South Bristol Voice Bedminster October 2016 by South Bristol Voice

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southbristolvoice October 2016 No. 12

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Criticism after MP’s congrats for Corbyn BRISTOL South MP Karin Smyth has congratulated Jeremy Corbyn on winning the Labour leadership. Ms Smyth resigned as a junior shadow minister in June, saying Mr Corbyn’s position had become untenable. She backed Owen Smith to lead the party. But shortly after Mr Corbyn’s resounding victory on September 24, Ms Smyth tweeted: “Congratulations @jeremycorbyn rightly focussing us now on impact Brexit, exposing Tories and forming next Labour government.” Like many Labour MPs, Ms Smyth wants to turn away from the bruising leadership battle and focus on policies. But in a sign of possible trouble to come, she was attacked for changing her position. One person responded on Twitter: “And this is why we get annoyed. Last month you urged the CLP to vote for Smith and you publicly denounced Corbyn. Find a new job.” Another tweeted: “Praising him for doing something you prevented him from doing by Continued on page 16

You’re putting our children at risk

NOW 40 PAGES! Have your say on parking Page 3 Get set for Art on the Hill Page 4 Historic back street house is saved Page 5

Caravan park ‘at risk of flood’ Page 6 Queen Elizabeth I’s Southville visit

Page 11

Safe passage: Some of the families angry that a pelican crossing near Parson Street school is set to be removed to make way for Metrobus PARENTS furious that a pelican crossing is going to be removed from one of Bristol’s busiest roads near their primary school have launched a petition against the move. And their head teacher says he’s had no consultation – even though he’s been asking for action on road safety for the past year. Parents at Parson Street

primary in Bedminster were shocked when a yellow notice on a lamp post announced the crossing next to Highbury Road was to disappear as part of work on the Metrobus route. The council says families can cross the road at the nearby crossroads at Bedminster Road, where pedestrian crossings will Continued on page 17

Time to get flu jab says Lord Mayor Page 15

Is that really an owl I can hear? Page 21 Take a swing round SouthBank Page 32 On Facebook www.facebook.com/southbristolvoice

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Intro

WE MAKE no apologies for banging on about parking – because we know it’s one of the main issues that concerns you. A year after their introduction, problems with the Bedminster and Southville resident parking zones have still not been identified, let alone tackled. The council survey doesn’t address those outside the zones, who may be crying out for parking restrictions. And the problems for those living near Ashton Gate stadium just get worse. People trapped in their drives and abused by football fans, buses unable

October 2016

You can find South Bristol Voice on Facebook and Twitter facebook.com/ southbristolvoice Next month’s deadline for editorial and advertising is October 19th to get through, and roads effectively blocked because of inconsiderate parking – for some it’s getting unbearable. We know that Bristol Sport is taking action: three new bus-day match routes are in operation. But it’s not enough. Why was the stadium allowed to reopen without much better parking provision? Right now we are waiting for three successive games with a gate of 25,000 to trigger the next phase of assistance. Many will ask why Bristol Sport can’t do more, now. Cllr Mark Bradshaw has promised a summit to bring the club, police and councillors together to thrash out the issues. It can’t happen soon enough.

How do I get in touch with ... My MP? Karin Smyth MP By email: karin.smyth.mp@ parliament.uk By post: Karin Smyth MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA By phone: 0117 953 3575 In person: Surgeries on Friday October 14 and 28 at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, BS4 1WH, 9.1510.45 am. Call 0117 953 3575. My councillor? All councillors can be reached by post at Brunel House, St George’s Road, Bristol BS1 5UY Celia Phipps Labour, Bedminster

By phone: 07469 413312 By email: Cllr.celia.phipps@ bristol.gov.uk Mark Bradshaw Labour, Bedminster By phone: 0117 353 3160 By email: Cllr.mark.bradshaw@ bristol.gov.uk Stephen Clarke Green, Southville By email: Cllr.stephen.clarke@ bristol.gov.uk Charlie Bolton Green, Southville By email: Cllr.charlie.bolton@bristol.gov.uk By phone: 07884 736111

USEFUL NUMBERS Bristol City Council www.bristol.gov.uk 0117 922 2000 Waste, roads 0117 922 2100 Pest control and dog wardens 0117 922 2500 Council tax 0117 922 2900 Housing benefit 0117 922 2300 Social services 0117 922 2900 Police Inquiries 101 Emergency 999 Fire Emergency: 999 Inquiries: 0117 926 2061

NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTNERSHIP The Greater Bedminster Community Partnership is the local forum that brings the public together with councillors, council officials and other bodies. Next meeting January 16, 2017 Venue to be confirmed: • democracy.bristol.gov.uk

EDITOR’S NOTE: South Bristol Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. Feedback is welcomed: call editor Paul Breeden on 07811 766072 or email paul@ southbristolvoice.co.uk All stories and pictures are copyright of South Bristol Voice and may not be reproduced without permission in this or any other plane of the multiverse. South Bristol Voice Ltd | 18 Lilymead Avenue, Bristol BS4 2BX

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Parking: Speak out! PEOPLE who want their views heard on residents parking zones in Bedminster and Southville are urged to use the council’s consultation form. Southville Green councillors Steve Clarke and Charlie Bolton say it’s important that people fill in the council survey as this will determine what happens next. Many want to see the Southville RPS extended – people south of North Street, in Friezewood Road and elsewhere, want restrictions to combat the surge in parking since residents’ permits were issued last autumn. But the official survey is only for people who live in an RPS zone. Many people want match-day parking restrictions around Ashton Gate stadium. More problems for residents were reported on September 27 during the home game between Bristol City and Leeds United. “I got lots of complaints about people being abused, blocked in

More angst for those living near stadium

their own drives, or cars being parked across the end of culs de sac, and police not taking action,” Cllr Clarke told the Voice. Residents complained on social media that police would not move cars parked on yellow lines or even on pavements, saying it was the council’s responsibility. Two PCSOs are on patrol at each City game looking for parking problems. A spokesman told the Voice they will act on vehicles causing obstruction of a footway or causing a danger. Cllr Clarke is worried that the council survey doesn’t give a space for general comments, and so won’t capture every concern, for example about the stadium. “We think the survey is

inadequate,” said Cllr Clarke. Mark Bradshaw, the Labour councillor for Bedminster who is also cabinet member for transport, said people can also email views to consultation@bristol.gov.uk Cllr Bradshaw said he will bring together police, councillors, council officials and Bristol Sport to discuss action on the stadium’s parking problems. “I will be putting the view very strongly to the police that we need to work together on this,” he said. He said he’s determined to push for Long Ashton Park & Ride to be opened to football fans. Bristol Sport, owner of Ashton Gate, was asked for comment but none was received. The company has subsidised new bus routes on match days from Brislington and Portway Park & Ride sites, and from Temple Meads for rugby fans. The parking consultation is at bristol.gov.uk/parking/residentsparking-scheme-local-reviews and in libraries until October 21.

Gatehouse signs are ruled out DIRECTION signs pointing the way to the historic Ashton Court Gatehouse when it reopens later this year have been banned by highways officials. Bristol city council won’t allow signs on the busy A370 Ashton Road for fear of distracting drivers. The Gatehouse is nearing completion of a Lottery-funded restoration. Signs for pedestrians are now likely to be laid into footpaths on the subways that lead to the site, off Blackmoors Lane.

Places for trees VOLUNTEERS are trying to identify suitable places to plant trees in and around Bedminster. Those interested may be able to join in a council-run training session on Tuesday, November 1 from 6-8.30pm on how to identify new tree locations and designing plans. Contact Lorena.alvarez@bristol.gov.uk for details.

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Art trail celebrates 10 years THE STREETS of Windmill Hill will be buzzing with colour, sound and community spirit as the 10th Art on the Hill art trail takes off on Saturday and Sunday October 1 and 2. More than 90 artists and performers will take appear at 45 venues, including St Mary Redcliff and Victoria Park schools, from 12noon-6pm each day. On show will be a huge range of arts to see, touch, experience and buy, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, and ceramics. Many of the venues are the artists’ own houses, which they open to the public for the weekend, and they are often on hand to discuss their work. Performances will take place in Victoria Park and Windmill Hill community centres on Saturday afternoon with music extending into the evening. On

Hands-on art, painting and greetings cards are some of the treats at Art on the Hill 2016 Sunday evening, Brahms Requiem will be performed at St Michael’s church, Vivian Street. On both days there will be smaller performance venues all around the trail offering music, poetry, dance and storytelling.

To celebrate 10 years of the trail, there will be a treasure hunt: collect stamps from special artist’s venues to win your very own mini-windmill, a great way to keep kids (young and old) entertained! There will also be a

raffle with prizes including a trip in a hot air balloon generously donated by Park Furnishers of Bedminster. This year, there will also be a trail within the trail in Victoria Park. Jon Piggot has laser-etched historic photographs of the park onto clear acrylic and placed them in the positions from which they were originally taken, giving the viewer an opportunity to compare Bristol today with Bristol of the past. Food and drink will be on sale at Mrs Brown’s Cafe in Victoria Park, at pubs and at some of the other venues. For those who want to try their hand at being creative, there is a new workshop area in the park for adults and children. Guides to the trail will be available from many of the venues. There’s also a mobile app: details on the website. • artonthehill.org.uk

Hospital still needs more support to meet our needs, says MP

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MORE needs to be done to ensure South Bristol Community Hospital meets the health needs of the area, said MP Karin Smyth With many patients across South Bristol finding it hard to get a GP appointment, Ms Smyth said people need to speak up about the improvements they want. Last autumn the Labour MP highlighted that many South Bristol residents were still battling through traffic to health facilities elsewhere in the city. Meanwhile parts of the Hengrove building, opened in 2012, were under-used and many people were unaware of the services on their doorstep. Ms Smyth, a former NHS manager, has held meetings with health trust managers in an attempt to make better use of the £45 million facility. The hospital is now running a full schedule of services, with successes including: • Significantly more outpatients are being seen at Hengrove compared with a year ago, including children’s clinics; • Clinic use now stands at 90 per cent or higher;

• The urgent care centre is treating 3,000 patients a month • The Older People’s Rapid Assessment Clinic, which aims to keep older people out of A&E, has been expanded; • More people are using the hospital’s dental services; • It is hoped to open oncology and haematology clinics. “There are pleasing signs of progress, but those I represent continue to have serious concerns about their experiences getting to see a GP, and having to travel to Southmead for a cancer-related appointment,” said Ms Smyth. “We know that Tory cuts to NHS funding lie ahead, so I cannot stress too highly the importance of South Bristol residents continuing to have their say about their local hospital. “South Bristol people fought for over 50 years to get a hospital in our area so it needs to fulfil its potential.” She invited people with suggestion about local health services to email karin.smyth. mp@parliament.uk.

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The gardeners of rail delight

Upfest is now an international spectacular THE STREET art festival, Upfest, born and bred in Southville, was bigger than ever this year and looks set to grow again in 2017, according to its founder Steve Hayles. Talks are under way to expand the three-day festival from its heartland in North Street, to bring East Street and Bedminster Parade into the action. With food, music, children’s events and more taking place across dozens of venues, Upfest has already become easily the biggest event in South Bristol in only eight years. It started in October 2008 when 15 artists got together to paint in the car park at the Tobacco factory, and has never looked back. Upfest is reckoned to have attracted 40,000 people on Saturday July 24 alone. With

Henrietta’s Homecoming: Art by Ireland’s Fin DAC in The Nursery bigger crowds expected next year, the budget for the event will rise from £80,000 to £100,000, Mr Hayles told Bedminster Town Team, which has supported the event since it started. Upfest now has real international appeal, with a third of the artists coming from abroad. Even more would have arrived if some Russian artists

had been able to get visas. Many visitors come specially from all over Europe – particularly Spain. This year tourism agency Visit Britain shot film at Upfest which will be used in an international advertising campaign. “The profile the event is getting for next year is already quite huge,” said Mr Hayles. • upfest.co.uk

THE KEEN gardeners who keep the forecourt of Bedminster station so neatly planted are meeting on a different day this month. The regular Sunday session has been moved to 9.3011am on October 9, so as not to clash with the Windmill Hill art trail the previous weekend. Volunteers will be planting bulbs and putting in new plants after Network Rail erected a new fence. The next session is on November 6. To find out more call Phil on 07811 623136.

Correction

GREATER Bedminster Older People’s Forum meets every other month at Monica Wills House in Cromwell Street, Bedminster – not every month, as wrongly stated in the last Voice. The next meeting is November 9, 10am-12pm. Apologies for any confusion.

Back lane plan is thrown out 18th C Bedminster house is saved A PLAN to demolish an 18th century house in one of Bedminster’s oldest streets and replace it with 22 flats has been turned down. The proposal was to replace Glenthorne House in Stillhouse Lane, a cobbled back street behind Bedminster Parade, with a four-storey building. It would also have entailed knocking down buildings on an industrial site formerly used by a metalwork company. But planners at Bristol city council turned the scheme down for five reasons. Firstly, Glenthorne House, though used recently for offices and storage, still has historic character and removing it would harm the Bedminster conservation area, said city council conservation officers. The plan would also run the risk that residents of the flats would park on the pavement in the narrow street, said highway

officials. The plans show 30 cycle spaces but no car parking. The developer offered to turn the ground floor of the development into eight parking spaces, and reduce the number of flats by six to 16, but this is a major change that really requires a new planning application, said the council report. Four storeys is too high for Stillhouse Lane, where other buildings have three floors, the report added. The narrow street means some of the new flats would be in such deep shadow that the rooms wouldn’t get enough light – and some windows would also overlook neighbouring gardens. And giving a fifth reason for refusing the plans, officers said there was no affordable housing. Bristol Civic Society was among three objectors to write to the council, all of them saying the scheme was too big and overbearing, and lacked parking.

