The Barton Bugle

05/09/2025

03/09/2025

📣 Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Forum – Community Meeting
🗓 Wednesday 10th September
📍 The Board Mills Social Club
⏰ 19:00-21:00

We’re back for our monthly community meeting — and this one’s a big one!

Join us as we bring together residents, researchers, and decision-makers to discuss local issues, share concerns, and shape the future of our neighbourhood.

👥 Special Guests This Month:

A team of independent researchers reviewing the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN) scheme — they'll be launching the UK’s first Civic Observatory right here in Lawrence Hill! 🛰

Councillor Tom Renhard – Leader of the Labour Group of Councillors

TBC: Chief Inspector Serena Serjeant from Avon & Somerset Police, who may join us to talk about neighbourhood policing and answer your questions

This is your chance to raise your voice, meet your neighbours, and be part of positive change.

📢 Everyone welcome – bring a friend, bring your views!

01/09/2025

- TRANSPORT NEWS -

As part of the latest First Bus service changes, there have been some adjustments made to the number 5 bus route.

As of yesterday (August 31) the number 5 bus route has now been extended beyond Clifton Village to Stoke Bishop via Whiteladies Road.

During University holidays, the route will run as far as Blackboy Hill, rather than Stoke Bishop.

An early morning service has been introduced between Clifton and the City Centre, and an hourly night bus between the City Centre and St. Anne’s on Friday and Saturday nights, which has been funded by the Bristol Clean Air Zone charges.

The new 5 bus route map is below.

However, residents are minded that First Bus drivers will be going on strike over pay between September 4th - 8th and September 16th - 19th, so service disruptions are to be expected and prepared for.

28/08/2025

- CRIME NEWS -

Yesterday afternoon at around 7pm, a van was set alight on Queen Ann Street, next to the Rhubarb Tavern.

The van - which had an MOT that expired in 2021 - was abandoned on the lane only two days prior.

When neighbours first spotted the van with its rear doors unlocked, it was reported to the police.

Evidently, the police did not respond nearly fast enough to remove the van before arsonists who have been blighting the neighbourhood for months, turned their attention upon the van to cause yet more chaos within the community.

The van was promptly removed post the fire.

No damage has been sustained to the Rhubarb itself, par from some smoke marks on the exterior end wall.

This van fire comes just under a year on from a previous fire that completely destroyed a caravan which was parked on the lane.

Anyone who may have video footage, or any information in general, that can serve to help the investigation into the fire, should pass it onto the police.

26/08/2025

DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING

HL Training Services have installed a defibrillator outside of their base at Unit 4A, Barton Hill Trading Estate.

In the eventuality of emergency use, they are also offering defibrillator training sessions.

For more information, please contact 0117 9525625 , or email [email protected] .

20/08/2025

PLANNING NEWS

66 CHURCH ROAD

A planning application has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, seeking approval to demolish a derelict property on Church Road and in its place build a three storey building of six flats, plus three terraced properties.

Number 66 Church Road was historically a public house named The Dove Inn, before becoming a car spares business, which ultimately closed before the turn of the New Millennium. The building has remained vacant and in a state of severe dereliction ever since.

A separate planning application that sought permission to demolish the property, as well as the adjoining numbers 68 and 70 Church Road, and erect 8 residential apartments and houses, 2 ground floor commercial units and 1 office unit, was granted in 2022.

However, no works have taken place to fulfil this previous planning application.

The applicant for this proposed housing scheme is Made Forever Church.

FORMER REDFIELD/GRANADA CINEMA

The Planning Inspectorate has rejected Landrose Ltd.’s appeal that sought permission to convert the former cinema on Church Road, into a 42 bed HMO (house in multiple occupation).

Two previous planning applications that were submitted by Landrose to convert the former cinema into HMOs, have either been refused by Bristol City Council’s Development Control Committees, or have been withdrawn by the applicant.

It was as result of a previous refusal of the scheme from BCC’s Development Control Committee that saw Landrose appeal the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, which have now also refused granting planning permission, citing concerns over increased parking and refuse handling and removal.

