Will Westbury's Geoff Gollop be the Surprise (S)tory of Bristol's Mayoral Election?

Bristol Harbourside (Photo credit: James F Clay)

 With the ballot for Bristol's first elected mayor only weeks away, Labour Party sources are expressing concern about the low key tactics of Conservative Party candidate and Westbury-on-Trym Councillor Geoff Gollop.

Writing in the influential website Labour List, Bristol Labour leader Peter Hammond acknowledges the "logic" of what he calls the "below the radar" campaign being run by the Conservative candidate. 

By campaigning in their traditional strongholds, including Westbury on Trym, and avoiding major media appearances, Hammond claims that the Conservative strategy is to try and get out its core vote on the day and hope for a low turnout elsewhere:

"The Tories want Labour voters to stay at home. A low turn-out suits them. They do not want to alarm Labour voters that there is a chance of a strong Tory showing or even the election of a Tory mayor."

History shows that the Tory strategy makes some sense. The referendum in May as to whether Bristol should have an elected mayor at all received vastly different levels of participation across the city. Council wards which had two Labour seats at the time experienced a voter turnout of only 14% for the mayoral referendum, while in Conservative wards, the average turnout was 21%. 

The diverse range of candidates - eleven so far - and the timing of the vote at a time in the year when elections rarely happen, may contribute to a fractured vote and a low turn out. 

If Peter Hammond is right, this would then leave the door open for Geoff Gollop to be elected. Certainly in BS9, his campaign is well underway, with the former Lord Mayor portraying himself as the candidate most likely to fix Bristol's broken transport system. He has pledged, for instance, to re-open former rail stations at Henbury, Horfield and Portishead.

Meanwhile at the other end of the political spectrum, Respect MP George Galloway will be speaking at a public meeting in Bristol next Tuesday (October 16th) in support of mayoral candidate Neil Maggs. Maggs is the only candidate from a Parliamentary Party to have pledged to be paid "an average wage" if elected, instead of the anticipated £65,000 wage payable to the winning candidate. The meeting with George Galloway will take place the the Malcolm X Centre in St Pauls, starting at 7.30 pm.

The mayoral election takes place in Bristol on Thursday 15th November.

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Stokes Croft Riot: What Took Place Hour by Hour?

The following is an attempt to piece together the events surrounding the Stokes Croft Riot last week, as they unfolded, drawing on eye-witness descriptions, blogs, media reports, police statements, video and photographic evidence and social media updates.

This is not an overt interpretation of the events, or a comment on their causes. It is simply an attempt to discover as many of the key facts, as far as that is possible. Any omissions or corrections are invited via the comments button.

Thursday 21st April

Mid-afternoon

Writing on Indymedia, Caoimhin states that "bailiffs and a man from Bristol City Council"  arrived at the ‘Telepathic Heights’ squat on Stokes Croft to begin an eviction. According to the report, "a protest quickly gathered and the bailiffs were forced to withdraw." Source.

4.15 pm

Local LibDem councillor Jon Rogers claims in his Twitter feed (retrospectively) that in briefings he received from the police, a report of a petrol bomb at the squat was received via a police officer in the area:

"Alleged sighting reported at 16:15. Understand it was police that had spotted, but may have also been Tesco staff. "


"Beat police on scene at 16:15, petrol bomb suspected, police plans made, 20:30 raid on squat."


"Police confirm police operation started at 21:15 not 20:30 as I had been briefed. " Source.

8.30 pm

Anti-Tesco activist Mal had been maintaining a peaceful protest outside the Stokes Croft store during the day. Around 8.30 pm she claims that one of the security guards working at the Tesco store said to her, "They've got petrol bombs over there!" referring to the squat known as Telepathic Heights opposite the Tesco Store. Source.

9.15 pm

Police officers from Avon and Somerset Police closed Cheltenham Road in order to secure the area around the squat. The police claim that they received intelligence on the day itself (April 21st) that there was an immediate "danger to the local community." Source. 

Tom (no surname) told Radio 5's Victoria Derbeyshire programme that road blocks were  set up at the junctions where Cheltenham Road meets Arley Hill, and further down at the junction of Cheltenham Road and Ashley Road. Source. 

Jon Rogers states that there were three police vans involved in this initial operation, with three additional vans of officers held in reserve. Source.

