Gloucester Road News

20/07/2016

Bristol projects its irreverent spirit and powerful sense of identity through its cutting-edge music, arts, clubs, bars, street festivals and food scenes

27/06/2016

Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire has resigned from her position on Jeremy Corbyn's front bench team. Here's part of her resignation statement.

"I was delighted when Jeremy Corbyn asked me to serve as his Shadow Arts and Culture Minister. I gave the role my all and I know many arts and culture organisations valued the opportunity to be consulted about Labour’s position on the arts."

"In Bristol West, we voted overwhelmingly for ‘Remain’, and I know that activists worked their socks off for the campaign. I was therefore very disappointed that Jeremy Corbyn did not put his heart and soul into arguing for our membership of the EU."

27/06/2016

Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire quits Twitter in row with 'former friend'.

“so let's be clear. a Corbynite just compared Corbyn's week long holiday 3 weeks before the referendum to my treatment for cancer. classy.”

26/06/2016

Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire is coming under pressure to resign as Labour's Shadow Culture Minister following Brexit vote.

“ Have you resigned yet? I feel let down by his lackustre campaign. If we had a europhile leader, at least 2% more of the -”

24/06/2016

The My Local store at the bottom of Pigsty Hill could close after its venture capitalist owners called in the administrators. The shop is one of 130 former Morrisons' M Local outlets which were sold last September to Greybull Capital in a £25m deal. Administrators will now try to sell the business as a going concern. Shops may be sold off piecemeal if there are no takers - or they may be closed. The site on the Gloucester Road was formerly occupied by wine merchants Oddbins.

31/05/2016

Work has started to turn a former bank on the Gloucester Road into a restaurant. The old Nat West at the junction of Longmead Avenue has been empty for some years, having last been occupied by a recruitment agency.
The restaurant will occupy the ground floor, with a bar area on the right hand side as you enter the main doors. Planning consent allows for opening hours from 7.30am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday/Saturday. Watch this space for further details.

26/05/2016

Four trees felled in St Andrews Park are to be carved into sculptures under plans from the Friends of St Andrews Park group. (FoSAP). The trunks will be left in situ and possibly carved with animal figures.
It's hoped children from local schools will be involved in drawing up design ideas - but first the group has to find £3,500 to pay for the work.
Paul Bullivant from FoSAP said: "We are seeking corporate sponsorship from local businesses and have to date been offered a generous amount from Elephant Estate Agents although we still need to raise a substantial amount to reach our target"

26/05/2016

Work is due to start in August on a new children's play area on Ashley Down Green. The costs of the £110,000 scheme are mostly being met by developers who turned the former Muller orphanages into flats. But there's some bad news for kids - the new playground won't be ready until winter. For more details, go to https://bristol.citizenspace.com/place/ashley-down-green-play-area-and-access-point
*Artist's impression courtesy Bristol City Council.

26/05/2016

Traders on the Gloucester Road are among more than 200 across the city to sign up to the Refill Bristol project, offering free tap water in an effort to cut down on waste from plastic bottles.

Refill Bristol is a practical campaign to make Bristol a refillable city – in which filling up your water bottle for free from one of our 200 refill stations is an everyday thing.

25/05/2016

The South West’s first public freshwater swimming pool could be built on Horfield Common under ambition plans for the redevelopment of the tennis courts at The Ardagh.
The Friends of Horfield Common action group are currently in talks with the Lawn Tennis Association to revitalise the existing 11 decaying courts at the site. Under the plans, eight courts would be kept for tennis, with two turned into a multi-use sports area. The remaining one would be turned into a heated lido.
Rob Savage, project co-ordinator for the Ardagh Project, said the plans were at an early stage, involving the handover of the site from Bristol City Council to the community group. But he said the Lawn Tennis Association were keen to be involved.
“The LTA has realised that many professional players started out in local parks rather than clubs, so they’re very interested in what we’re doing”, he said.
*Picture shows the disused tennis court earmarked for the lido

25/05/2016

Police are warning about handbag snatchers after three thefts on the Gloucester Road. Bags have been taken from two coffee shops after an earlier crime at The Grace pub.
That incident was caught on CCTV. It’s not yet known if the thefts are linked, and the culprits remain at large.
PC Andy Stamp told a meeting of Bishopston, Cotham and Redland forum: “ They are very good operators and we would warn everyone to make sure they keep their belongings close to them at all times.”

