SPOTLIGHT

Environment THE GREEN SCENE *ristol has become the first maRor =3 city to declare an -cological -mergency. <he declaration, made Rointly between Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees and Ian Barrett, CEO of Avon and Wildlife Trust, comes in response to escalating threats to wildlife and ecosystems.

Emergency ecological priorities will include looking at ways to stop wildlife habitats from being destroyed, and managing land in a sustainable way; beyond that, it’s hoped that the announcement will be a wake-up call for the entire city.

Rees said: “It is not too late to start the recovery of our wildlife. We must work together to grasp this last chance, and put things right for nature and wildlife in our city. This declaration will provide a focus for the whole city to come together and take positive action.” For more: news.bristol.gov.uk

Culture MARKET RESEARCH From the mediaeval tales of the Stag and Hounds public house to the former abode of Britain’s most prolific serial killer, Bristol’s Old Market is home to an eclectic mix of historical landmarks and stories, many of which are unknown to many Bristol folk. A new partnership between First Base property developer and Visit Bristol hopes to bring some of this little-known history to life, with a series of alternative walking tours that will get under the skin of Old Market’s abundant history, taking people on a fascinating journey of discovery over the course of a couple of hours.

Launching on 1 April 2020 to coincide with National Walking Day, the walking tours will begin outside the Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre – where the entrance to Bristol Castle once stood – and end in the haunted canteen at Gardiner Haskins, where it’s believed a hungry poltergeist lives. For more: www.firstbase.com

Street art SPRAY IT WITH FLOWERS Huge excitement across the city (and headlines in the nationals) when homeboy Banksy confirmed that the new piece that appeared overnight on Marsh Lane on the eve of Valentine’s Day, not far from the Barton Hill youth club where he first got into graf, was his work. It’s a typically sinister, satirical piece, and riffs on an ‘innocence and violence’ kind of theme, we guess; someone’s already made off with the poppies on the road sign, so expect to see those on eBay any day now.

Culture EMBRACE THE DARK SIDE Bristol has recently gained a new cultural gem in the form of a new microsite. Haunt Bristol, which follows in the eerie footsteps of Haunt Manchester, was launched in response to a growing trend in travel dubbed ‘spooky tourism’. The plan is to bring the alternative, dark side of the city into the light, exploring its gothic history and uncovering secrets and hidden heritage.

0aunted tours, death cafus and sinister tourism experiences are all on offer, as well as weird secrets of the city’s churches and mysterious places. If you’ve got pals visiting from out of town and want to show them something a little different, try this. For more: hauntbristol.co.uk