.

HHSRS stands for Housing Health & Safety Rating System and it’s the way houses are assessed for being fit for human habitation (or not). The whole document is 72 pages long and while you don’t need to read it all, you do need to know the basics.

The list of what could be a hazard stretches from loose floorboards to asbestos, but the key thing is compounding the risks/hazards. For example, cupboards in hallways, junk mail and loose carpet on stairs on their own are small risks, but combined are a large risk!

Our advice is to imagine you are walking around the house after a few too many or if you were a toddler (can be the same for some!) how can you hurt yourself? What items when paired together pose a greater risk and how can you mitigate that?

LICENSES & LICENSING

Each council has their own set of licence criteria (I know…) and if you are lucky enough, like we are in Bristol, to have a city that spans two council areas, then you need to know both sets! Generally, they are similar but there are subtle differences.

Key things for licences are minimum room sizes, the number of bathrooms/ toilets, fire safety and amenities.

In the eyes of the council, there is no excuse for not licencing an HMO and the rent repayment orders can be very expensive, in Bristol in September 2021 the council fined a landlord £48,000… not only that but if you have your `fit and proper person` status revoked, all of your HMO licences will be taken away, which could be very destructive for your portfolio!

There are two types of HMO licence: Mandatory Licences – these are applicable to every HMO with 5 or more people.

Additional Licences – these are applicable to HMOs with 3 or 4 people IF your council has an additional licensing scheme in place.

HMO PLANNING:

There are two key aspects to HMO planning

Sui Generis Planning (for large 7+ person HMOs) which is universal and applies everywhere and Article 4 Planning Directives (for converting a family house into a small HMO of 3-6 people) which are area specific.

Article 4 is the big one, it removes the permitted development right to convert a family house (class C3) into an HMO (class C4). Councils bring this in when they want to limit the number of HMOs in an area, you can find a map on the council website if your council has it in place. It is not impossible to get Article 4 planning, but it is quite difficult.

Sui Generis is when you are going for larger

HMOs and will always apply. If you want to have 7 or more people in a house, you will need to apply for it. Each council has specific things they look for: big storage, refuse storage, anti-social behaviour measures, parking etc. these can be found in the local plan and you are best to speak to a local planning agent about the likelihood of getting Sui Generis Planning.

LACORS (FIRE SAFETY)

LACORS is the fire safety guide for all rental properties but has a specific section on shared houses and HMOs. It outlines the fire doors you will need (FD20 or FD30) the fire system you will need (Grade A or Grade D), the coverage of that system (LD1, LD2, LD3 etc.) and other things such as fireproofing of understairs cupboards etc.

Sometimes, the council licensing regulations and LACORS won’t match, so you need to check both and where they don’t, choose the stricter option… if in doubt, always go above and beyond!

If you are unsure, you can pay an independent fire assessment company to come and look at your property, which for a new investor may be a good way of learning exactly what you need to do!

HMO Compliance is a huge topic and we have only covered the basics you need to be aware of to get started - each one could be a whole post in itself. When we do compliance audits for our landlords, we go through all of these items and more. It is important to educate yourself, because there are no grey areas when it comes to compliance!

RESTAURANT BANK HAS A NEW MENU

Bristol’s much-loved restaurant BANK is starting Spring afresh with an allnew menu, offering fire-cooked sharing plates - perfect for intimate dinners, big group banquets and everything in-between.

The Totterdown-based, independent restaurant has welcomed a new and bespoke fire kitchen, which has inspired the refreshed menu - and brings the new iteration of BANK and its offering to life.

The new fire kitchen is a bespoke build from Somerset-based fire-cooking specialists, Country Fire Kitchen.

BANK’s expert kitchen team, led by former head chef at The Ox, Seven Lucky Gods and Four Wise Monkeys, Jack Briggs-Horan, has been busy curating the new menu over several months.

The addition of the fire kitchen has led to a delectable, seasonal menu, which will be available noon ‘til night. The new offering will focus on a single and curated menu of seasonal and local produce, cooked over roaring flames, imbuing the ingredients with a flavour, scorch and smoke that only comes from cooking with fire.