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All join up to clean Malago green space THE FIRST community clean-up of the Malago Greenway was such a success, volunteers are holding a second event. They are hoping the open space between Lyndon Road, Parson Street and Marksbury Road will not be so neglected

Come-uppance for naughty Alf SOUTH Bristol theatre company BraveBoldDrama present their tale of highway robbery, My Way or The Highway, to children and parents at Parson Street primary school on Tuesday October 11. It’s the story of Alf, a highwayman. If he sees a toy he likes, he takes it. Alf likes to say “It’s my way or the highway!” Fortunately, Alf soon learns there are better ways to play. The play is devised and acted by Paul Lawless and Gill Simmons, with original songs, chances to join in and no scary bits. It’s open to families who don’t attend Parson Street – just email bravebolddrama@gmail.com BraveBoldDrama is also running a PlayTime on Monday October 10 in the Southville Centre from 10.30-11.30am – a time for themed creative play. It’s for preschoolers and their carers. Tickets are £5.50 in advance, £6.50 on the day.

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now that they have shown they are willing to look after it. They already have the support of Bedminster businesses – shops including East Street Fruit and Vegetable Market donated refreshments to the first clean-up day in the summer and are repeating the gesture for the next event, on Saturday October 8 from 10am-12noon. Raluca, one of the organisers, told the Voice: “There are lots of funds for improvement waiting to be accessed and lots of ideas

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Clean-up: The first Malago event floating around, but we need to know what our neighbours want to change here. “We are hoping that our

October 2016

councillor, Jon Wellington, will be joining us and will be able to carry our ideas to the council.” Litter-pickers and sacks will be provided and all the rubbish collected will be taken away by the council. Raluca is hoping those attending can get together to vote on the future of the green space. The site is expected to become a link in the Malago Greenway, a major cycle route linking South Bristol with the city centre (see page 25).

Caravan site ‘a flood risk and an eyesore’ THE PROPOSAL to build a caravan park on the site of the former police horse and dog unit at Bower Ashton should be rejected on safety grounds, according to advice given to Bristol city council. The Environment Agency has told planners that the site on Clanage Lane is in a flood zone – subject to tidal flooding once every 200 years. If tidal defences are breached, “we are unlikely to be able to provide sufficient warning time in the event of a breach. As a result, there may not be enough time to evacuate all occupants from the site,” said the agency. It said the site could be flooded to a depth of one to 1.5m – and higher with climate change. “The risk to life and/or property from tidal inundation

would be unacceptable if the development were to be allowed,” the report said. The Caravan Club has asked for planning permission for a caravan site with 62 pitches. It is being forced to move from its site in Baltic Wharf, which the council wants to redevelop. The police have moved their mounted unit to a larger site near Clevedon. The Caravan Club says the site will be far less built-up than at present, because it will tear down the police buildings and put up much smaller replacements – a mobile home for the on-site wardens and a wash block. However, the plans are also recommended for refusal for a second reason. A report from the council landscape office said the caravans are an “inappropriate development” for the Green Belt

and the Bower Ashton conservation area. The visual impact of the caravans will be greater than shown in the mocked-up photos produced by the developer, the report argues. The sight of bright white caravans on what used to be open green space will affect views. And, the report points out, the Caravan Club has assumed that only half the pitches will be occupied by caravans, “but its proximity to the centre of Bristol brings this into question.” “The proposals should be rejected on the grounds of visual impact,” ends the advice from the council’s landscape office. Council planners will draw up a report based on the advice they have received. It is not clear if the decision will rest with councillors or if officials will deal with it.

What is dry eye?

RY eye is when damage to a dog’s tear glands means too few natural tears are produced. The eye becomes very dry and uncomfortable, and makes the eyes more susceptible to infection, conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Dark pigmentation may also develop due to new blood vessels growing on the surface of the eye. Dry eye is one of the most common eye problems we see as vets, and affects as many as one in 22 dogs. Symptoms can include

uncomfortable eyes (your dog may blink excessively, rub its eyes or try to keep its eyes closed), eyes that are red and inflamed, discharge from the eyes, dry-looking eyes, frequent conjunctivitis, eye infections or corneal ulcers, dark pigment or prominent blood vessels on the surface of the eyes. Dry eye can affect all breeds at any age; however, certain breeds can be more prone, such as cocker spaniels, shih tzus, bulldogs, pugs, Yorkshire terriers, lhasa apsos, Westies, King Charles cavalier spaniels

and English bull terriers. In the majority of cases, dry eye is a lifelong condition requiring daily treatment. If left untreated, the dog will experience pain and discomfort, and the disease could lead to permanent blindness. A simple eye ointment is available which can increase the amount of tear production, keeping the eyes lubricated and much more comfortable. Diagnosing dry eye is quick and painless so book your dog in to see one of our nurses for a free test. You will also be

Jenny Hamilton-ible MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon at Highcroft Veterinary Hospital, Whitchurch entitled to regular discounts for treatment if you book in before November 30. Speak to Ashton Veterinary Surgery on 0117 953 0707 to book an appointment.

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Mum does nothing as girls shout race abuse

POLICE are appealing to a man who was racially abused by a group of children in Victoria Park to come forward. The incident came to light when a witness posted details of the incident online. The witness – who is not being named by the Voice – said she was appalled to see four girls, aged between about eight and 10, swearing at the man as they followed him though the park. As well as showing racial abuse, the girls threw rubbish at the man and flicked water out of a puddle at him using paper cups. With the girls – all in red school uniforms – was a woman who appeared to be mother to one of them. She did nothing to stop the attacks and did not speak. “The kids’ language and actions were unbelievably cruel and adult-like,” said the witness. “Because they were kids it meant the guy couldn’t defend himself.” The witness told the Voice: “I’m a bit embarrassed, I only put it online because I’m not the kind of person who normally knows what to do in these situations. “But I did what I had just read, that you should talk to the person who’s being abused.” Once the witness intervened, the children stopped shouting. The man and the witness carried on walking through Victoria Park until the girls and the mother turned a different way. The man told the witness he

Bystander steps in to stop hate attack by girls as young as 8 had been followed by the group from Philip Street, Bedminster, into Victoria Park. The victim, an Eastern European man of about 30, has not reported the incident, which means police are unable to investigate further. Jaya Chakrabarti from Knowle, who helped set up United We Stand Bristol to show that the vast majority of Bristolians oppose hate crimes, said she understood why some victims of racial abuse did not go to the police. They fear drawing attention to themselves and inviting reprisals, she said. “But it’s important for all of us who are able to try to create an atmosphere where people feel that they can come forward and report incidents,” she said. After racist attacks on two homes in Knowle West this summer, United We Stand organised a peace picnic to show that the racists did not represent the community. There have been no attacks since. A police spokesperson said officers are well aware that hate crimes are often under-reported.

Wanted: memories of blind centre PEOPLE with memories of the RNIB centre in Bedminster are being asked to help create a piece of theatre about the building. The Place Based Theatre Club holds its first gathering at the Centre for the Blind in its historic building in Stillhouse Lane – off Bedminster Parade at the Coronation Road end. The event is on October 22 from 2-4pm, when anyone who has memories, memorabilia, press clippings, photographs, local history or just an interest in

Bedminster RNIB can come along and get involved. Participants will work with a theatre writer and a film-maker from Bristol-based PECo theatre to help devise a new piece of theatre that celebrates what the building means to its community. More sessions will be held in November and December. To find out more, contact Rachel Aspinwall by email at rachel@partexchangeco.org.uk or call 07888 846456. • partexchangeco.org.uk

Offences like this are treated seriously and victims are supported throughout the investigation, she said. The witness’s account of the incident attracted 129 likes and 73 comments on Facebook, all of them condemning the abuse and the girls’ mother for allowing it. One resident commented: “This makes me want to cry – that primary school children in our city, which I love because it’s so diverse, can be so misguided.” It is not known which school the girls are from. Several primary schools in South Bristol have red tops or blazers. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call 101 and give reference 5216199430. • Facebook: United We Stand Bristol

Wanted: Local voices to advise NHS managers A NEW drive to find South Bristol residents to become the city’s first ‘healthcare change makers’ is under way. The aim is to boost the voice of local people in the services offered by Bristol Community Health, North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. Volunteers are offered training in return for attending four to six meetings a year. Expenses for travel and caring responsibilities will be paid. Co-ordinator Nick Dean said: “Our change makers might have ideas from their experiences of being in hospital or caring for someone at home. It could be on anything from visiting hours to transport links or the national health agenda.” • briscomhealth.org.uk

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Bridge is clear of graffiti at last THE RAILWAY bridge next to Bedminster station has been cleaned of graffiti by Network Rail after months of complaints that it was an eyesore. Residents at Windmill Hill neighbourhood forum on September 7 asked why a mural couldn’t be painted on the bridge. It could distract drivers and increase the risk of bridge strikes, Richard Turner of Network Rail told the meeting. Instead the bridge has been coated with an anti-graffiti grey paint. Graffiti costs Network Rail £3.5 million a year and it can’t all be removed quickly unless it is offensive, he said. The organisation has to prioritise safety issues and cannot halt trains to clean it off. The new paint will allow graffiti to be wiped off about five or six times, he said, though it will not last indefinitely.

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Knowle could get a And it won’t displace The Park centre

PLANS for a new, nonselective school for Knowle, put forward by fee-paying Bristol Grammar School, were broadly welcomed at a public meeting held to introduce the idea on September 23. However, Bristol South MOP Karin Smyth told the Voice the plans had “come as a shock” to many, and she wanted to see genuine local involvement. No opposition was voiced to the proposal from the 80 or so people who attended the event at Redcatch community centre – except for fears the school could displace The Park community centre in Daventry Road. The grammar school’s

THE PROPOSAL

• Non–selective free school; • For ages 4-16, in Knowle; • No site identified; • 1,000 pupils, to open 2019; • Two forms of entry Year 1; • Six forms of entry Year 7; • Secondary could open first; • Admission by proximity; • Focus on GCSEs; • Traditional values and ethos; • Separate staff and facilities from Bristol Grammar; • Govt will give verdict in spring. headmaster Rod MacKinnon suggested in an interview with the Bristol Post on September 13 that The Park – which used to be Merrywood Boys School until it closed in 2000 – “would be ideal”. But he told the public meeting that a site had not been identified, and it would be up to the Department for Education (DfE) to find a suitable location.

“It would be pointless to enrich provision for the community [by opening a school] at the expense of great community provision that is already there,” he said. Mr MacKinnon was responding to a question from the worried parent of a son with learning difficulties who attends The Park. The Park is home to more than two dozen community organisations working with children, disadvantaged adults, the disabled, the unemployed and others. It has sports teams, a cookery school and a sustainable furniture company. The Park is so busy every weekday that it is hard to find a parking space even though the former playgrounds are now used for vehicles. The centre was the venue for a recent Jeremy Vine show, broadcast live, in which the Radio 2 DJ hosted debates, took

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new school at last Q&A FOR THE HEAD:

Grammar head Rod MacKinnon a cycling test, and met scores of Park users and visitors. The Voice understands that The Park had no idea about the grammar school’s plans until very recently. However, the board which runs the centre has not met to decide its view on the idea. Board members are likely to be relieved that it is no longer the most favoured site. Knowle’s two councillors, Lib-Dem members Gary Hopkins and Christopher Davies, have been lobbying for a secondary school in the area for many years. Cllr Hopkins told the public meeting: “Demand for secondary places will be going up very rapidly in this area. “I don’t think it’s sensible for people to be travelling a considerable distance [to school] when we need a facility here.” But discussions on locations need to take place before the DfE issues its decision, the two councillors said. In an interview with South Bristol Voice, Mr MacKinnon

Q What can people do to lobby for a secondary school in Knowle? A “If you like the idea, email us,” said Mr MacKinnon. He also encouraged people to write to their MP. The DfE will want to gauge community support there is for a new school. Q Will the link with the grammar school be long-term? A The aim is for a long-term partnership. A company trust will be set up to oversee the new said the plan is for a free school – a state-funded school open to all but run independently. Bristol city council has no money to build a school, and only free schools are currently getting government funds, he said. “I think it’s quite exciting that groups of people who are interested and have professional experience can use that to create a school for the community. “We are confident that our experience will help us to make this school a success,” he said. Matthew Bennett, a deputy head at the grammar school who is drafting the proposal for the new school, told the public meeting that he grew up in Novers Lane and went to school in Withywood. “I know the area really well and I know there is a lot of talent here,” he said. “We want to release the potential and raise aspirations for children in this area.” But it is not the aim to poach pupils from other schools, he said. “It’s about creating partnerships

with other schools, it’s not about trying to compete with them or take [their] pupils. “Schools in South Bristol have been improving rapidly in recent years but it’s still below average for Bristol and nationally. We think that the work we do at Bristol Grammar School we can replicate in the work we do here.” Bristol South MP Karin Smyth, who was not at the public meeting, said she wanted to see a new school as part of wider regeneration programme for the area, with local involvement. The new plans had “come as a shock to many people,” she said. “I know that many residents find it unacceptable that Whitehall can determine the shape of schooling in Bristol South, without local accountability. “These decisions should not be rushed, especially as it is far from clear exactly where this new school might be located.” • Find more Q&A and a longer version of this story at southbristolvoice.co.uk

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TOTTERDOWN arts shop and café Craftisan has announced craft activities for young and old for the autumn. After-school art and craft workshops will take place every Thursday from 4-5pm for children of four and older. Sessions cost £5, with a different activity every week. For pre-schoolers, there’s the Happymess session each Thursday from 10.15am-12noon with art, craft and playdough for one to four-year-olds. It’s also £5. Adults can learn lino printing on Sunday October 9 from 122.30pm and create handprinted stationery, cards and wrapping paper. The cost is £30. Parents and children can both play with clay on Sunday October 16 from 10am-12noon or from 1-3pm to make mini sculptures, pinch pots, beads and more. It’s £5 for children, £7.50 for adults. Aspiring dressmakers can join a six-week skirt-making course on Tuesdays from 7-9pm, starting on October 4. Learn how to use a sewing machine, follow a pattern and explore many techniques to make an A-line skirt. The course costs £90; if you don’t have a sewing machine, call Craftisan. • Details: 0117 971 3822 or email emily@craftisan-shop.co.uk

Funny winner THE winner of last month’s South Bristol Voice competition to see comedian Rich Hall at the Comedy Box was Kirsty Armitage.

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school including governors and staff from the grammar school. Q Will the grammar school plan compete with any other proposals for a school in Knowle? A No other plans are known of. Q What is meant by Knowle? Areas that lack a school include Knowle West and Inns Court. Where will it cover? A The wider community of Knowle – but it will depend on where the school is sited.

