A Hard Day at the Cafe for Westbury Costa Owner

Westbury on Trym resident Stuart Montgomery has had a challenging start to the working week.  The former soldier was due to open a new Costa Coffee franchise on Gloucester Road today but his efforts were greeted by protesters claiming that the new store does not have planning permission, having had its application refused by Bristol City Council. The Council decision follows the submission of a 3,000-name petition in September by residents and users of Gloucester Road who claimed that the store would damage local independent businesses. Franchise holder Stuart Montgomery, who also runs Costas in Henleaze and Portishead, is appealing against the Council's decision.   

Meanwhile, the Council has served an enforcement notice on Mr Montgomery for another of his Costa outlets on Whiteladies Road. As previously reported on Trym Tales, the Clifton branch has opened without planning permission for a change of use for the building on Cotham Hill. 

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Police Continue Online Strategy

Following my earlier post about Avon and Somerset's use of blogs and web casts to engage the local public, I have been interested by a couple of additional online measures in the fight against crime.

The local force has for over a year now been a YouTube user with over 25 videos currently uploaded. Their profile page on YouTube is here. I've included one below - Dan the Distraction Burglar - which reveals that it's not all paperwork and form filling in the inner corridors of the Police HQ in Portishead as some frustrated animators are at work producing a creative vibe in the cause of crime prevention. I must confess I was a pleasantly surprised by the tone of the video with its combination of edgy graphics, dead pan humour and murdering grannies. As always, your comments are welcome.

Avon and Somerset also has its own Facebook page where fans can receive news about police-related incidents and watch police videos. In the slightly surreal world which is Facebook, members can also upload photos of police cars taken from a variety of angles and interact with other fans of the local police, some of whom have chosen to upload interesting photos of themselves considering the nature of the group they have joined.

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Portishead Railway - Another Missed Opportunity

It's crazy.

If the freight train line from to Bristol to Portbury were extended to Portishead and a passenger station built in the town, two things would happen overnight.

First, a ton (not a very scientific term in this context, I know) of traffic would disappear from The Portbury Hundreds, the M5 and the A4 Portway as motorists ditched their cars for the 10-minute train ride to the City Centre and points in between.

Secondly, Portishead would become a property hot spot as a waterfront town with a strong sense of community suddenly became an even more desirable place to live.

The Department of Transport, say the BBC, are not planning to put money into the project, citing lack of anticipated demand.

Surely, if we are to tackle the current environmental crisis and stand any hope of turning back the terrible consequences of climate change, we cannot afford the luxury of not doing a project like this. Why not bull doze a road or two? That would create a demand.

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Are Fathers for Justice back?

Fathers for Justice are back - or at least someone impersonating them has been announcing their return on plastic wrapped hay bales next to the M5 in North Somerset.

"Stop the war" reads one message in bright yellow paint "against fathers", continues the text on an adjoining row of bales.

Although mildly sympathetic with the group's original aims, I must confess that I turned against them after their purple powder attack on Tony Blair in the Houses of Parliament. The result of that stunt was the creation of a perspex barrier around the public gallery in the Commons. The long-standing freedom for ordinary citizens to observe their elected government at work was hindered and altered forever by the attack. Whatever the grievance of F4J, I resent them taking from me that precious freedom in pursuit of their objectives. Perhaps they can stick to Batman stunts at the new Broadmead or another suitable public space.

David James Graces Portishead

England goalkeeper (well, he's still in the squad) David James was spotted on Sunday afternoon at Gordano Service Station on the M5 near Portishead.

According to a reliable source, he was "the tallest man I'd ever seen" and an overall fine specimen of athletic prowess.

When I asked my friend whether the goalkeeper had large hands, he said that in the shop at the service station, the Manchester City and Portsmouth legend - fresh from a victory against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium - picked up three large sports bottles of water from the fridge - with one hand.

Not a man to be messed with - despite the new hairstyle.