Having secured the road, police officers forced their way into the building and arrested four people. Three were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and the fourth on suspicion of threats to cause criminal damage with intent to endanger life. Source.

Gavin Houghton, a resident of the squat, says that he saw 30 to 40 police outside the building, in riot clothing. On storming the property, Houghton claims, "one of the officers barged me in the face with his shield and pushed me across the room and told me to sit down on the floor. Whilst he was pushing me I said, 'Leave me alone, I'm not doing anything to you.' Then he started shouting, 'Sit there, don't move.' Source. 

Houghton claims that the residents of the squat were not involved in an anti-Tesco campaign and that they had no intention of attacking the store with petrol bombs or otherwise. Source.

Jon Rogers notes (retrospectively) from his police briefing that three of those arrested were "at or near the property" that was raided and that only one person was arrested "inside" the squat.  Rogers notes that "Early police press release inaccurate." Source.

9.30 pm - 4.30 am

A police helicopter was deployed overhead throughout the operation. Source

The police say that eight arrests were made during the course of the night and that eight police officers were injured and required hospital treatment. Injuries to police officers included head, neck and shoulder injuries and twisted ankles. One officer had teeth knocked out. Source.

9.30 pm

During and after the initial police operation at  Telepathic Heights, a crowd started to gather close to the area sealed off by the police. Source.

Neurobonkers, a post-graduate student who lives in the area, says he saw "approximately 10" police vans in the cordoned off area around this time. Source.

10.00 pm

Nick Jones (a resident) reports that from "about 10 or 10.30" bottles and stones started to be thrown by some members of the crowd at the police lines. He refers to a black recycling box being overturned and the bottles inside it being used. Source. 

The police also claim that minor fires were started at this time on and around the road. The official police estimate of the crowd at this time is around 300. It is after this initial phase of confrontation that the police claim they called for backup from neighbouring forces. 

"When 300 people congregated and a small minority from that group started small fires and throwing bottles, stones and other items at officers, we used well-rehearsed plans, which involved the use of officers from neighbouring forces to control what had become a volatile situation," said ACC Hansen. 

The police note that 66 of the officers deployed that night were from neighbouring forces, of an official police total of 160. Source.

Caoimhin says that "the police used baton charges, dogs, horses and vans to repel these sporadic and rather ineffectual attacks" during this phase. Source.

11.00 pm

The spate of stone and bottle throwing appears to have died down. A "party-like" atmosphere appears to have broken out. Oli Connor arrived around this time. He claims there were around 160 police officers on the scene:

"When I arrived at the scene everything was relatively peaceful. The police were holding a line to prevent people reaching Telepathic Heights and members of the public were asking them what was happening and why there were so many officers. The mood began to take on the feel of a small festival, the crowd cheered when somebody started playing some R & B music through a small sound system."

Neurobonkers reports (from the Ashley Road end of the police cordon) reports a slightly different scene around this time:

"The police charged violently in to a street full of bystanders in reaction to a violent onslaught by a small group throwing bottles. The reaction of my neighbours made me proud. When the police entered Picton street and pushed everyone that was stepping outside to see what was going on to the end of the street everyone calmly sat on the floor and began singing peace songs. The police clearly got a call for backup from their colleagues who had continued to charge down St. Andrews road (for a good 7-800 metres). What happened next was fantastic, the police calmly walked backwards out of the street. As the police began to retreat someone hung a boombox out of the window and played “Beat it” by Michael Jackson. The crowd joined in and serenaded them out. Serenaded isn’t the right word but you get the gist." Source. 

Meanwhile, on Ashley Road, Omar Ashaq, the owner of Supermasriq stores, said he had been stranded in his shop from about 11pm. "I looked about the window and there were people throwing bottles and burning bins. I dropped the shutters and locked the door." Source.

Friday 22nd April

00.15 

Avon and Somerset Police release a news item confirming that the original operation has taken place and that a number of items have been removed from the squat - "including possible petrol bombs." Source.

00.30 am
 
Caoimhin reports that the police started to make "forays" up Nine Tree Hill, reaching as far as the traffic barriers at Fremantle Square "where for a short period they formed a shield wall and then retreated." The result of this tactic, it is claimed, was "to cause a violent overspill into Kingsdown, where more bottles could be thrown, bins overturned and set on fire." Source.