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Toy shop set to open on site of former play café

} Royal visit: The site of the fort built for Queen Elizabeth 1 is arrowed, centre left, near what is now Osborne Road. The map of 1828 shows the New Gaol, top, Alpha Road, centre, and Bedminster Parade, far right

Southville’s welcome for a queen FIVE hundred years of Bristol’s history is illuminated in a new book by architect and planner Jeff Bishop – including some features of South Bristol probably unknown to many who live here. Bristol Through Maps explores 24 maps of the city through the ages, picking out unusual features but also noting what has been left out. The priceless map made by Robert Ricart in 1480, for example, is more of a picture of civic pride. It shows the High Cross surrounded by walls, four city gates and prosperouslooking buildings. It erases the ghetto that lay beyond the city walls and also, oddly, Bristol Castle. “Not a map to help you round, but one bursting with

commercial possibilities for a wily merchant,” notes Jeff. Among the treasures for South Bristolians is the location of a royal visit by Queen Elizabeth I in 1574. The Virgin Queen made a three-day “progress” to Bristol, during which the city fathers spent the equivalent of millions of pounds in entertaining her and showing off the city’s wealth. Mock battles were enacted on land and water using hundreds of men and vast quantities of gunpowder. Southville was the location for Her Majesty to observe some of these amusements. Ashmead’s map of 1828 shows a small mound near what is now Osborne Road, Southville, and the text: “Site of the Fort erected for the

amusement of Queen Elizabeth when on a visit to Bristol 1574.” Presumably the “fort” was constructed as a vantage point from where the Queen could see the mock battles. The location of the battles is unclear but historic documents refer to them taking place on marshes, which were covered with hundreds of tons of sand – Canon’s Marsh perhaps? Jeff is keen to make “Memory Maps” with any group which wants to explore the history of their area – maps which may not always be geographically accurate, but “like most maps they are irresistible, beautiful and very often imaginary.” • Bristol Through Maps: Ways of Seeing a City, £20, is published by local publisher Redcliffe Press • redcliffepress.co.uk

A NEW toy shop will be opening its doors on North Street in October, marking the achievement of a dream beyond a life of corporate drudgery. Joel and Lindsey Meyer Nicholas are hoping that Toyville will open on Monday October 10 in the former premises of play cafe Bubbahub. “I long ago noticed a gap in the market for interesting toys in Bedminster,” said Joel Meyer Nicholas. “So when I lost my job with Lloyds banking last year, I decided that it would be me that would open it.” He persuaded his wife Lindsay to pack in her corporate life and join him in the venture. While looking for a shop, Joel and Lindsay started selling toys online, and at events such as North Street summer fair and Tobacco Factory Sunday markets. The focus will be on traditional battery-free toys, including board games, with many for pre-school children – and no computer games. • toyvilleshop.co.uk

Harvest in park VOLUNTEER gardeners will be working on their communal plot in Dame Emily park, off Dean Lane, Bedminster, on Sunday October 9 from 2-4pm. All are welcome to join the Incredible Edible group in harvesting, as well as planting and planning for the winter.

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Marvin Rees We all need to decide how to curb our costs

O SAY it’s a challenging time for local authorities up and down the country is putting it mildly. We are all striving to meet a growing demand for services while at the same time facing huge financial pressures following years of government cuts. Bristol is no exception – our current working assumption is that we will need to save at least £60-£100 million between April 2017 and April 2020. This, on top of the budget gap we inherited of around £30m this year. I believe austerity is a false economy. Taking money from the kind of early interventions and vital services Bristol City Council provides puts more pressure elsewhere in the system and has profound and financially costly effects on many people’s lives. I have invited trade unions, other political parties and city partners to work with me in making the case to central government. With

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The Mayor’s view Marvin Rees tells us his vision for the city as Bristol mayor that said, I have to deal with reality. I have to balance the budget. It would be reckless not to, and financial officers or governmentappointed commissioners would step in to run things, removing local democratic control. So I am asking you to join me in a city-wide conversation about our future. In the next month or so I will be publishing proposals for how, where and

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October 2016

when we’ll make savings and balance the books over the next five years. I want as many of you as possible to see this and have the chance to share your views, priorities and ideas. There are really tough decisions ahead. I need your input before these decisions are made. I want to keep my promises, maintain life-and-limb services and do all I can to improve people’s lives with the resources I’ve got. I want to do all I can to avoid the poorest and most vulnerable taking the biggest hit. Your views and those of our many partners around the city will help achieve this. To take part, keep an eye on bristol.gov. uk/budget, where we’ll put all the details. You can also register now to hear about this and other council consultations at bristol.gov.uk/ consultation. Over the autumn, information will also be available from libraries and Citizen Service Points and I intend to hold and publicise several events around the city as part of the budget conversation. You should also ensure your local councillors know what you want. I will listen to feedback and, working with my cabinet, take real account of it. But do keep in mind the money has to be saved somehow – so I’d really welcome alternative ideas if you don’t agree with any proposals. Together we can make the best of a really difficult situation.

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WHATEVER your age or ability, cycling could be for you, say the organisers at the Bristol Family Cycling Centre opened earlier this year in Bamfield, Hengrove, on a former athletics track. From special sessions for under-5s who are learning to balance on a bike, to bikemending classes and Back to Biking events for adults returning to cycling, the centre has something for everyone. There are drop-in sessions for

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Cycle centre is for all

children (and adults) to learn to ride, and a bike club for kids who want a traffic-free place to practice and have fun. The centre also has a range of adapted cycles which can be used by people with limited mobility, allowing them to ride around with their family and friends. Many sessions are free. Even grandparents aren’t

excluded. Spokesperson Emma Barraclough said: “One lady who hadn’t ridden a bicycle for 50 years was persuaded to give it a try when she brought her grandchildren to the centre. She was so taken with the experience she returned for three more sessions in the space of 10 days!” South Bristol Voice will include a feature on the centre in

Centre has bikes for all abilities a future edition of the paper. • betterbybike.info/startcycling/get-confidence/ family-cycling-centre-hengrove

The glassmakers come up with a lasting memorial THE CRAFTSPEOPLE at Bristol Blue Glass have unveiled two wildly different sets of designs. One is a unique beer glass, commissioned by a London brewery for a national campaign. The other is a range of “memorial glass” – glass ornaments which contain the ashes of a loved one. Strange as the idea may sound, the Blue Glass studio in Bath Road, Arnos Vale, is expecting a lot of interest in the hand-crafted memorials. Each one will be individually made in lead crystal, in the shape of an orb, a heart or an angel. “Losing someone close to you is always difficult, but having their ashes preserved can be an enduring reminder of their life. This can provide a tangible comfort and an everlasting connection that you can hold,” said a spokesperson. Glass-blowers will “take every care and consideration to make sure your loved one’s ashes are

Angel: Made to contain a loved one’s ashes by Bristol Blue Glass treated with dignity and respect,” the firm said. Meanwhile, Blue Glass founder James Adlington created a one-of-a-kind beer glass for London brewer Meantime. He called it the Hourglass, named for Meantime’s base near the Greenwich Meridian. Meantime asked other craftsmakers to create clothing, neon signs and furniture for an advertising campaign to celebrate British craftsmanship. The brewer also created a special West Country pilsner.

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ET’S Clean Bedminster is a locally driven project which began about six months ago. The Greater Bedminster Community Partnership (GBCP) has been working on the street scene in the area for many years, and one of the biggest bugbears is bins left on streets, full of rubbish and recycling, which makes the pavements something of an obstacle course. If you are pushing a buggy or use a wheelchair, this is really difficult and sometimes puts safety at risk. Obviously, some people will have difficulty finding a suitable place to put their bin, particularly if they live in a flat or in a home with no space to the front. This project is not designed to punish people, but hopes to improve the street scene and is trying to find practical solutions that are manageable. GBCP is working with Bristol Waste, who has recently secured the contract for waste collection for Bristol city council. The company is keen to deliver an improved service. Let’s Clean Bedminster is challenging them to answer the most frequently asked questions, such as: Why don’t they take my rubbish when the bin lid is raised? Why do the recycling crews leave a trail of litter behind the wagon? Why is fly tipping left untouched on the

pavement for ages after it is reported? What is regarded as fly tipping anyway? Please continue to report waste, especially fly tipping on your street, either by calling 0117 922 2100 or emailing waste. service@bristol.gov.uk So over the next few weeks, some of you will have letters dropping through your letterbox with stickers attached. You will be asked to put your house number on the sticker and put one on each of your bins. This will help us and Bristol Waste to identify bins and boxes which are used regularly and owned by a household, and those which have become free range. Abandoned bins and boxes will be removed if left unstickered as they become a public dumping ground and are used for all sorts of unsavoury activities. Our efforts also include the traders in the Business Improvement District and they will also be receiving letters and stickers. Their waste is covered by a different company but we need to work together on this. By working with Bristol Waste and the council’s Street Scene team, we hope that people will become much more aware of the impact litter, fly tipping and poor waste management has on the local scene and what we, as residents, can do to improve it. Cleaner streets really do make a difference to our environment and the more we can recycle and reuse materials, the better for all in the long run. • Celia Phipps is a Labour councillor for Bedminster and a member of the Let’s Clean Bedminster team

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Bedminster Green

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‘Community mustn’t be the loser from £100m scheme’ THE COMMUNITY benefits of the 800-home scheme to redevelop Bedminster Green must not be neglected if the site is developed piecemeal. That’s the message from campaigners anxious to limit the impact of the £100 million scheme masterminded by developer Urbis. But though Urbis has a deal with Bristol city council to draw up a masterplan for the area, it lost out in a bidding war for one of the largest plots. Developer Paul O’Brien is expected to announce public consultation soon on his plan for 217 flats on the former Pring & St Hill factory site, known as Plot 1. The BS3 Planning group, meeting on September 20, was shown proposals for two buildings on Plot 1 – one on Hereford Street ranging from 5 to about eight storeys. Discussions with a housing association may result in 40-50 homes for “affordable” rent. The bigger block is E shaped, with its solid side along Malago Road. It ranges from six storeys on the road side to 10 or 11 on the railway side. With 105 parking spaces and bin stores underneath, there will be no shops or windows on the ground floor. The masterplan calls for a doctor’s surgery, open spaces, a revamped Bedminster station, a major cycle route, uncovering the River Malago and other costly community benefits. Neil Sellers, who chairs BS3

Dealing with plots piecemeal ‘may risk benefits of masterplan’

Planning, is worried that if the plots are dealt with singly, these benefits may not materialise, or may be placed outside the area. A new school is envisaged as a long-term benefit, but no site has been identified. “You could go round in everdecreasing circles,” he said, without all the benefits being provided. Richard Clarke, managing director of Urbis, said many of the community benefits would be delivered directly by Urbis if it is allowed to develop Plots 4 and 5. Plot 4 will have a medical centre and a car park, while Plot 5 includes the new station, roads, and the cycleway. But these benefits can only be paid for, he warned, if enough homes are allowed, and that will mean high-rises. Dianne James of WHaM, the Windmill Hill and Malago planning group, told the Voice the residents still had concerns. “We are concerned about the density of it – going up into the air isn’t the only way,” she said. WHaM objects to the risk of air pollution, the effects on landscaping and the public realm,

Planned: New energy centre and the fear that community facilities will not be built. And there are fears that the planning applications could stray from the masterplan. The loss of jobs from industrial buildings in

Whitehouse Lane also needs to be discussed, she said. “There needs to be more consultation – we are finding that people who live in the area don’t know what’s happening,” she said. BS3 Planning has also asked the Paul O’Brien team whether their plan will cast homes into shadow on the other side of Malago Road during the winter. Meanwhile Urbis is expected to have submitted a planning application for a highly efficient district energy centre by the beginning of October. A pre-planning application for Plot 5 has been submitted, to be followed by a formal application near the end of the year. • Letters: Page 19

How many species can you see? Appeal to identify all BS3’s birds THE HUNT is on to identify all the garden birds that visit BS3. The BS3 Wildlife Group is urging anyone who likes watching birds to ask for a form on which they can record all the species they see from October to March. The Bedminster area is one of the least well-off for wildlife in Bristol, probably because many gardens are very small. The most common species

spotted over the past five years have been sparrows, magpies, blackbirds, wood pigeons, robins and blue tits – just six species in the top five places each year. But rarer sightings include greater spotted woodpeckers, goldcrests, nuthatches, redwings and one bullfinch, not to mention a ring ousel. If you’d like to take part, email gbcpnewsletter@gmail.com

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WhiSe birds WINDMILL Hill Seniors or WhiSe, the new group for over 55s, meets on October 14 and 28 at Windmill Hill community centre in Vivian Street at 10.30am. For more details call Christine on 07901 874375.

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Coffee and cakes in a good cause A NEW café with a difference is set to open at Victoria Park Baptist Church on the corner of St John’s Lane and Sylvia Avenue. Called Padfields, it opens each weekday from 11am-2pm. Sandwiches and freshly baked

cakes are prepared and served by disabled peoplefrom across South Bristol. The café is set to open with a coffee morning in aid of Macmillan cancer care on September 30, after the Voice went to press.