For the first time since opening, BANK will also be offering up delicious roast dinners with artisan ingredients sourced locally. Available every Sunday - roasts will be cooked over open flame on the bespoke kitchen setup.

Enhancing the flavours of the seasonal produce through grilling, roasting and smoking, the mouth-watering dishes include bone marrow, topped with oxtail rendang and pineapple salsa, served alongside grilled focaccia, as well as their ratte potatoes smothered in whipped cheddar and marmite, sprinkled with furikake.

Dan O’Regan, founder of BANK, said:

“Over the past 18 months, we’ve loved serving Bristol with amazing brunch, small plates, coffee, and cocktails. We’ve had so much support, great press, and even some award nominations, all of which has helped us discover our identity as part of the Bristol food scene. In the last few months we’ve been working on shifting our efforts to serve one menu throughout the day and evening that focuses on incredible, seasonal dishes, designed for sharing.

“We’ve got an amazing new fire kitchen, and our new menu will be focussed around the art of cooking over live fire. Guests will be able to enjoy the new menu for both lunch and dinner, and we are so excited to welcome people to BANK with their nearest and dearest to try out our new menu.”

The new BANK menu will be available from Thursday 2nd March with BANK offering 25% off lunch on the first Thursday and Friday. To stay in the loop with news and offers then sign up to the BANK newsletter on www.bankbristol. com, follow them on Instagram at @ BankBristol. Book a table online: www. bankbristol.com/book.

OVER 30’s DANCE PARTY at the superb BAWA Club, Filton on the FIRST Friday of EVERY MONTH (except No Dance in JAN or AUG and the APRIL DANCE is on FRI 14th) It’s The Ideal Night Out For The 30 * 40 * 50 * 60 Age Range.

Come and Dance Amongst A Friendly Lively Crowd. Enjoy A Good Mix of Music, Dancing Thru’ the Decades including some Motown and Soul Favourites. Club times are 9 ‘til 1 (last entry 11pm) –Very Smart Casual NO Tee Shirts or Trainers & Gents are Required To Wear Collared Shirts. Dance adm £8

For more Info call 07860578708 or go to www.mingles.co.uk Facebook: Luv2mingle

HOTELIERS URGE GOVERNMENT TO RELAX RULES TO AID UK RECRUITMENT

Hoteliers urge Government to relax rules to aid UK recruitment

Bristol hoteliers are urging the Government to relax some of the post-Brexit rules which have hindered their ability to recruit in recent years.

A combination of the impact of Brexit, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, caused huge problems for the hospitality sector, which has traditionally drawn heavily upon European workers to help staff hotels, pubs and restaurants.

Before Brexit, it’s estimated that the UK hospitality sector employed more than 400,000 EU workers.

Today, EU employees make up 28 percent of the UK’s hospitality workforce, compared to 42 percent pre-pandemic.

Many workers went home to be with their families when the Covid-19 crisis came, forcing businesses into lockdown.

Then, because of changes in employment law brought in by Brexit, most were unable to return, leaving huge workforce gaps, in hospitality and other sectors.

Many hospitality businesses which had managed to keep doing despite being forced to close because of the pandemic found they were struggling to find the staff they needed when they were able to re-open.

And little has dramatically changed since to significantly ease the staffing shortage.

With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt due to deliver his budget on 15 March and hoteliers are urging him to give them the power to boost the recovery of their businesses by being able to recruit the staff they need.

Raphael Herzog, Chair of Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA), said: “The past few years have been extremely challenging for the hospitality sector and there are still some huge difficulties to overcome.

“Brexit, the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis, particularly in terms of energy prices, have created the perfect storm.

“One of the biggest issue for us remains recruitment in some key areas of our businesses, such as chefs, food and beverage staff, room attendants and so on, which is why we think it is time for the Government to look at relaxing some of the Brexit rules.

“This will help not only hotels and other hospitality providers, but many other sectors which have also been struggling with staff shortages, to help get Britain’s businesses back on their feet.

