Southbank Arts Trail - 8 an 9 May

The 2010 Southbank Bristol Arts Trail takes place this weekend, 8 and 9 May. This year, over 55 venues will be opening to show the art, performances and other such things of over 150 artists.

Wander the happy streets of Southville, Bedminster and Ashton, pop into homes, churches, bars, cafés, community centres and all kinds of other spots and see some interesting and diverse work.

Trail brochures, with a map, venue details, events listings and the like are available at several venues, including the Southville Centre, which acts as the main hub of the Trail. There you can see over 30 artists, musicians, makers, and all sorts under one roof, grab refreshments and contribute to a message to the future.
It's highly recommened!

Art for art's sake

Our local Arts Trail will take place on the weekend of 8 and 9 May 2010. You'll be able to see a range of arts and crafts in public places as well as private homes in and around Southville, Bedminster and Ashton.

Ashton superstore on the election agenda.

So the election campaign has kicked off in Southville with a couple of electioneering leaflets stuffed through the letterbox of Simply Southville Towers.

First one on the mat was the Southville Rose the organ of ‘Your Labour Team: working hard in Southville and Ashton’. Is it just us but does ‘Southville Rose’ sound like a hooker you’d find in an old wild west saloon. ‘Howday partner, my name’s Southville Rose, can I show you a good time?’

Our MP Dawn Primarolo is now in favour of the proposed Sainsbury’s development at Ashton Gate describing it as a ‘win-win situation’. So Dawn’s in favour despite not seeing the planning application. Bit of a turnaround from the Tesco application when her silence was deafening for months. Young Sean Benyon says: ‘On the face of it these proposls make much more sense.’

Comedy quote from Southville Rose is Young Sean commenting on the new 20 MPH zone for Southville saying: ’ Locally, Labour have been campaigning for lower speed limits for years.’ So why didn’t you introduce them when Labour was in power in Bristol, preferred to wait until the Lib Dems took over? Please rearrange this quote: ‘on jump bandwagon the’.

Next on the mat was the Bristol Reporter from the Lib Dems, well at least we think it’s the Lib Dems as they’ve decided to put out their four page newsletter with a blue masthead. What’s wrong with your goldy, yellowy, wee in the snow colour? Perhaps you think Tory voters are so stupid that they’ll be tricked into voting for you?

One things for sure you you’ll know that ’councillor’, ’south Bristolian’, ’prospective Lib Dem MP’ , ‘local campaigner‘, ‘south Bristol’s next MP’, ‘astrophysicist’, ‘astronomer’ Mark Wright is standing for parliament for the Lib Dems. There’s even eight, rather cheesy, campaign pictures of Dr Mark so you can see what he looks like.

On the Ashton Gate superstore saga Dr Mark says: ‘The effects of moving Sainsbury’s there will depend on how big the new store is. If it is huge, it would be little different to the Tesco plan. If it is more modest [ed - do you get ‘modest’ superstores?] there might not be any problems.’ Oh come on. It’s going to be bigger than the current Sainsbury’s store (that was just a bit smaller than the proposed Tesco Extra) and will still have the same problems about transport, air quality and being against the Council’s own core strategy.

As for the Tories, nothing from them yet. Will they becoming out to play in Southville? And nothing yet from the Greens, perhaps they are still deciding on whether the environmental impact of producing election leaflets is against their core beliefs?

Big Five with George Ferguson

Southville's favourite architect, George Ferguson, is appearing on BCfm's 'Big Five' programme tomorrow night at 9pm. Hosted by Southville based presenter, Andrew Parsonage (pictured), the show asks people to list the five moments that changed their life and the music that reminds them of those times.

For more information on the Big Five, take a look at Bristol Community radio's website. You can hear the show on 93.2fm.

More twists and turns in superstore saga

We find out today that the planning application for a foodstore at Ashton Gate (but not Tesco) will now be heard at the Planning Committee meeting on 11 November, rather than the 'special' meeting that has been cancelled on 5 November.

Here's a statement on Bristol City's website.

Bristol blogosphere buzzes with Tesco talk

Harold Wilson once said ’A week is a long time in politics’. Well having been away from the keyboard at Simply Southville Towers we’ve had a bit of catching up to do with cyber comment on the proposed Tesco development at A$hton Gate.