New café for city farm WINDMILL Hill City Farm – which has just celebrated its 40th birthday – has secured funding of over £320,000 to revamp and expand its award-winning café. The money is made up of a number of smaller awards. It will be used to build a barn-style extension to double the number of seats, and renovate the kitchen. There will be an improved counter, better flow, and an expanded farm shop area. During building work from January to April, a pop-up café will open in the activity centre. Plans will be on show when

the farm, in Philip Street, holds its AGM on Monday October 17. The meeting is open to all farm members and, as an incentive, will offer free pizza, cooked in the outdoor kitchen. There will be the chance to hear about other plans and the range of community, food and growing projects the farm runs every year. Members of the farm are urged to attend the meeting or organise a proxy vote. They are being asked to adopt new legal charitable objectives. These changes only clarify what already exists but the Charity Commission

requires formal approval from members – and the AGM must be quorate for this to happen, with at least 25 in attendance. The most recent members and allotment holders meeting was held on September 14, in the outdoor kitchen, with homemade sausage rolls and flapjacks for sustenance. There are around 250 members, paying £10 a year. Members get 10 per cent discount on café food and room hire, a regular newsletter, and the chance to have their say on the future of the farm. • windmillhillcityfarm.co.uk

October 2016

Corbyn drama Continued from page 1 trying to oust him after less then 1 year. Bizarre.” On the BBC’s Sunday Politics West on September 25, Ms Smyth said she would “knuckle under and get on with working with the leader. It’s not the result I wanted but I will continue to do the best for the people of Bristol South”, she said. She told the Voice: “The South West will be a vital battleground for Labour as we look to win the next general election. We need to win seats across the region to help overturn the Tory majority and I look forward to working with Jeremy, with MP and councillor colleagues, and with our expanded membership to do so.” • Labour has suspended 200 members in Bristol, most of them Corbyn supporters, mainly over social media comments. It is thought the suspensions may be overturned now that Mr Corbyn is secure in his leadership. • Letters: Page 19

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News Parents’ fury over school crossing axe Continued from page 1 be improved. The pelican crossing is about 100 yards from the junction, and official say it is “impractical” to have it so close. But parents the Voice spoke to think the move will be a danger. “It’s safer to cross here,” said one. “At the crossroads you have five crossings and one lollipop lady trying to cover them all.” As the Voice went to press, 241 people had signed a you.38degrees.org.uk petition against the changes, which also include banning a right turn into Highbury Road. “With increased traffic and reduced crossings our children’s safety is being compromised significantly,” said petition organiser Jazz Bamba. One parent said on Facebook: “It’s not only people using the school that want to cross there. People will try and cross there without the safety of a crossing as the other one is too far down.” Head teacher Jamie Barry can’t understand why he’s had no response to his pleas for a 20mph zone around the school, which is surrounded by major roads. “I was surprised and alarmed to see the proposal to remove the crossing. I do share the concerns of my parents – the roads are very busy”, he said. “We have

Risk: School has no 20mph zone been campaigning for over a year to have some basic road safety, yet when Metrobus comes in something happens very quickly.” A Metrobus spokesperson told the Voice that “the school, residents and businesses in the area” had already been consulted. However, the consultation does not appear to have reached Mr Barry or the parents. “I heard about it because the parents saw the yellow sign on the lamp post,” Mr Barry said. He believes that mayor Marvin Rees’s promised review of all 20mph zones is holding up consideration of speed restrictions near his school. He was due to meet Cllr Mark Bradshaw, the mayor’s cabinet member for transport, shortly after the Voice went to press. • Comments on the removal of the crossing can be emailed to trocomments@bristol.gov.uk by October 10.

Get a flu jab to stay protected IF YOU want the best chance of staying well this winter, get a flu jab, older and vulnerable people are being advised. Bristol’s Lord Mayor, Jeff Lovell, volunteered to have his own vaccination done while visiting Bedminster Pharmacy in Cannon Street. Pharmacy owner Ade Williams showed Cllr Lovell how quickly and painlessly the annual jab can be given. It protects against flu and for complications such as pneumonia, which can be very serious for older people and those who have heart, chest or immune system problems. Mr Williams told the Lord Mayor how his staff have been

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The Lord Mayor gets his flu jab from pharmacist Ade Williams specially trained in community health work, like many others at pharmacies all over Bristol, as part of the Well Aware campaign. “I think it’s outstanding what you are doing, what with the challenges facing GP surgeries,” Cllr Lovell said.

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Exercise really is for everyone, just follow Marie

Place to get fit that doesn’t feel like a gym

FITNESS instructor Marie Clifford must have some of the most enthusiastic class members anywhere – so it’s no surprise that she’s in line for an award. Marie has been nominated for the Diversity and Equality Instructor of the Year award. The Voice dropped in on Marie’s weekly seated-exercise class at Community Links South, off Novers Lane in Knowle West. Almost 40 people packed the room, taking part in whatever way they wanted: following Marie’s cues, singing to the music and making their own moves. The music was often loud and pumping but that wasn’t upsetting anyone, from the over-55 members to those with dementia or those in wheelchairs. “I like this class because I’ve always been active,” said Patricia, one of the older members. “I like

A NEW fitness studio in Southville celebrated its opening last month by giving away 15 free memberships. Empowered Fitness held a launch party on September 16 to mark the opening of the new personal training studio in Duckmoor Road in Southville. Amy Oldfield, director and personal trainer, said: ‘’This has been a dream of mine for years: to create a space tailored to helping people who want to lose weight and feel fit but hate the thought of doing it in a regular gym.’’ Amy is keen to encourage people who lack confidence in their bodies to see what exercise and nutrition can do for them. She has spoken about her own battles with her body image and wants to make the new studio welcoming to all, with small groups and individual sessions.

Making the moves: Marie leads an all-abilities class the exercise and the music – I come twice a week.” One of the younger members with learning difficulties, Helen, comes from Filton every week. “I like the music and doing different things – I do all the moves.” Marie explained that, unlike an ordinary zumba class (which she also teaches) people don’t have to follow all the moves – they do whatever they are able. “There’s more and more evidence that moving in any way is beneficial to you,” she said, “with not only physical benefits but

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emotional and social benefits too.” Marie also teaches classes for the over 55s at the Monica Wills centre in Bedminster and several others across the city. She took up zumba as a kind of therapy after suffering from stress as a schoolteacher. Now she has made fitness her career, and took a special qualification in seated-exercise for the less able. She has no idea who nominated her for the National Community Fitness Awards. If you’d like to vote for Marie, go to www.projectmayhemevents.com

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AFTER reading in your last issue quotes from Richard Clarke, the managing director of Urbis, regarding the planned Bedminster (Malago) Green development, I felt it necessary to correct some inaccuracies. Mr Clarke claims that “you will see high-rise everywhere” in UK cities. Clearly this is not the case in Bristol, where new builds such as Wapping Wharf, Paintworks and, soon to come, Dunmail Road in Southmead are low and medium-rise; nor is this generally true across the UK. London is building tower blocks in the suburbs, but the ongoing scandal of “gold blocks” being built there for foreign investors is exceptional. Many cities are building high-rise only in their centres, where tower blocks fulfil a different function (eg: offices) to those proposed by Urbis and Paul O’Brien. Mr Clarke also claims that he could have included 30 per cent affordable housing in a 20-storey St Catherine’s Tower, but in a 16-storey tower can afford none. The main financial problem here is the very high build cost of high rise. Also, it seems strange that the extra profit on a further four storeys would have been enough to allow him to sell six storeys (30 per cent) at affordable prices. As to “tall buildings” being “the only way to provide the housing Bristol needs”: Mr Clarke will be well aware that it has been proved that medium rise developments can provide similar densities of units to high rise. WHaM have been making this case. I would refer readers to this, easily found online: Tall

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TER T E

Taking issue with tower blocks

October 2016

Buildings Policy, Bristol City Council Supplementary Planning Guidance 1, 2005; fig. H. I would remind Mr Clarke that the same document states that would-be developers of over six storeys should make an “evaluation of providing a similar level of density in an alternative urban form”. Nigel Biggs, Windmill Hill

Who was really defying whom? I HAVE three points concerning your article last month entitled ‘Labour members defy MP to vote Corbyn’. My first objection is the bias in your headline. MPs are supposed to represent the people who voted for them: this includes Labour Party members who selected them. Why, therefore, did your headline not read “Bristol South MP defies majority of local Labour members who voted for Corbyn” rather than the other way round? The councillors were not “assumed” to have voted for Owen Smith (as though it had been a guess), but they showed their way of thinking both vocally, and by huddling together. All 39 of the Owen Smith claqueurs were huddled into two groups, thus distorting the real majority of the Corbynites by their opinionated

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Have you got strong views about what’s happening in South Bristol? Email paul@ southbristolvoice.co.uk, post to Letters, South Bristol Voice, 18 Lilymead Avenue, Bristol BS4 2BX. Please keep letters short. We may edit your letter. and self-serving preferences. If they did not like this ‘assumption’ then maybe they should have sat with the people they represent, not one another. You refer to “one member” who “told the councillors present that they should be ashamed and should not be representing the people of Bristol”. In fact, what the member meant was that these councillors should be ashamed precisely because they weren’t representing the wishes of the local party members. It is disappointing that much good debate in the Labour Party, with elected representatives being challenged politically, is portrayed as bullying. Is the Labour Party no longer a party of open debate, where people have views and can be asked, fraternally, to justify them? Name supplied, Bedminster • Editor’s note: No bias was intended. Ms Smyth had made her views clear before the meeting, which is why the headline was worded as it was. The story did not allege bullying.

Rubbish: Who will deal with it? I WALK into and out of the city every day along Wells Road and Bath Road. Every day I am amazed by the amount of litter. Temple Gate, Bath Road

and Wells Road are not good adverts for our city. In fact the area behind the bus stops on the southbound section of Temple Gate is fast beginning to resemble a landfill tip! Today, I collected three bin liners full of litter picked up in the area between the billboards on Bath Road and Three Lamps. This follows a similar collection along Wells Road in the area around the new bus stop opposite Tesco some weeks ago when I bagged four bin liners full. I’m all for the Big Society and am happy to volunteer my services to keep this part of Bristol clean, but it would be nice if the council could show they take the issue seriously, and send out regular street cleaning parties that actually reach into the bushes to pick up cans, bottles and packaging. In the past I have written to the council and not received an acknowledgement. A J Jenkins, Totterdown • THE PROBLEM of people dumping rubbish in the lanes at the rear of houses in the area continues. My neighbour and I have recently acquired a quantity of broken concrete blocks, a large quantity of scrap wood and other items at the rear of our properties in Norton Road. The police have been contacted but have chosen to ignore it despite saying they would look into it. Some years ago we paid for gates to be installed in these lanes, partly to discourage rubbish dumping, but it has not worked. Councillors were unable to help. I do not see why, as a pensioner, I should have to pay to have other people’s rubbish removed. CE Davies Norton Road, Knowle

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Wills, Trusts + Probate

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When’s the best time to write your Will? There’s never an ideal time to write a Will. But changing circumstances mean there’s a natural time for you to start planning for the future. Angela Thomas of Barcan+Kirby’s Wills + probate team looks at some of the life events that might trigger the need for you to make or update your Will. You’ve moved in together It’s not uncommon for joint homeowners to be unmarried. But that makes it doubly important that you protect your financial interests, as well as those of your partners. It’s a common misconception that your share of the property will automatically pass to your partner if you die. This is because the law of intestacy – or dying without a valid Will in place – doesn’t recognise cohabitation in the same way it recognises marriage.

Your relationship has changed

Your Will is probably the most important legal document you’ll ever own. You’ve had children

Life changes don’t get much bigger than this! Every parent needs a Will, which is why having children is often the driving force behind couples making their first Will or updating an existing one.

Life circumstances alter periodically and relationship changes are commonplace. Have you married, divorced (and remarried) or become a grandparent? If so, you may need to update your Will.

As well as appointing guardians to care for your child should anything happen to both parents, you can also invest money in trust in preparation for adulthood or to make provision for higher education.

As well as adding beneficiaries to your estate, you can also remove people if your relationship with them has ended.

Changes in your assets Throughout our lives our personal wealth can go up as well as down. If the value of your assets or estate

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has changed, now is the time to review your Will and ensure that it accurately reflects your final wishes. We can also look at ways in which you can mitigate or avoid future liabilities to tax through trusts and careful estate planning.

Regular check ups It never hurts to review your Will on a regular basis. It’s a living document and will change as you and your individual circumstances do. Your Will is probably the most important legal document you’ll ever own. But without one, the courts will decide how your estate will be distributed and it’s very likely that this won’t be as you intended. Barcan+Kirby has six offices across Bristol and Gloucestershire and a team of solicitors experienced in all areas of Wills, trusts and probate. Professional advice, simply stated.

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Advice from a pharmacist Now is the best time to get your winter jab

LU, OR influenza, is a common disease spread by the coughs and sneezes of people who have it. You can also pick up flu by touching something like a door handle if someone who is infected has touched it before you. The common cold and flu are easily confused as they share similar symptoms such as sore throat and a runny nose. However, the symptoms of flu are more severe and usually come up suddenly:

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This column by Ade Williams and Michelle Leow of Bedminster Pharmacy aims to show how all local pharmacies can offer help and advice on a range of conditions, helping to ease the pressure on GPs high temperature, tiredness, headache, cough, and general aches and pains. These can last up to two weeks and for some people flu develops into more serious illnesses resulting in hospital admissions such as bronchitis and pneumonia. In the UK, flu causes up to 10,000 deaths a year, particularly among those with existing medical conditions. The flu vaccine contains inactivated viruses, so it can not cause flu. However the flu virus changes every year, so you need to have an annual jab against the latest strain. While no vaccine offers 100 per cent protection, worldwide research into the vaccines and the safety precuations taken

mean it’s always the safest and best option. Remember, onions, goose grease and even socks (dirty or clean) will not free you if the flu nabs you! Now is the best time to get vaccinated as it takes about two weeks after vaccination to gain optimal protection. The groups of patients eligible for the free flu vaccination in pharmacies include anyone in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an older or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. All those over 65 are also eligible (including those becoming 65 years by March 31, 2017), all pregnant women (bearing in mind that flu is the single biggest cause of death

in pregnancy), patients with long-term respiratory disease such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis, as well as those with chronic heart disease, chronic liver disease or a serious neurological disease, eg Parkinson’s. If you have any doubts, come in and speak to us. The Free NHS flu vaccination is offered by Bedminster Pharmacy alongside other local pharmacies and GP surgeries. All our pharmacists can administer the vaccine so no appointment is required. Just walk in at your convenience and get the jab today! • Bedminster Pharmacy, Cannon Street, Bedminster BS3 1BN; 0117 985 3388

Yes, you did hear an owl! Long grass in parks is helping them thrive reports Alex Morss

OUTH Bristol is on the map as a hotspot for urban owls this autumn. Dozens of people have commented on hearing the distinctive night call of the tawny owl across the south of the city in recent weeks. The high volume of reports on local social media groups suggests this nocturnal predator is thriving in the midst of our city. Many people have said this is the first time they have ever heard them in South Bristol. Owls are regularly heard in Totterdown, Victoria Park, Arnos Vale, Windmill Hill, Dame Emily Park and Northern Slopes. The coo-ing has even been a nightly feature on busy St John’s Lane. During September the giveaway call has also been heard on Wingfield Road, St John’s Crescent, Malago nature walk, Highridge, Beckington Road, Novers Road, Headley Park, Mansfield Road, and along the Malago at Manor Woods Valley. Sarah Morgan commented on

BS3 Connect Facebook group that she’d assumed it must have been a drunken impersonation when she first heard them on St John’s Lane, but it’s become a regular hoot: “I love living around here; bats, foxes and now an owl! We are so lucky,” she said. Holly McGee, on Bedminster Road, said: “I’ve noticed it over the last month. I’ve never heard one in the area before.” Shaun Hennessy of Victoria Park Action Group said: “I’ve been hearing one most nights at the moment. I can’t remember hearing it that often before.” John Atkinson said: “I hear tawny owls regularly in Arnos Vale cemetery. Beautiful sound!” Others thought the owls were not so new: “I live in Highridge and we hear one quite often, and have done all the time we’ve been here (four years).” Conservation groups such as the Bristol group of the Hawk and Owl Trust and Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre are excited by the news. Tim Corner, manager of BRERC, thinks it’s likely the owls are either this year’s juveniles or adults building their territories. He said: “We would like to know more about the current status of tawny owls in this area and welcome records from people.”