235 AVONVALE ROAD

Alec French Architects will be responsible for converting the vacant property on Avonvale Road, that was previously a Concessions store, but has over the years also been a florist and a fruit and vegetable shop, into a dwelling house.

Planning permission was granted for this scheme in 2021.

Alec French Architects have recently been contracted by Bristol City Council to convert vacant premises, particularly retail units, into new housing across the city.

17/08/2025

- ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS -

A notice of tree felling has this week been pinned to one of the London Plane trees that is located on the footpath that runs between Eccleston House and the site of the former Barton Hill Tenants Association Club hall.

The reason for tree felling is cited as “Standing Dead”.

It is also cited that the location is suitable for a replacement tree to be planted, subject to funding.

14/08/2025

[Resident post]

As I am sure Barton Hill residents have taken notice of lately, it appears by the day that Marsh Lane is becoming more of a grubby scene due to increased flytipping and littering. More so around the junction with Avonvale Road and the junction with Granville Street.

Reports that have been logged on Fix My Street are all being responded to in the same manner by Bristol Waste, that the flytips on Marsh Lane are in an “inaccessible area”, even though the flytips are all on the pavement.

I sent an enquiry email to Bristol Waste regarding this “inaccessible area” response and below is the email that was received today in reply.

As I feared was the case, the bus gates that have been implemented on Marsh Lane and Avonvale Road are posing a challenge for Bristol Waste in being able to reach Marsh Lane to clear of the flytips and respond to other street issues.

Surely such a serious public health and street cleansing issue as this should have been taken into consideration by Bristol City Council before the bus gates were installed? But evidently as the response from Max Davies shows today, no consideration was given, which is very concerning.

I sincerely hope for a swift resolution to be made soon.

14/08/2025

- POLICE AND LOCAL INCIDENTS -

As residents of Barton Hill would have spotted last night, two police helicopters were circling the area just after 10:00pm.

Reports from neighbours have stated that these helicopters were up in relation to an individual having gotten onto the railway line that loops past the Rhubarb Tavern.

There are conflicting reports that an individual jumped from the Barrow Road Bridge aka Dr. Days Bridge onto the line, or that an individual trespassed onto the line in relation to recent thefts that have been reported at the Network Rail Queen Ann Road Depot.

Avon and Somerset Police officers with Network Rail workers were scouting along the railway line yesterday evening as a result, with the teams being spotted on Queen Ann Road by neighbours.

Checking live incident reports via the Network Rail tracker, there were no disruptions to services to and from Bristol Temple Meads, or to other train services.

We will continue to make enquiries, but if any residents have photos or further information on yesterday evening’s incident, please drop them in the comments below.

13/08/2025

After meeting with campaigners last week, I’ve written to the owner of the Rhubarb Tavern to urge for action to protect this much-loved community asset from further damage and neglect.

I have also asked for clarity on when works will be beginning on the site. The owner recently sought planning permission for the construction of flats in the rear garden, but was told it was conditional on the pub being refurbished first - and there’s no sign of that happening.

Pubs and music venues are essential community spaces and contribute to our city’s renowned cultural offering: it would be great to see the Rhubarb brought back into use, and the owner need to tell the community what their plans are to do so.

13/08/2025

BREAKING NEWS

Video and photos that have been shared onto Facebook this morning shows there is a severe house fire at a property on Cabot Green, just off of Ducie Road.

It is believed the elderly resident of the property has been evacuated from the premises safely.

Avon Fire & Rescue crews are on the scene.

According to one resident, the fire brigade’s response was slowed this morning due to the parklet that has been installed on the Ducie Road Triangle as part of the EBLN.

07/08/2025

TRANSPORT NEWS

In news that will surely be welcomed by disability campaigners, Network Rail have this week submitted a planning application to Bristol City Council’s Planning Department, seeking permission to install a lift on Platform 2 at Lawrence Hill Train Station.

This platform has been a burden for many disabled individuals for years due to access on and off the platform up onto Lawrence Hill being available only via a staircase.

There will however be no lift installed on Platform 1 with access to that platform still being cited as being available via the car park of the neighbouring Lidl.