A similar tactic appears to have been used on Ashley Road and on Picton Street during this phase of the disturbance,.Neurobonkers reports:

"I was on the junction of stokes croft high street when the police charged what was only at that point a croud (sic) of about 100 but which quickly grew down Ashley Road pretty much all the way to the end of it over the course of a couple of hours. Due to the absolute confusion a number of people had emerged from their houses only to shortly find they were the wrong side of a road block and got roped in to what became a three hour running battle through pretty much all of the back streets coming off Ashley road croft and in to St Pauls, numerous burning barricades were erected and a huge amount of people were battered and bloodied by police for attempting to approach police lines to get home and find friends. By this point there was devastation everywhere. All junctions were blocked by overturned glass bottle dumpsters and makeshift neighbourhood roadblocks." Source.



Adam Ford was also in Ashley Road at this time. He reports fighting moving deeper into St. Pauls and two lines of barricades and bins being set on fire on Brigstocke Road. He observed some local black youth taking part at this stage. He also notes both support and criticism being expressed by several older residents, some of whom lived in the area during the St Pauls riot of 1980. Source.

01.00

A "different section" of people turned up and "it developed from there,"according to local resident Nick Jones.

Further waves of bottles and stones were thrown at the police, who were still holding a line on the Cheltenham Road before breaking and pursuing those involved. Jones reports running battles up and down the road and some of the rioters carrying "weapons". The context of the claim suggests these may have been poles or extended pieces of wood or metal. (Nick Jones, source.)

Leo Nikolaidis, a Bristol University graduate and former contributor to Venue magazine, describes being "on the bottom of Ninetree Hill and some pretty big bricks were smashing through and bouncing off police vehicle windows." He says that very few of those taking part had covered their faces at this stage. Source.

Oli Connor notes that some of the crowd began erecting barriers made of dust bins and large pieces of wood, though he does not state exactly where these were placed.  He also describes youths in masks appearing at this stage. 

"One began tying the barricade together with rope and using another rope as a trip wire. The crowd started chanting 'our streets' and others from the neighbourhood came out to see what was happening. "  

Connor further reports the police storming forwards, shouting. He himself  ran away but saw others trip over the barricade and several hit by riot shields and police batons. He adds, "Anyone who tried to help the fallen met with a similar punishment." Source.

01.30? am

Connor: reports seeing "a seemingly unconscious man being dragged across the floor by two police officers as if he was a doll, his face covered with blood."


He also claims that the police attempted to leave around this time but were "kettled" by the large number of protesters who surrounded the police vans.


Nikolaidis also describes police officers in riot gear crowding into their vans for protection at this stage. Source.


Neurobonkers also reports the police on Cheltenham Road retreating into their vehicles around this time:

"The police started making arrests and then all hell broke loose. Missiles began coming down from youths who'd climbed on to the buildings surrounding the Metropolis (Jesters)  and police brought out dogs to clear people from the street, quite a few got bitten. Meanwhile a lot of police vans had their tyres let out. At that point the dogs retreated and the convoy of about 10 vans that were surrounded drove at speed through the crowd clipping a large number of people on their way out. Both Tesco and telepathic heights were abandoned by the police." Source.



As police exited these vans, Connor claims that protesters sat down in front of them, linking arms. He claims that the police attacked several of these protesters with riot shields and by kicking them. He refers to seeing several female protesters "lying on the floor crying with bloody faces." Source.


Connor also claims that his phone was smashed by a police officer during this phase and that his girlfriend was "smacked aggressively" by police riot shields as she tried to retrieve it.


Connor reports that the police eventually left the immediate area of the squat after the above confrontation, by driving their vans through the crowd.


As the crowd cheered their departure, a shout of "To Tesco!" was heard from within the crowd. Masked individuals with metal bars and other objects began smashing the glass at the front of the store, while the crowd cheered and applauded.


Later on, as the police had retreated to Stokes Croft itself, "the police started making arrests and then all hell broke loose. Missiles began coming down and police brought out dogs to clear people from the street, quite a few got bitten. Meanwhile a lot of police vans had their tyres let out. At that point the dogs retreated and the convoy of about 10 vans that were surrounded drove at speed through the crowd clipping a large number of people on their way out. Both Tesco and telepathic heights were abandoned by the police." Source.