One of many? A tawny owl seen in South Bristol BRERC is based on St Nicholas Street. People can record owl sightings at its website www.brerc.org.uk A spokesperson for the British Trust for Ornithology said the tawny owl male’s ‘tweet-twoo’ hooting and female ‘keewik’ calls are more often heard during autumn and winter nights, when they are establishing their breeding territories. They often nest in tall tree cavities or suitable nest boxes, in urban parks as well as woodland. They feed on rodents, birds, grey squirrels, beetles and earthworms. The oldest tawny owl recorded reached almost 22 years. Chris Sperring of the Hawk

PICTURE: Chris Sperring

and Owl Trust, also a BBC Wildlife presenter, told the Voice that the new council policy of unmown long grass areas in parks is a major boon for owls. “Just think of it as though you’re unlocking the biodiversity of your park. It will have a major impact, use the owl as the apex predator in this case and the spin-offs for so much [wildlife] are enormous.” He added: “Owlets hatched this year are on the move and looking for territory. It is essential for survival that they gain an area with sufficient resources. However, they will bump into many owls already holding an area, so this is where we get lots of vocalisation.”

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News

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Expert help to cook up a job UNEMPLOYED adults who would like to break into Bristol’s burgeoning food industry can get free training at the Square Food Foundation in Knowle West. The community cookery

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school, founded by chef Barny Haughton, is running 10-week courses for adults with few or no qualifications, or with mental health issues, learning difficulties or physical disabilities. They will cover hands-on cookery skills, food hygiene, and work experience in a kitchen and front of house. There is a chance of placements at some of Bristol’s

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Hands on: Learning the basics of cookery

Good Food businesses, and even paid traineeships. Courses run on Wednesday

October 2016

afternoons at The Park centre in Daventry Road from October 5 to December 7. There will be two more courses in 2017. Community cookery teacher Catherine Forrester said: “If you’d like to be working in the food industry, but don’t know where to start, get in touch!” Details: call 0117 904 6679 or visit squarefoodfoundation.co.uk

Brothel pair found guilty

A COUPLE who ran two Bristol brothels – one of them In Bedminster – have been sentenced. Philip Stubbs, 69, and Julie Gatty, 60, who both live at Hook Street Farm in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, were convicted of keeping brothels for prostitution at Bristol Crown Court in March this year. Undercover police had been watching the brothels, including one called From China with Love, set in an anonymous-looking

building on North Street in Bedminster not far from Tesco. In a separate trial in August, Stubbs was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon, after a machine gun from a tank was found during a search of his home. Stubbs was sentenced to a suspended jail sentence of two years for the brothel offence and six months for the firearm offence. Gatty was sentenced to 120 hours unpaid community work. When police searched the

farm in Berkeley in 2012, they found it had an indoor swimming pool and a temperaturecontrolled basement containing 116 cars including Mercedes, Bentleys and Lamborghinis. Stubbs and Gatty had denied keeping brothels between November 2009 and March 2012. In court the prosecution said Gatty banked more than £800,000 in this period, while declaring an income of less than £80,000. The other brothel was at

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Highland Crescent in Clifton, known as Panache. DC Emma George, who led the investigation, said: “These sentences should act as a warning to anyone involved in running a brothel, that we will bring them to justice. “The fact that we are now pursuing their assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act shows that we are committed to recovering money and other assets that have been derived from crime and sends a message that crime does not pay.”

repair/upgrade/replace

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Established over 35 years ago, our family-run business offers a one-stop shop for window and door maintenance. We can repair, upgrade and replace: • Locks for windows, doors, patio sets, French doors & upgrades • Handles, locking and two stage handles (vent) & upgrades • Window hinges, restrictors & gaskets  • Misted double-glazed units and glass of all types   • Cat flap installation into glass, UPVC & timber

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• UPVC doors from £550 • UPVC windows from £235 Wessex Glass Co, Stanley Hill, Totterdown, Bristol BS4 3AY

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Bristol Dogs & Cats Home He’s a top student who loves to learn

OLLOWING on from Belle in the September issue, we wanted to introduce you to Buster. Buster is an incredibly friendly three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier cross who loves everyone he meets. He bonds very closely with people and because of this he is looking for a home where someone is at home for most of the day. Like all of the animals in our care, Buster spends time with our animal behaviourists and has training sessions most days so he can become the best pet possible. He loves learning almost as much as he loves food, which makes training him very easy. He really is a Grade A student and he is looking for a home where he can learn even more! We are lucky that we have

Buster loves food and loves training, which makes teaching him easy

dedicated dog walking volunteers who come and take our dogs out every day. Our walkers take the dogs all around the area including to the park or to Arnos Vale cemetery – make sure you say hello to our volunteers if you see them walking by. Buster loves this time of day and exploring parts of Bristol. He walks well on the lead but is sometimes unsure around other dogs and might hang back if their paths cross. He would love to

Police update We’re on the lookout for careless parkers

ITH the leaves turning and nights drawing in, it feels like autumn has suddenly arrived. So, it’s time for Ashton Gate to come back to life for another season. Good news for City fans – and Bristol Rugby, too - but we’re well aware it can also mean misery for local residents who can find their streets resembling badly organised car parks on match days. Last year, we dealt with a lot of complaints about parking, with people blocking driveways, parking on corners and pavements, and making emergency access impossible. While the new bus services will hopefully help to reduce the number of people choosing to drive to games, we’ve also put plans in place to have two PCSOs on patrol at each home game. Depending on the

Clever Buster: He’s looking for a home where someone is at home a lot, and where regular walks can become a big part of his day find a home where walks can become a big part of the day. Because he’s a bit tentative around other dogs, poor Buster sometimes finds kennel life a bit of a struggle due to having doggy neighbours. Buster would make the most

With Sgt Caroline Crane, Bedminster police station

circumstances, the officers will give words of advice, issue a ticket or, if a vehicle’s causing an obstruction, get it towed. They’ll be out and about but, with a large area to cover, still need people to report incidents to them so they can deal accordingly. Please call the non-emergency number 101 if it needs sorting out on the day or, if it’s a more general complaint or you just want to flag a problem, please use the ‘contact us’ section of the website. We’re currently also considering introducing the same arrangement for the big rugby fixtures.

relatives and neighbours who may feel uneasy. Please consider printing off a poster on their behalf that states ‘No trick or treaters’, which will be available from our website.

ootball aside, the team is working to reduce the antisocial behaviour caused by street drinkers on Coronation Road and enforcing the pedestrian zone on East Street. Each year, we run special operations to help ensure key events like Halloween and Bonfire Night are fun, familyfriendly occasions instead of an excuse for anti-social behaviour, intimidation and reckless behaviour – especially where

amazing companion for the right person. Who could say no to that smiley face! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer dog walker, you can find an application form on our website. • rspca-bristol.org.uk

Halloween should be fun, not an excuse for senseless intimidation fireworks are concerned. This year’s no exception and you can expect to see additional patrols, especially in previous hotspots, to help prevent any problems. As ever, we’d urge people to keep an eye on any elderly or vulnerable

inally, I’m proud to highlight the work of two of my officers who were instrumental in helping to save a man’s life in Bedminster last month. The man in question was threatening to jump from a height. I would like to thank the members of the public who helped to restrain him until we arrived. We hope he now receives the support he needs. Please continue to support our efforts by reporting any suspicious or criminal behaviour to us on the non-emergency number, 101, or through our website. Remember, you can also give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through www.crimestoppersuk.org. They never ask for your name and cannot trace your call. Until next time, Sergeant Caroline Crane

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Bristol’s Largest Indoor Window and Door Showroom is Open at Crystal Clear

WINDOWS • DOORS • CONSERVATORIES • ROOFLIGHTS

View the extensive range of stunning designer and traditional doors, windows and rooflights at Crystal Clear’s showroom or online at www.crystalclearbristol.co.uk ✓ Extensive Showroom ✓ Striking Designs, offering Low Upkeep, Energy Efficiency, Ease of Use and High Security ✓ PVCu, Aluminium, Sliding Sash and Casement Windows ✓ Composite, Bi-fold, Sliding, French, Stable and Patio Doors ✓ Exclusive Supplier of the MODO Collection from Apeer ✓ Established Local Company with an Excellent Reputation

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News

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Cycle routes divide opinion OPINION is split among those who use Victoria Park about plans to run a 5m wide cycleway through it. Consultation is now largely over on plans for two major cycle routes through the south of the city – the Filwood Quietway and the Malago Greenway. The two schemes will cost almost £3m and have the aim of making cycling more attractive as a way of reaching the city centre from South Bristol. But a survey among members of Victoria Park Action Group (VPAG) found that many didn’t know about the plans. Many did not want to see cycle paths 5m wide, fearing this will allow cyclists to ride faster and put pedestrians and children at risk. VPAG wants a path no more than 3m wide. Many did not want to see permanent lighting, though more were keen on lights that are movement-sensitive and point

FILWOOD QUIETWAY £2.3m budget

be built opposite end of Whitehouse Street.

From Creswicke Road, to Filwood Broadway, across Northern Slopes at Glyn Vale, Wedmore Vale, St John’s Lane, Almorah Road, Hill Avenue into Victoria Park; around the park by ‘high’ or ‘low’ route, to Windmill Close, Whitehouse Lane, to the New Cut, where a new bridge may

Possible routes in Victoria Park down so they don’t cause light pollution. Nor do they want to see enlarged entrances to the park that could allow motorcyclists in. “There has been a surge in interest in this project since the first proposals came out. People did not realise the scale of the plans,” Shaun Hennessy, chair of VPAG, told the Voice. Mr Hennessy has told Sustrans,

who are assessing the route, that VPAG’s committee and its members were split on some issues. The committee prefer the cycle route kept outside the park, while the members are split between inside and outside. But the time allowed for the survey was short and it may not be representative, he said. Sustrans are expected to come back with revised proposals. Some people are also opposed to changes in Whitehouse Street, where a cycle lane is planned along the east side. There would be no entry from Coronation

MALAGO GREENWAY £600,000 budget

From Hartcliffe Way to Hastings Road, Parson Street, Brixham Road open space, Marksbury Road open space, Francis Road, over St John’s Lane to follow River Malago, across Windmill Hill open space to Windmill Close.

Road, to stop rat-running, and no right turn from Whitehouse Street onto Coronation Road. A new bridge for cyclists and pedestrians may be built opposite the end of Whitehouse Street. “It looks like the council are trying to kill off the businesses on Whitehouse Street,” posted one resident on Facebook. Consultation on the Whitehouse Street proposals is open until October 7 but feedback on the rest of the two cycle schemes has closed. However, there may be calls for the consultation to be extended.

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View the Stunning Range of Windows, Doors, Rooflights and Conservatories at Crystal Clear’s New Showroom VIEW and touch Crystal Clear’s extensive range of doors, windows and rooflights at their brand new Bristol showroom in Brislington. The business recently moved to new, larger premises next door to their previous building, which is easy to find as it’s painted in Crystal Clear’s striking pink. The new showroom is Bristol’s largest indoor window and door showroom and showcases a wide range of energyefficient doors, windows, glazing, rooflights and conservatories, offering low upkeep combined with ease of use and high security. The extensive range includes PVCu, aluminium, sliding sash and casement windows, along with composite, bi-fold, sliding, French, stable and patio doors and striking rooflights. Whatever the size of the project and budget, the experienced teams pride themselves on making a difference to your home. The team specialise in a bespoke supply and fit service for windows, doors, secondary double glazing and glazed roof solutions,

from the smallest window to a complete conservatory build, for all styles and ages of homes, all combining stylish design, unique features and strict British and European standards, ensuring quality, integrity, longevity and security. Crystal Clear place great importance on attention to detail and delivering the very highest standards of customer service. Whether you’re looking for windows, doors, rooflights or conservatories, Crystal Clear

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Cli on High School co-educa onal nursery school to sixth form

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Planning applications 86 East Street (37 Herbert Street) Bedminster BS3 4EY Erection of a block of 11 flats, including a proposed lift. (Major application). Withdrawn 26 Cromwell Street Bristol BS3 3NT Demolition of 3-bed house and garage, construction of two houses with associated landscaping. Granted subject to conditions 36 Mansfield Street BS3 5PR Minor internal layout changes as a small single storey extension to the rear to allow property be let through Airbnb as short term holiday lets. Pending consideration

floor and second floor from office use (Use Class B1) to residential (Use Class C3). Pending consideration

letter signs at Ashton Road and Winterstoke Road entrances and two flagpoles. Granted subject to conditions

