Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association

The deep pockets of the Greater Bristol Bus Network fund have already provided us with major improvements to the streetscape around Hotwell Road. Earlier this year saw the removal of the metal shed that had blocked views of the Harbour by the Mardyke ferry and also an improved bus stop in Merchants Road. Now we hear a plan is afoot to re-design the bus layby in front of Chapel Row and Carrick House -and it's all going to happen very soon!

for details of the scheme and an opportunity to give us your reaction to it see the Environment & Transport page.

 

New Takeaway 'Pizza Vin' in Hotwell Road has won an application for a licence to sell alcohol until 4am every day in spite of strong opposition from many residents of nearby Rownham Mead and Pooles Wharf estates.
Pizza Vin plans to move into the former taxi office at 181A next to the Spar convenience store. John Bradfield spearheaded a campaign to limit the scope of the application, assisted by Bob Ballard of Brandon Hill Residents Association. It attracted more than 30 objections. At least 20 neighbours attended the Alcohol Licensing Committee meeting at the Council House on October 23rd. The residents were concerned about possible noise and anti-social behaviour, fueled by easier access to alcohol and the disturbance from additional vehicles late at night.
The owner of Pizza Vin, Paul Singh told the committee that the premises would close to the public at 11.30pm and from then till 4am would only respond to orders for home delivery by moped or Smart car. He claimed only a limited range of beers would be supplied at ‘restaurant’ prices and no spirits. Alcohol would only be supplied with orders of a minimum value of £10 and he will use ‘professional trainers’ to ensure doorstep deliveries of alcohol were not supplied to under-age drinkers.
Residents were also concerned that the building and the yard at the back would continue to be used by taxis in addition to the pizza delivery vehicles but Mr. Singh assured the committee that this would not be the case.
There are existing shops in Bristol supplying late-night pizzas and others supplying alcohol for home delivery, 24 hrs a day which clearly sets a precedent that made the application hard for the committee to refuse but objectors were frustrated that the committee was unable to take into account wider concerns about public health and the perception held by many that the Hotwell Road is experiencing increasing late-night disturbance. A Freedom of Information Act enquiry to Avon & Somerset Constabulary revealed that police had been called to the Mardyke pub on 52 occasions in the past 2 years. However the police raised no objection to this new application.

 

 

The day centre which has provided care for vulnerable elderly people at Holy Trinity Church for over 20 years has had its support grant cut. Unless there is a change of heart by Bristol City Council, it will close on October 31st.
Currently around 60 clients with an average age of 80 are registered with the service which operates Tues-Friday and provides them with a hot meal, exercise, entertainment and an opportunity to socialise and go on shopping trips. For many, the day centre offers one of the few opportunities they have to get out of their homes and meet other people. As Mark Griffiths, Trinity Care Service Manager explained: “We are trying to keep people independent and out of nursing care and residential homes. There’s no joined up thinking between the Council and the NHS. We only need to prevent a few hospital admissions to save the £80,000 annual cost of this service. Without it we are leaving vulnerable people even more vulnerable”.
A feature of Trinity Day Centre from its foundation has been the high level of voluntary support it receives. All the trustees and most of the care workers are volunteers and Holy Trinity Church priovides free support and charges no rent for the use of the Trinity Rooms space. “Enabling people to be part of a community is what it’s all about”, says Mark. “The alternative for the Council is to fund support for these people to stay at home. They can’t possibly match the efficiency of our voluntary service”.
Some of the clients were in tears when support workers explained the situation to them.
An online petition to the Council (http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/1589 has collected nearly 300 signatures but it closes on Sept. 4th in order that the petition can be presented to the next full Council meeting on Sept. 6th.
If you want to express a view about this decision, contact our local councillors barbara.janke@bristol.gov.uk and trevor.blythe@bristol.gov.uk.
If you can help with the campaign to save Trinity Day Care e-mail markagriffiths@blueyonder.co.uk.

 

 

 

 

Local Councillors organised a meeting of Clifton Vale residents at Holy Trinity Church on March 15th to discuss the ongoing and perhaps worsening traffic on the hill.
Some residents reported incidents of road rage and damage caused by the high volume of traffic using the road as a rat-run. The meeting came up with many suggestions including use of road-tables, speed and weight restrictions, limiting the ability of traffic to turn left from Hotwell Road at peak times and more double-yellow lines. Surprisingly, many residents were even ready to consider the idea of one-way working on all or part of the road, in spite of the inconvenience it might cause. A long term traffic study has been promised for the area but Councillors were anxious to explore the possibility of some simple solutions that could be implemented quickly and cheaply. However, as with the earlier meeting with Granby Hill residents the warning that kept being reiterated by Traffic Department officers was that finding a solution for one road would inevitably mean displacing the problem to another part of the neighbourhood. A point also emphasised in the Hotwells Traffic Strategy produced by HCCA (see page 2). The meeting was informed with some confidence that Bridge Valley Road would re-open again by June. Days later, that date was put back to the Autumn; the latest of several revisions