A report from the Bristol Anarchist Federation claims that during this phase, and following the attack on Tesco's, a police vehicle was also "smashed" and a police trailer looted of its riot equipment. Following this, a skip was dragged into the road, apparently in an attempt to limit the movement of police vehicles in the street. The site further claims that Tesco was invaded a second time and that objects were thrown from adjacent rooftops at the police. It is unclear whether this account is first-hand. Source.




2.00 am?

Caoimhin observed ongoing running battles between police and citizens, claiming that by this time the crowd consisted not only of "anarchists" but young people "of all social classes and ethnic backgrounds." He (?) also observed some older people taking part and several children as well. Source.

Adam Ford places the first attack on Tesco's around this time (2.30) - rather later than the time suggested by other witnesses or participants. he also notes a police car being set on fire at the same time. Ford agrees that the main focus of the riot after this event was at the junction of Ashley  Road and Stokes Croft, "when people were throwing staff from the Ninetree Hill down on the vans, trying to join the rest of us." Source. 

It may have been during the attack on Tesco's that a window panel at Fred Baker Cycles was smashed. The store is next door to the new Tesco. Store manager Geoff Gardiner says that "Plate glass of that size will cost about £600 to repair." The shop was forced to close the next day, resulting in a significant loss of trade: "On a nice, sunny Good Friday like this we could have done some good trade. If we can't open again tomorrow, that's £6,000 or £7,000 we've missed out on." Further damage was done to the Bristolian Café on Picton Street Source. 

 

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3.00? am

Connor attends the Accident & Emergency department of an unnamed hospital to receive treatment for a "head injury" caused by a "stray brick" which required stitches. Source.


At the hospital, Connor claims to meet several other injured people. These include:

• A 17 year old who had tripped over the makeshift barricades as the police moved forward around 1.00 am. He says that while on the floor he had been hit with a baton across the face and on the back of his head. Connor describes a "large bloody wound on the back of his head" and his face being "blue and swollen." He also had a large bruise on his arm, resulting from him being struck as he tried to defend himself from the police.
• A man with bite marks from a police dog. 
• A man who had been "clubbed around the head" who claimed that he had only been in the area because he was trying to buy some milk from local shops.
• A man with a suspected broken foot claims that it was driven over by a police van. 

09.41


Avon and Somerset Police release a statement, including the claim that the items recovered from the squat included "petrol bombs – which are currently being forensically examined." Source.





Tuesday 26th April


10.45 


Avon and Somerset Police release details of those arrested during the disturbances and original operation:

• A 16-year-old youth from Bristol, arrested on suspicion of affray. He has been released on police bail, pending further enquiries.
• A 27-year-old man from Bristol, who was arrested on suspicion of affray was given a police caution.
• A 31-year-old man from Bristol, arrested on suspicion of violent disorder was released on police bail, pending further enquiries.
• Steven Brand, aged 19, from Frome, who was arrested on suspicion of burglary has been charged to appear at Bristol Magistrates Court on May 17.
• A 19-year-old man from Bournemouth, who was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, was released without charge.
• On Saturday morning four people arrested appeared at Bristol Magistrates Court:
• Josef Janacek, aged 26, of no fixed address pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and was sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge
• Joseph Foster aged 20, of no fixed address, who was charged with having an article with intent to destroy/damage property and threats to destroy/damage property has been remanded in custody to appear at Bristol Magistrates Court on Thursday (April 28).
• Oliwia Torres, aged 24 years of Bristol, who was charged with affray and released on bail to appear at Bristol Magistrates Court on June 17.
• James Hutton, aged 40, of Bristol was charged with violent disorder and has been remanded in custody to appear at Bristol Magistrates Court tomorrow (Wednesday April 27).

Images Stringberd.

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Foodbank Launched at Oasis

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As an indication of the growing need, and the willingness of local churches and others to get involved, North west Bristol now has its own foodbank. 

The new service was launched in February as a collaborative project between churches in Avonmouth and Kingsweston and the Oasis Brightstowe Community Hub - the academy on the site of the former Portway School in Shirehampton.  

Foodbanks exist to meet the practical needs of people who are going through a period of crisis and are struggling to feed themselves and their families. The local foodbank is focusing its efforts on households in  Shirehampton, Sea Mills, Lawrence Weston and Avonmouth.