16 Duckmoor Road BS3 2BY Two storey side extension. Pending consideration

9 Ashton Gate Road BS3 1SZ Single storey rear extension. Granted subj. to conditions

63 Smyth Road BS3 2DS Loft conversion and alterations including new front bay window and porch. Pending consideration

17 Raynes Road BS3 2DJ Rear roof extension and installation of roof lights. Granted

47 Bedminster Down Road BS13 7AB Mixed use development for seven flats and two retail units. Pending consideration

36 Islington Road BS3 1QB Single storey rear extension to extend beyond the rear by 6m, of maximum height of 2.97m with eaves of 2.87m. Granted

3 Ashton Gate Terrace BS3 1TA New garage/workshop and store over existing hardstanding at rear of garden. Granted subject to conditions

124 Swiss Drive BS3 2RP Single storey rear extension to extend beyond the rear by 4.25m, of maximum height 4m with eaves 3m high. Granted

The Grange, Parklands Road BS3 2JW Proposed basement formed to previously approved single-storey side extension. Withdrawn

2 Argus Road BS3 3PA Redevelopment of former scrap metal yard to provide five 3-storey houses. Granted subject to conditions

14 Stanley Street South BS3 3PG Single storey rear extension to extend beyond the rear by 4.9m, of maximum height 3m with eaves 2.5m high. Granted

Second Floor Flat, 75 Coronation Road BS3 1AT Retention of works relating to repositioning of 1960s studwall in top floor flat, to provide a double bedroom. Granted subject to conditions

St Paul’s Vicarage, Southville Road BS3 1DG T1 Ash: Fell. T2 Cherry Plum: Fell. Granted

156 South Liberty Lane BS3 2TJ Side and rear single storey extension. Granted subject to conditions 25-27 Banwell Road BS3 2DW Single storey rear extensions to 25 and 27 Banwell Road. Granted subj. to conditions Land at Norfolk Place, Bedminster Construction of two storey, 2-bedroom, four person dwelling. Granted subject to conditions 55 Sion Road BS3 3BD Side dormer loft conversion. Pending consideration 17 Duckmoor Road BS3 2DD Change of use of part of the ground floor for access into residential area and the first

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8 Osborne Terrace BS3 3PT First floor rear extension to existing single-storey extension. Refused 189 Ashton Drive BS3 2PY Rear extension. Granted subject to conditions Bristol City Football Club, Ashton Road BS3 2EJ Approved details in relation to condition 32 (Public Address System) of permission 14/00751/X: Variation of Condition 48 (List of Approved Plans) attached to permission 13/03517/F for redevelopment of Ashton Gate stadium, to substitute plans to reflect proposed minor material amendments to the Wedlock, Williams and Dolman stands. (Major application). Granted Bristol City Football Club, Ashton Road BS3 2EJ Two

16-20 South Liberty Lane BS3 2SR Erection of two office cabins for a temporary period of two years. Granted subject to conditions Industrial Therapy Organisation, Lydstep Terrace BS3 1DR Variation of conditions for permission 14/01837/F: Conditions 2, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 15 to allow occupation of houses or commercial units independently of each other. Pending consideration 29 Kingston Road BS3 1DS Loft conversion to rear of property not visible from any highway. Granted 71 East Street Bedminster BS3 4HB Refurbishment of shop front. Change of use to first and second floors from dental laboratory (Use Class B1) to 2-bedroom maisonette (Use Class C3). Granted subject to conditions Oakleigh, Parklands Road BS3 2JW Installation of a traditional conservation roof window to match existing. Granted subj. to conditions 5 St Peters Court, Bedminster Parade BS3 4AQ Change of use from former ice cream parlour to Use Class D1 to create a private chiropractic clinic. Granted subject to conditions 5 St Peters Court Bedminster Parade BS3 4AQ Replacement of existing signage. Granted subject to conditions 46 Ashton Vale Road BS3 2HQ Extensions at first floor to raise the height of two workshops with external staircase to mezzanine floor office space. Pending consideration

1 Melville Terrace BS3 1EU Change of use from store to single bed dwelling with first floor extension. Granted subject to conditions 127-129 East Street Bedminster BS3 4ER Conversion to six dwellings (Class C3), minor external alterations. Pending decision Rear of 171-178 Coronation Road BS3 1RF Change of use from B1 (office) to A1 (retail) of ground floor commercial space in Block A. Pending consideration 23 Warden Road BS3 1BU Demolition of singlestorey garage, construction of two storey garage block with first floor residential annexe. Pending consideration

155A Coronation Road BS3 1RE Outline application for single dwelling to the rear. Pending consideration 71 North Street, Bedminster BS3 1ES New fascia sign, “Earthcake”, on front elevation. Pending consideration Land to rear of 48-52 Bedminster Parade BS3 4HS Demolition of store and construction of nine flats. Pending consideration Land and building on north east of Philip Street, behind 94-96 Bedminster Parade, Bedminster Construction of eight apartments. Pending consideration Storage building and land at Raleigh Road, Southville Demolition of single storey structure; new four-storey building fronting Raleigh Road of three houses and six apartments, with 14 off-street car parking spaces. Pending consideration 117 East Street, Bedminster BS3 4EX New door and new kitchen extraction. Pending consideration 2A North Street, Bedminster BS3 1HT Infill single storey rear extension. Pending consideration • The status of these applications may have changed since we went to press. Check for updates at planningonline.bristol.gov.uk

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southbristolvoice www.southbristolvoice.co.uk Reports from your councillors – Southville 28

October 2016

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HE Green Party has a picture of campaigners Glenn Vowles, Graham Davey and Gundula Charlie Dorey standing Bolton at Three Lamps Green, junction wearing Southville a gas mask. The picture was taken in 1990. There is another picture of me from the 1990s dressed up as a mad hatter, partaking in a Mad Hatters Pollution Tea Party. Air pollution has been an issue for years, and the links with the diseases or illnesses it causes get more alarming. Dementia is the most recent I have seen, but cancer, heart disease, asthma, respiratory disease and mental health issues have all been linked to poor air quality. To be fair, it has improved a bit over the years. But the city breaks EU limits for the annual mean level of nitrogen dioxide at well over half the sites in which it is measured. And for the

particulate pollutant PM2.5 there is no known safe limit. Globally, air pollution has been estimated to cost £5 trillion dollars per year. (I can’t even think how many noughts that is!). In the UK it costs 40,000 lives per year, and a few hundred of these are in Bristol. The most significant local source is from vehicle emissions. Greens put in an amendment to last year’s budget to establish a Clean Air Zone, by defining where it should go and how it should work. It was voted down by the Tories and Labour on the pretext that they knew what they wanted. Since then, nothing. So we intend to campaign to make sure they introduce such a zone. We will be asking how many people have to die before they take action. And we will be putting pressure on them both inside and outside the council. We want to hear what you think. To see our survey go to our website bristolgreenparty.org.uk and find the air pollution campaign. Thanks in anticipation.

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system, adult education and licensing of everything from acupuncturists to tattoo parlours. We probably are aware that the council supports the arts with grants to organisations like our own lovely Tobacco Factory and is supporting regeneration projects such as the new arena. Many other services are provided by the council but one is huge, and is growing much faster than all the others: social care. Broadly, this is the council’s obligation to support young vulnerable adults, older people and people with disabilities. This support comes in many forms including day centres (three), supported housing, respite care, transport, support at home (such as meals on wheels), children in care and fostering, mental health, drug dependency and many others. My view is that we are now in severe danger of losing these vital services through death by a thousand cuts. The mayor needs to show much more real leadership to ensure that this does not happen.

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OU will know by now that more council cuts are happening as an (apparently unexpected) £29 Stephen million needs to Clarke be found. There Green, is talk of 1,000 Southville council jobs being lost (out of about 7,000) and protests by the unions and others (including my own Green group of councillors). Many of you will think it is a shame but won’t really think it will have a huge impact on you personally. So; to paraphrase John Cleese; what has the council ever done for us? The services that most of us will be aware of are rubbish collection (including recycling), some schools, libraries, sports centres (nine of them), allotments (over 100 areas), parks and museums (six of these) and council homes (27,000 tenants). We might also be aware that the council runs the planning

How to get in touch with your councillors – page 2

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www.southbristolvoice.co.uk southbristolvoice Reports from your councillors – Bedminster

October 2016

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EVIEWS into existing residents’ parking zones are under way and the Southville and Bedminster East schemes are in the first phase, with comments needed by October 21. Bower Ashton will be in a second phase of reviews. More details can be found at bristol. gov.uk/parking/residentsparking-scheme-local-reviews and in local libraries and at the Citizen Service Point at 100 Temple Street. You can also request a paper copy of the survey by emailing consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2000. Local councillors, working with officers and the wider neighbourhood partnerships, will be leading the reviews and collating views and suggestions. The review will be mainly conducted online. RPS areas will continue to receive an annual ‘healthcheck’ review when local changes can be considered. Knowing how contentious the whole issue of parking is, no one

Mark Bradshaw Labour, Bedminster

Celia Phipps Labour, Bedminster

expects complete agreement, but where there is strong support for local changes, these will be assessed. Given the major constraints on the council budget, proposals will also be costed. Because traffic and parking powers are strictly regulated under national legislation, any proposals also need to be lawful and enforceable. North Street Green In Bedminster, the local parks and green spaces have always been a priority for investment and community support. We benefit from having such dedicated groups of local campaigners and doers. North

Monday

Knowle Filwood Community Centre Barnstaple Road, Knowle BS4 1JP 9.30am, 11.30am, 5.30pm, 7.30pm Tel: Kim 07920 023170 Clifton St Peter & Paul Cathedral Pembroke Road, Clifton BS8 3BX 5.30pm Tel: Susan 07711 388511 Ashton Ashton Vale Primary School Avebury Road, Ashton BS3 2QG 7.30pm Tel: Emma 07701 030460

Street Green at the top of Luckwell Road perhaps needs a revamp, maybe as a local space for music and other performers? It is used during local events but is relatively hidden away by surrounding buildings and advertising hoardings. Ideas are welcome! Housing – more of it, and affordable Housing, and transport remain the dominant priorities for the council. All councillors get a lot of housing-related casework. With a growing proportion of residents now living in private rented accommodation, the pressure is increasing. All councils have very few powers over this market so rents just increase and conditions worsen for more and more people. Our council has now formally adopted the ACORN Bristol Ethical Lettings charter (you can find out more at ethical-lettings. org.uk). This is a big step and is about fairness, transparency and ensuring tenants have a safe,

Tuesday

Bedminster Salvation Army, Dean Lane, Bedminster BS3 1BS 9.30am, 6pm Tel: Virginia 07938 567886 Knowle Church of the Nazarene Broadwalk, Knowle BS4 2RD 9.30am, 11.30am, 5.30pm, 7.30pm Tel: Susan 07711 388511

Wednesday

Bedminster St Francis Church, North Street, Bedminster BS3 1JP

clean and decent home in which to live. It is not about demonising good landlords and agents – actually, it could help to strengthen the market by ensuring good practice is identified and rewarded. There are also some additional licensing measures that are being considered – these are already in place in two areas in North and East Bristol. We also need to see a stepchange in how quickly new homes are built and particularly affordable ones. The term ‘affordable’ is often misused and the rents involved can be prohibitively high for most people. Getting more homes built within reach of people on average wages or below is what we want to achieve. There is land already designated for homes, approved by planners, but where development has yet to happen. Please contact us if you think we can be of help or if you want to let us know about suggestions for improving Bedminster – our contact details are on page 2.

9.30am, 5pm, 7pm Tel: Kelly 07760 623115

Thursday

Bedminster Oasis Academy, Marksbury Road, Bedminster BS3 5JU 5.30pm, 7.30pm Tel: Kelly 07760 623115

Saturday

Bedminster Salvation Army Dean Lane, Bedminster BS3 1BS 9am Tel: Susan 07711 388511

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News

Share a story DO YOU enjoy a good story, read aloud? Older people are invited to a Shared Reading session at Monica Wills House, Cromwell Road, Bedminster, at 2-3.30pm on Friday October 21. A trained reader will read out stories and poems, with pauses to share thoughts, and people can take turns to join in if they want. Tea and biscuits provided. It’s part of Bristol Shares Reading: details from 07812 238 532 or email samanthaweaver@ thereader.org.uk

Library appeal LIBRARIES in South Bristol are looking for volunteers with a wide range of skills to help with a variety of different roles. Currently these include running Storytimes, supporting Babybounce sessions, assisting at author events, and IT buddies. Volunteers can give as much or as little time as they like. • bristol.gov.uk/libraries

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October 2016

Clocktower is saved

Clock this: The 1930s features of the old car showroom will be preserved, and new housing built behind THE ART deco clocktower at the former Cruickshank car showroom on the corner of Winterstoke Road, Ashton, is to be saved when the site is rebuilt as a self storage warehouse. The building still bears the Mercedes logo on top of the tower and is a rare survivor of a flamboyant 1930s car showroom. The site was largely demolished in 2008, since when

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the tower and some of the art deco mouldings such as wire wheels and steering wheels have cracked and deteriorated. The developer will knock down the tower but will rebuild it with the art deco features carefully copied or preserved. The plans show a 9,764 sq m three-storey warehouse to be used by Access Self Storage. Customers will be able to drive in

to store and collect belongings. A new terrace will also be built on the south side of Bower Ashton Terrace – currently a street with houses on one side only. There will be seven two-bedroom maisonettes and seven one-bedroom flats. There will be parking spaces for 15 vehicles on the self storage site and 14 for the new homes – one for each household.