24/05/2016

The residents' campaign to make Dongola Road one-way to traffic is among topics beig discussed at the Neighbourhood Partnership meeting tonight.

19/05/2016

One of the longest-established businesses on the Gloucester Road has re-opened after a six-month closure. Paul Roberts Hi-Fi is back trading in slimmed down premises. Joint owner Martin Gayler said: "The shop was too big for us so we decided to split it and put flats above.
"With the internet, most people think buying from shops has become expensive. But that's not the case for us"
The new retail unit created by splitting the shop has been taken by Franco's, the hairdressers currently trading just around the corner in Overton Road.
Picture shows owners Martin Gayler (right) and Paul Verrinder outside the hi-fi store. More details at http://www.paulrobertshi-fi.co.uk/

19/05/2016

The petrol station on the Somerville Road junction re-opened today following a full makeover. Irish-based applegreen bought the site from the Co-Op a while back, but has only just re-branded it. Applegreen has around 60 sites in the UK.
Inside, it has a staffed coffee bar and grab-and-go food counter.

19/05/2016

Bosses at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club have learned the massive new floodlights at the ground cannot be used for practice sessions – despite their belief switching them on for training...

16/05/2016

A former car showroom on Ashley Down Road is set to be turned into four flats. The Ashley Autos site next to the Foresters pub had been occupied by motor traders for more than 50 years. Executors of the property have now obtained permission for a two-storey building housing four flats. Planning documents indicate they intend to sell it on for redevelopment.

13/05/2016

Just a week now before night is turned into day in parts of Bishopston and Ashley Down with the first match under new floodlights at the former County Ground. Gloucestershire are due to take on Sussex in the first round of the Natwest T20 Blast.http://www.gloscricket.co.uk/15718-2/

12/05/2016

Bristol's new mayor Marvin Rees appears on BBC's Daily Politics. Asked why Jeremy Corbyn visited him rather than London mayor Sidique Khan, Mr Rees said: "Where would you rather be on a sunny day, in Bristol on College Green, or smoky London?" It was the highpoint of an otherwise bland interview.

Labour's Marvin Rees was elected as the mayor of Bristol after defeating George Ferguson.

11/05/2016

Consultation underway on future of site presently occupied by library on Cheltenham Road

New Bishopston Library. Have your say on what you want to see there. Please share Bishopston Mum Bishopston, Bristol Bishopstonvoice Bishopston Matters GloucesterRoad

11/05/2016

A video for Radiohead made by an animation team based in Stokes Croft has attracted more than 11 million hits on YouTube. The film in the style of children's TV show Trumpton was made by Jacknife, who are based in the old coach works at the junction with Jamaica Street.

Burn The Witch. Available here http://x-l.co/btw and here http://hyperurl.co/904ulo Director - Chris Hopewell Producer - Rosie Lea Brind Editor - Ben Foley D...

08/05/2016

Eleanor Combley (Green) and Tom Brooke (Lab) become city councillors for the new ward of Bishopston and Ashley Down. Turnout was 56.95 per cent - the highest of any ward in the city. In Horfield, Claire Hiscott (Con) and Olly Mead (Lab) are re-elected.

The people of Bristol have chosen 70 local councillors to represent them in one of the biggest elections in the city's history. The results mean that Labour make up the majority of Bristol City Council with 37 councillors in the city, following declarations today (Sunday 8 May) by Returning Officer,...

08/05/2016

Large crowds enjoy the sunshine in St Andrews Park on the warmest day of the year so far

06/05/2016

Patients in Bishopston now have to wait up to four weeks for a routine appointment with their GP. http://www.bishopstonmedicalpractice.nhs.uk/
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