The north-west Bristol foodbank is open year round at the following times and locations:

Monday 9:30-11:30 St Andrews Church Avonmouth Bristol BS11 9FE (buses 41, 41A, 517)	Thursday 10-12 Lawrence Weston Baptist Church 117-119 Long Cross Lawrence Weston Bristol BS11 0HL (buses 40, 517, 518)

The Foodbank is run by a team of volunteers from churches in the North West Bristol area and offers its service free of charge to anyone in need in the community, regardless of their faith.

Food is currently sourced from schools, churches and individuals. Offers of good quality food to be donated can be made via email here. 

The Bristol NW Foodbank is part of a national network of 80+ foodbanks, affiliated to the Trussell Trust.

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Village News

A few bits and pieces that have caught my attention recently in and around the village:

• noticed that large military transport plane flying low in large circles over north-west Bristol on Tuesday (?) Believe it was going through its test flights from Filton. 
• Canford Park is full of young families on a sunny day. The village population is getting younger, in my observation. Maybe I'm just getting older. 
• both of the village's primary schools (Elmlea Junior and Westbury C of E Primary) are applying to become academies this summer. More on that story here.  
• far away (Cribbs causeway), was struck by the long queues forming outside the Apple store at the mall on Friday. Something about the launch of the iPad 2, or something.  

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Get Going Growing | Transition Bristol

Get Going Growing | Transition Bristol

Want to grow your own food in Bristol?

Don't have a garden?

Can't get an allotment?

Click the link.

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Reflections on the Life of Netta Hodges

Netta Hodges, born Antoinette Powle, was a close neighbour who passed away on Christmas Day aged 101.

Today, January 13th, Netta will be laid to rest at Canford Cemetery.

I have many happy memories of Netta, culminating in having the privilege of attending her 100th birthday celebration in 2009, during which she told me about seeing a Zeppelin flying over Bristol in World War One. This must have been a terrifying site, Zeppelins having been responsible for the deaths of several hundred British civilians in London and eastern England during the Great War.

I also remember Netta telling me how she looked out of her back garden one light summer's evening in the 1920s - her family lived at that time on Stoke Lane - and seeing the nearby cricket pavilion in flames.

In adult life, Netta worked as a dietician and was a voluntary fire warden during World War Two, living through the bombing raids of Bristol.

Although she was frail in her latter years, Netta remained mentally agile and always happy to chat. The dedication shown by her daughter Hilary and son-in-law Ray Wall as they cared for her in her old age so that she could remain at home was a moving and inspiring sight. Hilary - who lives on the same street as Netta's bungalow -  was back and forth to her mother's house every day.

At Netta's 100th, I remember her saying that she didn't think much of the Queen's yellow dress that she was wearing on her official birthday card. My children also remember Netta appearing at the door of her bungalow over Christmas when neighbouring families would gather in the street to sing carols. On several occasions, this annual local tradition was done with snow on the ground, and with Netta wrapped up in a duvet looking on. 

Tim Overton - who looked after Netta's garden so well - will be speaking at today's funeral service. Tim is a former student of Trinity College.

The neighbourhood won't be quite the same without Netta. She will be missed. 

The Evening Post interviewed her on her 100th birthday, and Netta said: "I think being interested in everything and keeping busy has got me where I am today. My mother was like that. I've had an eventful life and enjoy sitting back and remembering everything I've been fortunate enough to do."

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FreeBus Bristol - Home

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FreeBus Bristol - Home

Bristol's Free Bus project looks like it's gaining momentum.

The concept is simple enough: make bus services free at the point of delivery if those using the service cannot afford to pay.

There's obviously a lot of thinking gone into this, with the first service due to start in the Spring.

Check out the site, follow on facebook, etc.

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Related articles

• Passengers jumped at chance to travel on free Bristol bus service (thisisbristol.co.uk)

Here Comes the Sun (flower)

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Is it my imagination, or are there more sunflowers in Bristol this year than has been the case in the recent past?

As well as the lofty specimens growing in my corner of Westbury onTrym, I have also noticed an impressive crop on Raglan Road in Bishopston. Meanwhile the neighbourly competition to grow the tallest sunflowers in the street is a subject of lively debate on Redland's Lansdown Road site.