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October 2016

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Features

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Author Amy has cut out the middleman and won fans for her adventures finds Beccy Golding

MY Morse is an authorpreneur: one of a new breed of self- published, self-employed authors who have bypassed the traditional publishing scene to make a go of it on their own. The Bedminster author is also pretty prolific, having just completed the last of her four-book Sheridan and Blake fiction series. I met Amy in a café in Knowle. From one of her canvas bags she pulled out what appeared to be a small treasure chest. Inside were her four novels – the Sheridan and Blake series - started in 2008 and completed this year. The first of the series is called The Bronze Box – hence the treasure chest – and starts this series of twisty-turny thrillers centred around archaeologist Sasha Blake, and Tim Sheridan, an operative of secret organisation The Agency. The action starts in Bulgaria – which is where, in real life, Amy had her “what-if?” moment. Visiting an archaeological museum after moving to Bulgaria with her husband in 2008, she wondered what men would really do for a priceless artefact. The “epic global adventure” sees the pair following clues across the world to find the bronze box, which has been stolen from an archaeological dig. Somehow (you’ll have to read it to find out how) the pair end up in Bristol, where fun local plot-twists include a slow-car chase down Gloucester Road, action on Park Street, and a moment of peril on the Suspension Bridge where they’re panicking to find money for the toll! Amy said the whole story is “written as a bit of a puzzle” with “Dan Brown-esque historical snippets and bits from all over the place that don’t seem to fit” until they are cleverly pulled together at the end. She told me her writing process includes the back of a

Homely: The adventures feature Bristol settings PICTURE: Beccy Golding

Join Amy on her mission into mystery door covered in Post-it notes with important scenes on them, moved about and linked until it all works as a whole. Add to this a classic “will they, won’t they” relationship between the two heroes and lots of big dramatic scenes. Amy clearly knows the Bristol Festival of Literature October 20-29 Amy is on the committee and thoroughly recommends anyone with an interest in reading or writing to go along. It showcases acclaimed authors alongside voices from across

whole thing intimately, telling me about her characters and the action so vividly it’s like it’s all happened to her. When I asked her if she does book readings she said she doesn’t – because she knows the voices of her characters so well it doesn’t the city. Open-mics, workshops, talks, storytelling and literature slams (hosted by South Bristol favourite Angie Belcher), with local events including spooky Tales of the Crypt held at Arnos Vale cemetery. • unputdownable.org

sound right to her when she reads what they say in her own voice! Though she stared writing the first book in 2008, she didn’t publish it until 2013 – so the next three books have emerged in quickfire succession over the last three years. After the initial idea “the rest of the story was already written in my head, and I always knew it would be more than one book.” The first book ends with a big cliff-hanger (another device Amy loves). Solomon’s Secret, the second book, includes revenge, traps and double agents, and an important manuscript housed at Bristol University. (Amy used Bristol-based crowd-funding organisation Fundsurfer to raise funds for professional consultation on this one.) Books three and four, jointly Gabriel’s Game, continue the story – part 1, The White Queen, with references to historical Bristol in the early 1200s, was published in 2015, and part 2, The Black Knight, wraps up the whole saga and was published this year. I asked Amy why she decided to self-publish. “It was a big step to be a writer,” she said; something she’d always wanted but that perhaps hadn’t been taken seriously by others. Living in Bedminster since 2010, she feels embedded in the writing community in Bristol, from whose members she has drawn insights and advice. She realised that contracts are hard to get and publishers take most of your money, so she decided to do it herself. With her background in business support she also decided to do it in a business-like way. “I had a product to sell, and proof (after the first book) that people like it.” She’s also written a non-fiction book Blogging For Business, published in 2013. She does a lot of blogging – it’s part of her promotional activity, as well as a way of helping businesses. To date Amy has sold more than 5,000 copies of her Sheridan and Blake series. The books are published under her maiden name – Amy Fitzjohn. It’s also pretty unusual – which means it’s easier to Google! Amy’s next book is a spin-off featuring a different character from the books. And Bristol. And plenty of adventure, plot-twists and cliff-hangers, no doubt.

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October 2016

Take a spin round the club

It’s been years in the making but Jess’s vision for an arts hub is almost there

WHAT HAPPENS AT SOUTHBANK? Saturday October 1 Recession Fashion Show – cheeky clothes show promising a hilarious night out. Friday October 14 Milonga – Argentinian tango music & dance plus bar.

finds Beccy Golding

HE building that is now the SouthBank Club was previously a traditional social club; all Artex and bland 1960s decorations, offering darts, skittles and beer to a dwindling number of locals. When Jess Newton bought it in 2007 his vision was to create a different kind of community resource – a community arts hub. Jess has had an interesting journey to get to his position as owner and project manager of this great big building on an inside corner of Dean Lane, next to Holy Cross primary school, halfway between Bristol South swimming pool and the Coronation pub. He’s got some great stories too. Five years as a language teacher in the Middle East (“at one point they made me an honorary officer of the Kuwaiti army!”), and nearly 15 years in construction, have been balanced by many years with his fingers in a variety of dance pies. Jess began teaching social dance in 1997, went on to run dance and live music events, then got into promotion and management – he was involved in the (no longer running) Bristol Dance Festival, and has organised events including the first-ever dance stage at Bristol Harbourside, a dance stage at the Balloon Fiesta with Cirque Bijou, and Bath International Festival. He was even a dance consultant on Aardman’s film Chicken Run (“my name’s on the credits!”). But these were all one-off projects. “The next logical step was to get a base,” Jess told me, “that has a social element as well as the arts.” Jess is pretty handy. Which is lucky because the budget has been tight. He’s been renovating the building bit by bit, and recycling

Thursday October 20 Keep The Beat – Ujima Radio cabaret & fundraiser for organ & blood donations. Musicians include Troy Ellis and Makala Cheung with DJ Style and South West Dance Theatre. Friday October 21 Ain’t Misbehavin – swing dance taster classes start at 7.45pm with social dancing from 8.30pm. Sunday October 23 Sunday Night Stories: sci-fi & fantasy from the The Twilight Zone, part of Bristol Festival of Literature. For more info go to southbankclub.webs.com the building that SouthBank took part in Doors Open Day in September – a chance to show off the completed renovations and for locals to try some activities.

Labour of love: Jess Newton has been renovating the SouthBank bit by bit. “The ambience is an ongoing pleasure!” PICTURE: Beccy Golding materials from one part of it to another. “The floor in the main hall came from the dance studio upstairs, the double glazing has been used in different windows – we’ve re-used everything.” It’s got a nice vibe. As Jess puts it “the ambience of the place is an ongoing pleasure! I re-built the bar myself, using slate from snooker tables, hand-beaten copper and recycled doors.” There’s even a great story about him travelling to Italy for a second-hand coffee machine which he carried home on his back – ask him some time. The last part of this almost

decade-long project is to complete the back of the building – pulling down ceilings, removing Artex, replacing it all with high ceilings and Mediterranean-style plastering a la Jess – and landscaping the garden. In the near future this area will become a café open to the public, with craft beers and Sunday lunches. The garden will have a pergola and a water feature – it’s going to be a good space with interesting views out across the back of local buildings. “It’s the icing on a 10-year project!” said Jess. There’s been such interest in

he club has just launched a new children’s programme. There have always been some events for kids but the new programme is bigger with options including Clown Club (for 2-5 years and 5-8 years), Spanish pre-school and afterschool clubs (with a French one starting soon), pre-school art and craft workshops during the day, an afterschool art club for the bigger kids, Drama Queens theatre-making group, and a hula hoop dance course. Other dance opportunities include ballet classes for a range of ages, and Dance Mums – a fitness class where the toddlers can join in! A collaboration with LinkAge has added line dancing and a cinema club for the over-50s to the programme. There’s also a range of language courses for

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October 2016

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that’s now a community hub

Packing the floor: The SouthBank is a great space for dance as well as music, and with Jess’s dance background, the variety of events is huge adults. As you’d expect with Jess’s dance background, there is a strong programme of dance and movement classes: from Monday to Thursday there are adult classes including contemporary, salsa, swing and African, as well as tai chi, kung fu and krav maga (an Israeli method of self defence). Not forgetting my personal favourite, nia – a really friendly class offering a fabulous combo of dance, martial arts and yoga, all set to some great feel-good tunes – it’s my must-do on a Tuesday night! The monthly salsa night is popular. Recent one-off events

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included workshops with awardwinning West African dance and music company Ballet Nimba, while soon there’s a cabaret evening organised by Ujima Radio in aid of blood and organ donation, and Writers Unchained Sunday night stories – all coming up in October (see box). Nearly 10 years ago Jess had a vision for a dance, music and community arts space. SouthBank now offers a surprisingly wide range of groups, classes and workshops, as well as live music and dance events. Next year’s birthday celebrations will be welldeserved!

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Karin Smyth Are you in line for some of the millions left unclaimed?

ANY Voice readers will know about my community one-stop shop events aimed at ensuring local people are receiving all their financial entitlements. I believe that having worked and contributed to the system in different ways everyone should get what they’re rightly entitled to. Over £16 million in pension credit and £20 million of income support goes unclaimed each year in our city alone, so these hands-on events are one of the ways I help support people living across South Bristol. The next one is on Friday October 21 from 10.30am-12.30pm at the Gatehouse Centre, Hareclive Road, BS13 9JN. Financial experts from Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau, South Bristol Advice Services, the Department for Work and Pensions, Care and Repair, Bristol

The MP’s view Each month Bristol South Labour MP Karin Smyth gives her perspective Credit Union, Wessex Water, Bristol Water and others will be there to help guide people to claim what’s theirs. All are welcome. Just as people should claim what’s rightly theirs, so too should everyone pay their fair share of tax. This extends to businesses, including global firms that operate in the UK. There’s long been widespread concern

about multinationals, with fears that some of them use complicated arrangements to effectively pick and choose the tax they pay in different countries. So I’m pleased to report the success, in early September, of a Labour backbench amendment to the Government’s Finance Bill. The introduction of country-by-country tax reporting would force global corporations to disclose where they do business, how much they make and what tax they pay. I’ve supported my colleague Caroline Flint MP’s amendment from the start – it arose from our joint work together on the Public Accounts Committee. Corporate transparency is vital to restore taxpayers’ faith about the way big business operates. Despite being in opposition, which can sometimes be frustrating, the success of this amendment highlights what can be achieved by backbench MPs working across party lines. In the context of the challenges the UK faces from Brexit, transparency – achieved by months of opposition MPs working to persuade other parties – might seem a small achievement. But it’s a victory for fairer taxation, and sends a clear message to corporations which move their profits to low-tax havens that they must play by the same rules as any South Bristol business, large or small.

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Arts Poet who abhors the poetic persuaded into print

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NE of the most distinctive poetic voices Bristol has ever produced has just published his first volume – at the age of 93. Ray Webber was born in 1923 near Bristol Bridge, into a city of slums, gas lights and back streets. He now lives in a supported housing complex in Knowle. Sometimes we expect people who have reached a venerable age to recount a life of virtue, hard work and dedication to the war effort. Ray’s poetry is about none of this – except for a single, harrowing war poem. Instead his volume, High On Rust, is crammed with hangovers, escapades, Beat-era excesses and a pitiless self-awareness. That makes it sound like hard work. But the wonder of Ray’s poetry, which has won the praise of critics from the Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement down, is the humour that flows through them. There is also a lot of swearing – which makes it hard to quote in a family publication. my real name is Mervin Derryberry Grubcock. my father was a part-time docker and a full-time anarchist. my mother was a full-time domestic slave and a double-time catholic saint. So begins ‘The beautiful miracle of childbirth’, which involves a drunken midwife, a bomb going off and a father arriving with a flagon of stout in each pocket, with unmentionable disasters all around. “The element of truth in it is the nature of the conflict between me and my parents. The actual facts are very dull,” he said. “It seems to be a middle class obsession to remember all sorts of details about their childhood

Ray Webber: Prize-winning poet gets into print at last at the age of 93 that are of absolutely no interest to most people. So what I do, I make up things which are only psychologically true.” What is true is that Ray’s father was a full-time anarchist – actually a member of the Communist Party who worked so hard for a revolution that he rarely had a job, and the family was always getting kicked out for not paying the rent. His mother was an indulgent figure who would give him cigarettes at the age of 12 for running errands. (Ray gave up smoking in his 80s, when, he said, walking up hill became difficult.) He left school at 14 and was conscripted into the army at 18, serving through the bloody battles to liberate Italy. He began reading poetry in the army, consuming the Romantics, disliking the First World War poets and moving on to the poets of the 1930s. At first impressed by the complex rhythms of Dylan Thomas, he began to realise that what he couldn’t stand was poetic conceit, and Thomas was full of it. Then he was hit by TS Eliot,

author of The Wasteland, the era-defining poem which in ordinary speech seemed to voice the despair emerging from the First War without ever mentioning it: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” being one of many iconic lines. “Eliot just said his piece,” said Ray. “There were no conceits, he used the vernacular. It was much deeper than the other poets.” Ray determined that when he wrote poetry, it would be like no-one else’s. He called himself “the poet who abhors the poetic”. He realised that what Eliot had done in free verse was actually harder than working with the structure of rhythym and rhyme. A working life as a Bristol postman left him time to study literature. He won a competition for a poem to mark the 600th anniversary of Bristol’s city charter. When he joined a poetry group at the Bristol Arts Centre he began to receive praise. So why has he left it so long to publish? “I didn’t like myself.,” he said. “I didn’t suffer fools gladly. Though a lot of people [at the poetry group] had been to

October 2016

university, I had read a lot more than they had and I became a bit arrogant. ” So his early outpourings – 500 poems – were thrown away. Over the years he built up 500 more, but when anyone mentioned publication he could not face the work of revising them. Finally Steve Bush, an admirer of Ray’s work for 30 years, persuaded him that he would take on the task of selecting and revising the poems. Richard Jones of Tangent Books, the well-known Bristol publisher based at Paintworks on Bath Road, took on promoting the book, winning attention from national critics. Ray is pleased with the book, adorned with his surreal drawings, though he was too unwell to go to last month’s reception at the Arnolfini to launch it. “I’ve timed it just right, just as I have got one foot in the grave,” he said. Ray has never married but appears far from lonely with many friends and now wellwishers visiting to praise his publication. He told the Voice: “I can praise myself now and again when I think I have done something good. Too much modesty is almost inverse vanity.” Plenty of people who love literature will be hoping Ray is around for a while yet to soak up other people’s praise. Invitation (extract) come on in and sit down have a cigarette a drink what would you like to talk about? being stabbed through the heart stabbed in the back being swindled rejected humiliated bored with routine confused and exasperated by bureaucracy dissatisfied disillusioned disgusted with yourself i’ll listen if it helps but beyond that i can’t do anything for you i can’t change the world i can’t change human nature if i had that sort of power i’d go raving mad anyone can go slighty round the bend you’ve only got to look at me

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October 2016

Arts

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Hard to avoid joining in this joyful evening

