Hotwells and Cliftonwood Community Association – Newsletter May 2020 Welcome to the Bulletin for May – the second edition to be sent out during Lockdown. As before, this Bulletin contains local information you may find interesting and helpful. It also tries to give you information about opportunities to help in the community, links to where you can find help yourselves, and details about what some of our local businesses are doing to remain buoyant at this time. Your Community Association very much hope that you are managing to keep well. We wish all our readers, their families, friends and neighbours the very best of health and strength to get through this time. We can be contacted at any time at [email protected] or on 0117 9291883 Contents 1. Western Harbour and Other Development Initiatives. ............................................................... 2 2. Piazza update and news ................................................................................................................. 3 3. Mural in piazza wins award: .......................................................................................................... 3 4. Traffic Problems in Avon Crescent and Cumberland Rd: .......................................................... 3 5. Public Transport situation: .............................................................................................................. 4 6. News from Jacob Wells Road ........................................................................................................ 4 7. Warnings/ scams to avoid in the current situation: ..................................................................... 4 8. Local and Green News : ................................................................................................................. 5 9. Banksy’s ‘girl’ gets a makeover: .................................................................................................... 5 10. Friends Ageing Better newsletter: ............................................................................................... 5 11. Books: .............................................................................................................................................. 6 12. Food Banks: ................................................................................................................................... 7 13. Refuse Collection: ......................................................................................................................... 7 14. Exercising with caution: ................................................................................................................ 8 15. Local Businesses in need of support at this time: .................................................................... 8 16. University of the Third Age (U3A) Members: .......................................................................... 10 17. To mask or not to mask: ............................................................................................................. 10 1 1. Western Harbour and Other Development Initiatives. There are lots of development initiatives happening to the South of Hotwells and Cliftonwood, all of which would have an impact in one way or another upon our area. Developments are proposed at the following: • Baltic Wharf Caravan and Motorhome Club Site • Payne's Shipyard • Old Brewery, Ashton Gate • Alderman Moore's allotments • Ashton Gate's Sporting Quarter • Ashton Vale field • Ashton Railway Sidings • Cumberland Basin/Ashton Meadows All of these developments are well illustrated in the Bristol Live article available here: The Bristol Post has and article on ‘Plans for hundreds of new homes on site of former railway depot in Ashton Gate’ at the Clanage Road Railway Depot/Ashton sidings. • The Clanage Road planning application has application reference 20/01655/F • There is also a planning application at Payne’s Shipyard which has reference 19/06107/F The current details of these applications are available on Bristol City Council’s website, but we are aware the council seem to be having problems at present. You can search for planning applications on this page. Enter one of the above reference numbers in the box under ‘simple search’ and select ‘Documents’ to view the details. There is a lot of information but the ‘Design and Access Statement’ is a useful place to start. On the 29th April HCCA was given access to the pre-application plans for the development of the ‘Baltic Wharf Caravan and Motorhome Club Site’ and we will be commenting on those. So despite being “in lock-down” there is plenty going on. The Cumberland Basin Stakeholder Group has written to the Mayor to ask for assurances that things will not progress with the Cumberland Basin/Western Harbour initiative without prior engagement with the public as originally planned. Details of the letter can be found on the HCCA website www.hotwellscliftonwood.org.uk 2 2. Piazza update and news Here is a link to a most informative piece written by Anna Wilson who has done so much to promote the development and the beautification of our ‘square’. It points to a very interesting project which will involve local art students. https://artundertheflyover.com/2020/04/28/adapting-to-a-changing-world/ Another link on the subject of urban landscape can be found here https://issuu.com/landscape-institute/docs/landscape_journal_2020-2_-_12067 3. Mural in piazza wins award: Our local mural by Amy Hutchings is profiled Landscape Institute magazine- congratulations to Amy. Because of an interest in Dame Sylvia Crowe, the landscape architect who designed the Cumberland Basin scheme, Hotwells has been profiled in a prestigious national magazine! In 2018, Anna Haydock-Wilson approached local artist Amy Hutchings, to discuss painting a mural of famous local women. inspired by Jane Duffus’s book The Women Who Built Bristol. This was funded by ‘Art within the Cracks’, a project celebrating the centenary of women gaining suffrage by developing artist led community engagement projects. Anna & Amy selected the women they wanted to profile and Amy devised and painted the lovely mural. For more see this article on Amy’s website. 4. Traffic Problems in Avon Crescent and Cumberland Rd: Residents of Avon Crescent continue to raise concerns and complaints about Bristol Council’s failure to deliver on outstanding AVTM Metrobus safety and environmental conditions. In the meantime, as a constructive response to the Covid-19 lock-down restrictions, residents welcomed considerate roadrunners and sought to make interim safe shared (social distance) space for all the thousands of extra walkers, runners and cyclists needing to use Avon Crescent (as part of a round-harbour route & link across the Cut between neighbourhoods and green spaces west of the city). They also marked out a 2m+ runner’s lane extension to the narrow pavement space. This has proved so popular that pictures and stories about this went viral and have been linked with similar initiatives around the world. Unfortunately, just as everyone got used to Avon Crescent as much-needed safe shared space (it is one of the main missing Metrobus safety and environmental conditions) Bristol Council Transport suddenly and without notice removed all the closure signs it had recently put up, which has encouraged vehicles to dominate and inappropriately forced runners back onto the narrow pavements. In the meantime all residents are keen to make sure Avon Crescent users are safe and have found fellow voices city-wide, nationally and globally who are working to the same goal. 3 Below are some links you might find interesting: Bristol Post: Coronavirus: Markings encouraging runners to practice social distancing appear on Bristol road BBC Radio Bristol: Why speeding in built-up areas has become an issue during the coronavirus restrictions. The Guardian: World cities turn their streets over to walkers and cyclists Road CC: East London council to block cars to protect cyclists and pedestrians from speeding drivers during pandemic 5. Public Transport situation: Buses are still running in Bristol, although at a much reduced number. First Bus is now carrying less than 10% of the numbers before lockdown. In order to support local bus services which are essential for many people (including ‘key workers’) the Department of Transport has offered financial support for the next three months. The M2 bus is currently not running, although the park-and-ride at Long Ashton is still open and the 505 bus is running from there on a weekend timetable. Read the First Bus site for more information. 6. News from Jacob Wells Road Jacobs Wells Community Hub is changing their noticeboards more frequently, offering a range of local interest and cultural posts (including recipes and health). All three boards have dispensers for local walks and colouring activities. Stocks of these vary on each board. Locations of the boards are: • Bottom of Jacobs Wells Road - just above the crescent of shops • Top of Jacobs Wells Road - opposite the entrance to QEH School • Cathedral Walk - adjacent to the grassed area between The Crescent and Lloyds Banking. Please notice that only pre-printed posters (preferably A4) can be accepted as there is no access to printers currently. The email address to use if you have any questions is [email protected] 7. Warnings/ scams to avoid in the current situation: There are many scams around currently to catch us off guard in a time when we might be more pre-occupied