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So Much to Do....

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Well, what a weekend, and how on earth are the good citizens of Westbury on Trym going to fit in the plethora of cultural events taking place across the city over the coming 48 hours?

For a start, there's the Bristol Doors Open Day, an annual chance to see the interior of some of the city's oldest and most interesting buildings.

My highlights from last year were the Redcliffe caves and the Roman villa at Lawrence Weston. Selective planning ahead, I discovered, is crucial to making the most of the day as it is impossible to do even a quarter of the fifty-plus historic venues in one day.

Locally, Elsie Briggs House is open , as is The Concrete House on the Ridgeway, a fine example of "classic modernism", if that's not too much of a contradiction in terms.


Other properties worth a visit, in my opinion, include the Pierian Centre in Portland Square - any house with an indoor well always gets my vote - and John Wesley's Chapel in Broadmead. The study and living quarters upstairs are a particular gem, all maintained in their original C18 style.

Retro-fitted onto the Open Doors Day is Bristol's first Green Doors weekend - a series of open homes where residents will be "showcasing ways they have made their homes more comfortable to live in, more energy efficient and cheaper to run." Sustainable Westbury is a bit less coy about the event's eco-agenda: the homes, according to SusWoT, have been adapted to "reduce energy and adopt low carbon living."

So, if you've always wanted to see a straw bale wall or find out how to build with discarded tyres, or if you have questions about how practical solar panels are in the suburbs, this is the event for you.

Westbury on Trym has several featured properties, including one very close to where I'm typing.

For those wishing to push the boat out a bit further, expand the envelope, think outside the box and entertain a significant paradigm shift in their political worldview, the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair could be just the thing. With sessions on GM Crops and Biofuels, Men Confronting Patriarchy, and Censorship and Free Speech, the event looks like the biggest yet. For the uninitiated, the session on What is Anarchism? looks handy. The best short summary I have read in answer to that question, from a market anarchist perspective, is found here. The event takes place from 10.30 to 6.00 at Hamilton House on Stokes Croft.

The Organic Food Festival, meanwhile, is taking place at the Harbourside (I know, that's come round quickly). Although I've never really recovered from the shock of having to pay for admission (it's £5 this year), the numerous free samples are universally delicious. A food celebrity of some fame, apparently, will be taking part. Go and buy.

Finally... Bristol's first community organised bike festival launches on Saturday with the start of the Bristol to Amsterdam charity bike ride, beginning at 10.00 from the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Should be all downhill from there.

Inevitably, the event has some support from the over-hyped and, in my opinion, ultimately disappointing Cycling City initiative, but let's not let that spoil the fun. There are over 100 cycle-themed events running over the two-week event.

A quick look to the top right of this blog will reveal a new poll. Vote now to reveal which event(s) you intend to visit this weekend.

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• Kate Watson's innovation: Bristol Green Doors weekend (guardian.co.uk)

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Out and About in Bristol

Traveling into and back out of the city (not once, but twice) today, the following sites caught my attention:

• an Orthodox Jewish man walking north on Clifton Triangle. Wearing a tallit, and it being a Saturday, I assumed he was on his way back from the synagogue on Park Row, home of the Bristol Hebrew Congregation. On my return from town (about 40 minutes later) I noticed that he had reached White Tree Roundabout. Driving on the Sabbath, except in a life-threatening emergency, is generally avoided by the majority of Orthodox Jews.
  

• the Whiteladies Road Farmers' Market, which seemed busier than I have seen it for some time, and which has now expanded to the east side of Whiteladies Road, with several stalls now in front of Barclays Bank. I also noticed some live music at the market, in the form of an acoustic guitar and accordion duo.
  

• a protest further down Whiteladies Road by the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign against alleged bias by the BBC in its Death on the Med programme broadcast last Monday. I assume the Jewish gentleman (above) walked past this demo, which had around 20 participants with banners and placards.

• A black-lead gospel music event on College Green. No Greater Love appears to be a grass roots event, organised by a small team of local Christians. The music was cool, but the crowds were small.

• The Bristol Bike Show, organised by the local Motorcycle Action Group, had closed off the streets around St Nicholas' Market this afternoon for a get together, with live music and plenty of, well, motorbikes. Westbury on Trym residents may notice that the event's After-Show-Party takes place at 6.00 today at the Saracens Rugby Football Club at Cribbs Causeway, just up the road. Should make for a quiet end to the afternoon.