A drama that challenges you how to react

REVIEW The Sound of Music, Bristol Hippodrome LIKE many people, I saw The Sound of Music on telly when I was a kid; but I’m not a megafan. I’m not a regular musicalgoer either. However, after watching this show I’m ready to see more! The Hippodrome itself is a flamboyant late-Victorian gem. The stage mechanics and scenery changes are fascinating. All the songs you know and love are here – from Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String, to The Hills Are Alive, to the Lonely Goatherd (yodel-ayhee-hoo) – along with a couple I didn’t remember. And there’s some charming choreography, particularly in Rolf and Liesl’s Sixteen Going on Seventeen. After the obligatory plot-

REVIEW Blue Heart by Caryl Churchill, Tobacco Factory theatre THE Tobacco Factory has moved its theatre space around for these two one-act plays. The audience is ‘in the round’ – all around the edges – with a large square of lino in the middle, and a small kitchen table and four chairs in the middle of that. This simple yet effective set is for the first of tonight’s double bill – Heart’s Desire – with three main characters plus several guests. It’s hard to describe this without giving it all away but it is intriguing, fascinating and very, very watchable. Some parts divided the audience – with some laughing at what appeared to be tragedy, or looking aghast at stuff that made other people laugh. It’s clever, and makes you

Nun better: The Sound of Music setting, the show came alive for me with the entrance of the seven children – the Von Trapp family. The little ones were just as cute as they should be, and their elders had presence and likeability. After a joyful rendition of Doe A Deer (official title Do-Re-Mi), I was fully engaged and enjoying the show. As was the rest of the audience – someone by me said she was finding it hard to resist joining in, and I agreed. The cast included Lucy O’Byrne (as seen on BBC’s The Voice), and Coronation Street’s Andrew Lancel. Beccy Golding

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Blue Heart: Drawing you closer think, and admire the skills of the actors who deliver this unusual, tricksy performance. After the interval the set has changed for Blue Heart. This also has double layers of things to make you think – a plot with a male lead you should hate but you end up feeling for – and a device that draws you in closer and closer as you try to follow a story that gets intentionally lost along the way. The Tobacco Factory revival of this 1997 Caryl Churchill piece now moves to London until November 19. Beccy Golding

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What’s on

Saturday October 1 Potty about Pots Arnos Vale cemetery. Workshop for adults to show how to create four types of pots using different techniques: slab, coil, pinch and thrown. Learn how to throw a pot on the pottery wheel, make a handle, apply underglazes and add decorative details. 10.30am-2.30pm. £50 including materials. Work will be ready to collect 2-4 weeks later. • arnosvale.org.uk/events Saltcellar Folk Club Totterdown Baptist church, entrance off Cemetery Road. Double bill: Simon Boulter and JaCoB (Pete Stearn and Will), all regular Saltcellar performers, each play a set. £5, 7.30pm. • saltcellarfolk.org.uk Sunday October 2 Antique, vintage & collectables fair Ashton Court Mansion. 40 indoor stalls, café open with afternoon cream teas. Adults £2, under 16s free. Main car park: Kennel Lodge entrance via Portishead Road A369. 10am3.30pm. Monday October 3 Mask-making for 8-11 year olds – part of Take It On, a monthly series to learn specialist theatre skills at the Tobacco Factory. 4.15-5.45pm. £6. • tobaccofactorytheatres.com Victoria Park Action Group Victoria Park Bowling Club, 7.30pm. Everyone welcome to discuss issues affecting the park. • vpag.org.uk Wednesday October 5 Book Club and Games Night Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road BS13 7LW. The first meeting of Zion’s book club will discuss two volumes: Hotel World by Ali Smith and The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller – or bring your own favourite to discuss. Also games such as bridge, poker, dominoes, scrabble, backgammon or bring your own. Bar, free entry, 7-10pm. • zionbristol.co.uk Thursday October 6 Reading and writing poetry Windmill Hill City Farm, 10am12noon. Course explores how a poem works, and develops skills for writing poetry using traditional and novel approaches. Seven sessions cost £52 (may be reduced for those on benefit). Run by the WEA: 0845 458 2758. • windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk Franc Cinelli + Duncan Stagg + Laurie McMahon + Tamsin Sayers The Thunderbolt, Bath Road,

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Don Giovanni: A man whose destiny is shaped by his desires

The world’s favourite opera MOZART’S Don Giovanni is for many, the greatest opera ever written: the story of a man driven entirely by desire for sexual conquest, a desire that not only controls his own life but those around him. Opera Project have assembled an line-up of singers new to the Tobacco Factory, led by George von Bergen in the title role, having recently played the Don for English Touring Opera. The role of Donna Anna is taken by the rising young Totterdown. Franc Cinelli’s latest release, The Marvel Age, is Album of the Month for Folk Radio UK. 7.30-11.30pm, £5. • thethunderbolt.net Three Green Bottles Acta theatre, Gladstone Street, Bedminster. A new show from Acta’s young adults’ company, Phoenix. 7-8.30pm. Tickets £2. • acta-bristol.com Saturday October 8 Big ’Uns Music Night with DJ Barry the Bull at Windmill Hill community centre, Vivian Street. 8pm till late. Every second Saturday of the month. This month: All Sorts Mix. • whca.org.uk Doreen Doreen Fiddlers Club, Willway Street, Bedminster. One of Bristol’s best loved and longest lived bands return to one of their spiritual homes. £8 advance, £10 on door. 8pm-2am. • fiddlers.co.uk Sunday October 9 The Boy Who Opened Doors Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road.

international soprano Anna Patalong, with American bass-baritone Benjamin Cahn as Leporello and brilliant young Spanish soprano Laura Ruhi Vidal as Zerlina. Jonathan Lyness conducts the orchestral arrangements. The show runs until October 22 at 7.30pm, but without a show on Sunday, Monday or Thursday. Tickets £32 and £38. Students under 21 £15 (10 per night, Tuesday and Wednesday). • tobaccofactorytheatres.com A puppet drama for children in a magical and powerful small-scale theatre featuring original music. “The Boy Who Opened Doors is a moving story about a young boy’s journey into adulthood, his ability to stand on his own two feet and make choices to achieve his goals.” Two shows at 11.30am and 2.30pm. Suitable for ages 6+, all welcome. Free entry. • zionbristol.co.uk Urban Wildlife Tour Arnos Vale cemetery. “Join our ecologist on this atmospheric tour of our wildlife and plants, in search of autumn species in all their glory. Discover the rich mosaic of habitats that make up Arnos Vale and learn why this urban landscape is so important to Bristol. See if you can spot deer, foxes, buzzards, insects and more!” 1pm-2.30 pm. Not suitable for under 5s. Tickets £5. • arnosvale.org.uk/events Wednesday October 12 An Evening With an Immigrant Tobacco Factory

October 2016

Beyond season at The Cube. Also on October 13. “Awardwinning poet and playwright Inua Ellams tells his ridiculous, fantastic, poignant immigrantstory of escaping extremist Islam, directing an arts festival in Dublin, performing solo shows at the National Theatre, and drinking wine with the Queen of England, without a country to belong to or place to call home.” Cube Microplex, Dove Street South, off King Square, Kingsdown, BS2 8JD. £10. • tobaccofactorytheatres.com Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Fiddlers Club, Willway Street, Bedminster. The legendary name in reggae on his 40th anniversary tour. Supported by Kioko. Tickets £23 advance. 7.30pm. • fiddlers.co.uk Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry: The reggae legend is playing Bedminster

Thursday October 13 Lene Lovich Band The Thunderbolt, Bath Road, Totterdown. Post-punk singer Lene Lovich hit the top of the UK charts with her single Lucky Number in 1979, and was crowned the “Queen of Quirk”, influencing a generation of acts, from Nina Hagen to Boy George. Now touring with a new band. 7.30pm, £14. • thethunderbolt.net Friday October 14 Arnos Vale After Hours “A tour revealing the darker side of Arnos Vale at dusk, in an atmospheric exploration of tragic tales, folk customs and funeral etiquette of Victorian society. You’ll travel along paths overhung with creeping branches, descend into the mortuary crypt and listen out for things that go bump in the night.” Places on this popular annual event sell out quickly. Bring a torch. 7.30-9pm, £8. • arnosvale.org.uk/events Joel Dommett Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken, North Street, Southville. “The star of Sky1’s Bring The Noise, one of the UK’s most energetic and exciting

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October 2016

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What’s on Kerry has the answers – well, some of them

OMETIMES comedy has to tackle difficult subjects. Should I change my life? Sell up and move to the country? Why have I still got my children’s baby teeth in a box? Thankfully there’s a comic who’s prepared to tackle all this head on. Kerry Godliman brings her show Stick or Twist to the Comedy Box this month. “We are living in an age where we can peruse other people’s lives on the internet,” she told the Voice. “We are all faced with the question, should I change my life or leave it as it is? Should I live in a yurt, should I sell up and downsize?” And why does she keep her children’s teeth in a box? “A lot of it’s exploiting people’s affection for their children, so you think if I collect every single thing they have given you, you will have something to look back on when they don’t like you any more.” comedians returns to the road with his new solo show.” £14, 8.30pm. • thecomedybox.co.uk Sunday October 16 Judy’s Vintage Fair Clothing from menswear to womenswear, homewares to collectibles and accessories to jewellery, from 1920s beading to 1990s grunge, at Paintworks, Bath Road. 11am4pm. Entry £2, under 12s free. • judysvintagefair.co.uk Wednesday October 19 Focus The unique Dutch prog rock band fronted by Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their 1970s hits Hocus Pocus and Sylvia. The Tunnels, Temple Meads. With support from The Villanovas. Tickets £14 advance, £16 door. • thetunnelsbristol.co.uk Thursday October 20 Milk Poetry Tobacco Factory theatre. Performances by new talent and poetry professionals including poet, musician and producer Chris Redmond, creator and front man of Tongue Fu, and Jemima Foxtrot with her show Melody, an exploration

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What about the bigger questions – how do we decide if we should change our lives? “Ah, I sort it all out in the show. But people will only find out if they come to see me.” Kerry’s very happy to be playing the Hen & Chicken for a second time – she likes Bristol, and as she says, it’s where every Londoner wants to move to.

She’s a familiar face, seen on TV in Live at the Apollo, and in Our Girl, C4’s Spoons, Pointless Celebrities and many others. She’s even more prolific on radio, being a frequent guest on Radio 4’s News Quiz and Just a Minute, and a central character in Jack Docherty’s comedy about marriage and despair, Start/Stop. It’s funny because we hear all

the internal dialogue that people think but don’t share with their spouses. “Start/Stop is one of my favourites,” she says. “It’s one of those dream jobs because it’s such a good cast, and Jack writes such good scripts.” Another landmark was a role in Mascots, the latest movie by Christopher Guest, maker of fake documentary Spinal Tap. It’s the story of the strange people who dress up as giant animals for sports teams – Kerry plays the wife of a hedgehog lookalike who flies to the US for a competition. “It was a kind of dream,” she says. “I got a call out of the blue asking if I wanted to go to LA for five weeks. It’s all improvised – it was scary on the first day but Christopher’s very good at getting people to relax.” What else is in the offing? The live tour takes Kerry to the end of October. Then she’ll be seen in a new sitcom, Carters Get Rich, on Sky in January. Then it’ll be back to staring at that box of children’s teeth … • Kerry Godliman: Stick or Twist, Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken, Southville, 8pm, October 19

of music and memory which received a five-star review from The Stage. £7. • tobaccofactorytheatres.com Keep The Beat Bristol’s Ujima Radio hosts a cabaret at the SouthBank Club, Dean Lane, Bedminster to raise awareness of blood and organ donation, especially in black and ethnic minority communities. Music from Troy Ellis, Makala Cheung, DJ Style, South West Dance Theatre, Miles Chambers and Dawn Parry. Hosted by Mistri and Miss Divine. £10, 7-11pm. • southbankclub.webs.com Saturday October 22 Cheeki Monkeys Big Baby and Children’s Indoor Market St Aldhelm’s Church, Chessel Street, Bedminster BS3 3TT. Secondhand children’s items, 1.30-3.30pm. Free car parking, refreshments, “plenty to keep the little ones entertained”. Stalls available from £10: contact Mel on 07946 583396. Facebook: • cheekimonkeysbs3andbs4 Doodle Day for children, Paintworks, Bath Road, Totterdown. Celebrate the

International Big Draw Festival with art workshops and storytelling for children and their families. Morning 11am-1pm, afternoon 2-4pm. £8 per child over two years, grown-ups free. Also children’s boutique clothing, food and smoothies, and Anorak magazine’s caravan bookshop. • picatic.com/doodleday The Emperials Known as Bristol’s ska-institution and the South West’s favourite ska band, the eight-piece Emperials have a huge repertoire of ska and reggae classics, Two Tone hits and more. The Tunnels, Temple Meads 7.30pm. £7. • thetunnelsbristol.co.uk Tuesday October 25 The Weir Tobacco Factory. Coproduced with Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, “multi award-winning playwright Conor McPherson’s The Weir is a play brimming with heartfelt humour and confessions of our deepest fears in the dead of night”. Until November 5. Sign language interpreted performance on November 2. Tickets £16 and £13. • tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Wednesday October 26 Tales of Terror Tobacco Factory theatre. Two days of spooky fun with scary stories, creepy creations and hair-raising hi-jinks for 7-11 year-olds. Also on October 27; content will be different each day. 10am-3.30pm. £20, or £35 for both days. • tobaccofactorytheatres.com Friday October 28 Grumble Bee + Witterquick The Thunderbolt, Bath Road, Totterdown. Grumble Bee are fronted by multi-instrumentalist Jack Bennet, whose first EP this year won critical acclaim including a 4/5 star review in Kerrang magazine. 7.30pm, £6.49. • thethunderbolt.net Sunday October 30 Simon Munnery: Standing Still Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken, Southville. Simon is one of stand-up comedy’s most enduring veterans who’s known for defying conventions. “An opening to die for, seven wry observations, a tone poem, four fresh skits and two new commandments.” 8pm, £13. • thecomedybox.co.uk

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WE HAVE two tickets for Kerry Godliman’s show at the Comedy Box on October 19. To win them, tell us which director she’s just made a film with? Email paul@southbristolvoice. co.uk by October 14.

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October 2016

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