“News reports are full of stories of staff shortages, from bus and coach drivers to care providers, which is leading to hospital beds being blocked because people are not able to go home because there is not the community care services available to them, largely because of staff shortages.

“The country is on its knees because of a shortage of staff in so many sectors, which is why we are urging the Government to open up the EU borders more and give many British businesses the helping hand many of them so badly need.”

To find out more about the BHA and everything it does to support the hospitality sector in Bristol, visit www.bristol-hoteliers.co.uk

OUT AND ABOUT IN BRISLINGTON WEST WITH JOS AND ANDREW

We were both shocked to see the amount of litter and fly-tipping in Repton Road Car Park. It’s especially disheartening as we have held many litter picking sessions in that location. We have reported the mess to the council. If the council is going to introduce car parking charges, the least they can do is keep it clean and tidy. Our next litter picking day is Saturday 11 March, meeting at 11am at the Brislington Park and Ride. We’ll organise a follow-up session in the Repton Road area soon.

PAVEMENT PARKING PETITION:

Pavement parking is a widespread problem, but a particular concern on Sandy Park Road in Brislington West. Drivers regularly block the narrow pavements on this busy, shopping street, sometimes forcing pedestrians onto the road to get past.

It’s an accident waiting to happen. Drivers often reverse over the zebra crossing to access the local shops rather than using the local car park and walking a few metres! Drivers regularly park on the zigzag lines of the zebra crossing reducing visibility for people crossing the road. We have repeatedly asked Bristol City Council to do something about it but to no avail. We are now demanding the council step up enforcement and find a long-term solution such as railings and/ or bollards. Please sign our petition if you would like the council to take action:

Click here https://chng.it/BXhMFvf8PM

REPAIRS ROUND-UP:

Kings Road sign: we first reported this vandalised road sign back in October, so we are delighted it has now been replaced.

Bridge railings: the railings on a footbridge over the Brislington Brook have come loose. We have asked the council to get it sorted.

Broken signpost: a local resident reported a broken road sign with a sharp, jagged base sticking up through the pavement several months ago, but nothing happened. We contacted the council and got it sorted.

Grace Park Road: residents were concerned about a verge by the entrance to Grace Park Road. It was looking rather shabby so we contacted the council and it’s now looking much better.

If there are any issues where you live, let us know and we can report them.

By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor

(Brislington

West)

Email: cllr. jos.clark@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429

& Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr. andrew.varney@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 183381

Take a break and try to solve theses puzzles

Here are this months puzzles designed to test your mental skills during your lunch break or after tea.

Good luck!

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7 differences between these two pictures. Are your eyes good enough to see them all?

HOROSCOPES

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18

Clear communication would be a real asset to you at this time. There is something you have either put on the back burner or chosen to ignore but it is something you would be wiser to deal with at this time. Whatever is going on for you that is difficult, remember you have a lot of resilience and inner strength, and you will find the right way to deal with things.

Keywords: Clear communication & Resilience

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

You could get one of those wonderful lightbulb moments, when something inspiring or enlightening suddenly makes sense. You may find the need to bring some harmony to a difficult situation. There could be some small but interesting changes that are coming your way.

Keywords: Sudden Realisation & Changes

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 2

You feel that something may not have been dealt with fairly, this could be a situation with a family member or someone close to you. Step back and try and see the situation from all sides and try to bring some change and balance back.

Keywords: Fairness & Change

Gemini May 21 - June 20

Be careful in situations that could become volatile, especially in communication, try to be a listener as much as possible. Otherwise things could get into a bit of a tangle. Know that you can deal with and rise above a difficult situation.

Keywords: Listen & Inner wisdom

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

If you are involved in meetings at this time they may not run as smoothly as you would like or not even happen at all. If the situation feels difficult remember to keep calm. You may also feel time for spring-cleaning, both on the physical and emotional levels.