All in all, a good vibe and a nice cross-section of city life.

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Will Primary Academies Change Bristol's Schools for a Generation?

The government's desire to allow primary schools to become academies, and its desire to increase their number, may have significant implications for the provision of primary education in Bristol.

Under the coalition's proposals - outlined in this week's Queen's Speech - primary schools which have been rated "outstanding" by Ofsted will be assumed to be ready to become academies, without having to go through the current lengthy application process.

It is worth pausing to consider what Bristol schools might look like if all or many of its primary schools currently rated "outstanding" chose to go this route. In such a world, the following primaries would be eligible to become academies (independent of local authority control) straight away - possibly as soon as September 2010. These schools would be free from the requirements of the national curriculum and able to set their own non-selective admissions and staffing policies.

In each case, the link from the individual school is to it most recent Ofsted report:

St Peter and St Paul RC Primary, Redland


St John's C of E Primary, Clifton


Christ Church Primary, Clifton


Henleaze Junior School


Ashley Down Junior School


Elmlea Junior School, Westbury on Trym


Westbury on Trym C of E Primary


Stoke Bishop C of E Primary


Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary, Lawrence Weston


Several points seem relevent:

1. The geographical concentration of possible primary academies

Although it could be argued that the varying standards of primary schools in Bristol are already a matter of public record - with schools in the north and west of the city tending to be rated more highly that those in the centre, south and east - the emergence of multiple academies would be a powerful and visual symbol of this educational imbalance.

Existing primary schools, if oversubscribed, already apply a geographical element when allocating places, according to the City Council's admissions policy document. This fact tends to lead to the creation of local property hot spots as parents move into parts of the city where they are more likely to be allocated a place at the school of their choice.

It is unclear whether such hypothetical future primary academies would operate geographical admissions policies. The evidence form Bristol's existing secondary academies is mixed. While City Academy in Whitehall and Oasis Academy in Hengrove do have a local geographical bias in their application process, Colton's Girls' and Cathedral School do not.


2. The high incidence of church schools in the list

It is a nationally-recognised fact that Britain's highest performing schools at both primary and secondary level contain significant numbers of church schools. This provides a range of challenges and opportunities.

On the one hand, secular members of the middle classes often express dismay when they find such schools operating a faith-based admission policy. Attempts to minimise the overt Christian influence on such schools seems perverse, as if the character of such schools can be detached from its spiritual ethos and worldview.

Having said that, it is perfectly understandable that tax paying families may feel disenfranchised by a system that denies their child access to high performing schools because they are not church attenders - a situation that is currently true for several of the voluntary aided schools on the list.


3. The inevitability of a downgraded LEA

If (and of course it's a big if) a number of "outstanding" primaries became academies, controlling their own budget, curriculum and staffing policies, the LEA would be left with, well, to be frank, the less-than-outstanding schools. Some may see this as a good thing. It would certainly make it easier to justify job cuts within the council's education department as its remit was significantly reduced.

However, such a development would also have major implications for the nature of the state education system. I wonder, for instance, how we would feel if this approach were applied to doctor's surgeries or old people's homes. It's one thing for individuals to "go private" with their medical or retirement needs. It's another to have two types of public service offering the same thing (primary schools) but paid for from different pots and serving, in practice, two different groups of the public - broadly speaking , the haves and the have nots.


The academy model was originally designed by the Blair government to help lift "bog standard comprehensives" out of the doldrums by enabling them to be rebuilt and form dynamic partnerships with motivated and resourceful private and charitable bodies with an interest in education. Bristol's City Academy in Whitehall (supported by Bristol City FC) is a classic example of this approach.

In the brave new world of multiple primary academies, there is every possibility of significant fracturing of the provision of education and the reinforcement of social and educational inequalities across the city.

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Bristol North West: Electioneering Begins

Was relieved, interested and amused all at once by the arrival of Paul Harrod's non-election magazine through my door this afternoon.

It's interesting to see how the Lib Dems aim to win Bristol North West at next year's general election. Judging by the design of Bristol Voice! (which bears more than a passing resemblance to the edition of Hello! magazine which featured Prince William on the front cover) the orangey-yellow party aims to focus its efforts on tabloid readers and draw them away from the other two parties. Bristol Voice! carries a story about equipment shortages for troops in Afghanistan, a quote from Prince Charles and a photo of Joanna Lumley on the front cover. All themes, presumably, designed to resonate with a particular strata of the electorate.




The ubiquitous Charlotte Leslie, meanwhile, has been smiling up at me for some time from the latest edition of Bristol Living - more Tattler than Hello! as far as design is concerned. Ms Leslie's campaign to have yet another secondary school built in north Bristol (not a chance) leads the magazine. The cover (in front of a straw roof) creates the impression that the former Badminton School girl has been spreading charitable largesse in Malawi or Bukina Faso in between attending fun days in Henbury and Shirehampton. On closer examination, however, the aforementioned straw appears to be located closer to home. Unless I am mistaken, the Conservative Party candidate is standing in front of one of the thatched cottages in Blasie Hamlet.

In summary, the Lib Dem subtext seems to be "We are the voice of patriotic working people" and that of the local Conservatives is "We are the voice of educated suburban parents." Actually, Leslie's tendency to lean to her left in all her official photos, may reveal an even more subtle message on the part of a political party whose last stint in office featured the decimation of the trades union movement, the de-regulation of the financial sector and the creation of the Poll Tax.



The sub text of the Labour Party is harder to discern as I do not recall yet receiving a mailshot from candidate Sam Townend. Which is surprising and may also carry its own subtle meaning. Like Vigo County in the United States, which has elected the winning Presidential candidate every time since 1956, Bristol North West has a reputation for reflecting the national mood at election time. Since 1974, the constituency has elected the candidate from the winning party at every general election.

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Bringing in the Brain

Have recently written a post on the Guide2Bristol site about Bristol's love affair with international language students.

You can read it right here.

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New Feed Added

Chronicles of Bristolia is the latest local media site to be added to the feed roll on the right hand column of Trym Tales.

As Jules Hynam, the blog owner, says about himself: "I am a photographer."

A rather good one, in my opinion.

His Flickr stream can be followed here.

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Food, Glorious Food

At 30 pages, it's not a quick read and I I certainly haven't read it all yet, but intend doing so.

If you are remotely interested in the issue of local food, its role in reducing environmental damage and in contributing to healthy communities, the draft Sustainable Food Strategy for Bristol is an important document.

The following statement from the document is one I wholeheartedly agree with:

"in the context of peak oil (and fossil depletion more generally) and climate change - global sustainability rests on the re-localisation and de-industrialisation of our food system."

Happy reading. Let me know if you finish it before I do.

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Making Twitter Bristol-Friendly

With several thousand twitter accounts now registered to local users in and around Bristol, I've been pondering how the site can be used on a local, community-based level.

Some thoughts here.







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Ten Things to do on a Sunny Day in Bristol

You'll have to read my latest post on Guide2Bristol in order to find out what they are. Prepare for a few surprises....

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Banksy Defaced

Mild Mild West, the image that projected Banksy into the public consciousness in Bristol, has been defaced by a group describing graffiti artists as "the copywriters for the capitalist created phenomeon of 'urban' art."

The image, located in Stokes Croft, was defaced in the early hours of this morning by a group describing itself as Appropriate Media who lambast Banksy as a "spray-can monkey for gentrification" and of "[selling] his lazy polemics to Hollywood movie stars for big bucks."

Shall we expect tightened security at Crimes of Passion?

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Just Can't Get Enough?

Loyal readers of this blog, currently forced to wait up to three days between postings, will be relieved to learn that an additional source of erudite local comment is at last available, created by the team (uhmm) that brings you Trym Tales.

As guest writer for the local portal Guide2Bristol, I will be posting intellectually stimulating items of local interest every week on the site, which can be viewed here.

Recent pieces include a post about the current round of allocation of places for secondary schools in Bristol (with more than a passing glance at the new Oasis Academy Brightstowe) as well as an item on the pressure to build new houses in Bristol's greenbelt in the coming years.

Guide2Bristol contains a news section, an accommodation section, information on Bristol's diverse neighbourhoods, a jobs section and a free classified section. That's just part of it, of course, as it also includes its own blog written (as outlined above) by yours truly.

Thank you.

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