Keywords: Calm & Clearing

Cancer June 21 - July 22

Relationships are a high point this month, as well as possible a small refresh in the home. If something is a bit hard going at the moment, you will find that you will have the strength and endurance to go through this relatively plain sailing

Keywords: Opportunities & Relationships

Leo July 23 - Aug 22

If something isn’t moving as quickly as you would like, this could be a good time to sort and clear what needs doing. As this can make way for new things and ideas.

Keywords: Clearing & New ideas and things

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21

This may not be one of the easiest times, as you feel as though you need to be on your guard. A situation would be worth stepping back from, and trying to see it from a different perspective. This month would be good for you to follow those instinctive feelings, and work with your intuition. Remember also you are a lot stronger than you think.

Keywords: Protection & Intuition

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22

Balance and harmony are very important to you, somebody doesn’t always bring your sensitivity to the fore, as this will be an asset in this situation. You may also think of starting a new interest, that will involve collecting things or gathering information.

Keywords: Sensitivity, connecting & Gathering

Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22

It does seem as though study is on your mind at present. You may find yourself either researching or seeking information regarding things of interests to you. You may also feel the need to clear things both emotionally and within your living spaces, as you feel there maybe new things on the way. There is possibly an issue that you will have to deal with later in the month.

Keywords: Study & Clearing

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21

There is something you’ve been putting off that you need to sort out and this would be a good time to do so. You can do the same with some spring cleaning, both in your physical environment and possibly emotionally too. Once you have sorted a few things out it will give you the space to be able to carry on with some hobbies and a few relaxing things that you have not had time for.

Keywords: Time and hobbies

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19

Your social life won’t be busy this month. A few things look to change for you, so be prepared. Could be a time for reflection and from this some study or research or new interests or hobbies, may come from this.

Keywords. Learning and changes

YOUR GARDEN IN MARCH

THE ESSENTIAL GARDENING SPRING IS FINALLY HERE!

The warmer and sunnier days during March provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It’s a great time of the year as new life bursts forth and the garden begins to transform. Preparation of seed beds and borders should be well under the way this month as well as cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up the mess that the winter has left behind.

Whether you’re preparing for shrubs and bedding plants or sowing seed for vegetables. Once all the tidying is done you’ll be in a better position to plan the seasons planting.

Sow seeds and plant onion sets, shallots and potatoes. As the soil begins to warm you can start to sow broad beans, salads and sweet peas. If bad weather is forecast, be sure to cover seedlings with clothes to protect them. March is also the time to plant out onion and shallot sets – cover with fleece or netting to protect from birds.

Early varieties of potato such as ‘Rocket’ and ‘swift’ , can be planted. If they have been kept in a light and frost-free environments, they should be ‘chitting’ (a slight sprouting from seed potato). Chitting before planting can encourage earlier and heavier cropping.

FEED

As the warmer weather promotes fresh growth, a general garden fertiliser should be applied to help boost roots, green foliage and encourage more fruits and flowers from your plants. It can be applied around the base of plants by scattering straight from the box and left to be watered in the rain. Unfortunately, the warm weather will also see weeds start to grow as well. Weeding isn’t the most popular of jobs but its best to pull any that start to appear while they are young to prevent spreading.

SCARIFY THE LAWN

Do some lawn preparations before the growing season gets well under way. Choose a dry day and give the lawn a rake to remove the remnants of winter before cutting with the mower blades set at the highest position. Then aerate with a garden fork or aeration machine. This helps drainage and gets oxygen to the roots. Finally, apply a top dressing of spring lawn feed to add nutrients.

PLANT OF THE MONTH: PANSY/VIOLA

Why Should you plant them?

One of the most popular bedding plants, pansies and violas are hardy annuals that have a stunning array of colours to choose from. Bringing the joy of spring to your garden during the colder months, they grow happily in borders or containers as well as providing great ground cover.

How should you plant them?

Plant them in moist, well-drained soil in a spot with good sunlight to encourage flowering. tough little plants that are extremely hardy, they prefer cooler temperatures and need watering regularly. They are also very versatile - plant them in beds, borders, containers and hanging baskets

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