Having had a summer sabbatical Southvile Roads blog sprang back into action to comment on the sudden appearance of yellow lines around A$hton Gate making match day parking more difficult. Perhaps they need a new stadium. Strange.

On the BERATE website we find out that God is now on the side of the anti-Tesco campaign, as Bedminster Churches condemn the superstore plan.

At long last our local MP Dawn Primarolo has come off the fence on the Tesco issue and is now swinging on the gate. The Evening Post reports: ‘Ms Primarolo says in a statement: "I would prefer to see affordable and social housing at Ashton Gate. I do not believe there is a shortage of supermarkets in the area. Bristol City Football Club own the majority of the land on the site and I accept that they need to maximise the return for the sale of this site, in order to build the new stadium. This stadium would be fantastic for the future of our city, and is essential to progressing the World Cup bid. It is for members of the Development Control Committee to decide on the appropriateness of this application." See why she’s a politician? She’s tried to appease everyone in one statement. No outright ‘no’ to the superstore, just a ‘prefer’ to see houses. Roll on the election.

The Bristol Blogger reports on the Council trying to sell its share of the A$hton Gate site to the multi-millionaire Lansdown on the cheap. You have to read the comments alongside this post to see some of our elected members squirm and spin. The Bristol Blogger also reports on the growing wealth of Steve ‘there is no other way to fund this stadium, honest Guv’ Lansdown. And for a bit of fun the BB has created a make-your-own-mock-Bristol-City-need-a-store poster. Hours of fun.

Simply Southville says, 'No to a suprstore and no to Tesco'.

Girls get naked if Tesco stopped

Malago Women's Institute members have pledged to produce a nude calendar if the planning application for a new superstore at Ashton Gate is rejected by the Bristol City Council planning committee on 5 November.

Simply Southville isn't sure this will be a critical move in the planning battle, but as they say, 'every little helps'!

BOB's back this Saturday

Best of Bedminster (BOB) Show takes place on Saturday 26 September from 10.30am to 3.30pm on North Street Green. There will be all the usual competitions including best jam, best wildlife photo, best cake and best mini garden, as well as stalls from local environmental groups, a Dr Bike session, refreshments from the Malago WI, entertainment, games and all round fun.

BERATE announce public meeting in September

BERATE the campaign group opposed to the proposed Tesco development at Ashton Gate is holding a public meeting on 17 September 2009. The meeting starts at 7.30pm and is being held at St Frances Church in North Street.

Come and find out more about the BERATE campaign against the proposed giant superstore development at Ashton Gate.

TesNO - tell the planners what you think

At long last the speculation is over and we now know what the proposed Tesco development at Ashton Gate is all about. You can full details of the giant superstore at Bristol City Council's planning website.

Comments about the application must be submitted in writing quoting the application number 09/03208/P. You can do it online: PublicAccess for Planning; by email: development.management@bristol.gov.uk; or in writing to: City Development, Brunel House, St George's Road, Bristol, BS1 5UY.

The application is due to be discussed at the South and East Development Control Meeting on 5 November at 6pm. So it is due to be heard the day before Bristol's final World Cup has to be submitted - so no pressure there then!

Nearer to the time a letter will be sent to everyone who has commented on the application to confirm these details and to invite them to this public meeting.

So people of Southville, this is your chance to make a difference. Read the proposals and if you are worried about the impact of this development on North Street, the environment, the lives of people living next to the proposed store and the fact that we don't need a giant Tesco because we are already well served by supermarkets. Write in and object.

Thirty minutes of your time now may make all the difference and avoid a mistake we'll all have to live with forever.

Southville club for people with memory impairment

The Southville Centre in Beauly Road plays host to a monthly Memory Cafe that provides support and information with people with memory impairment and their carers. The next two meetings are on 25 August and 27 September, both running from 10am to noon.

Help Southville's Faithspace win £5,000

The Bristol Evening Post's 'Building Healthy Communities' campaign has shortlisted ten Bristol projects that could win a £5,000 makeover. One of them is our very own Faithspace on Stackpool Road. Up to 29 June the Post is printing coupons that you can submit for your favourite project. The project with the most 'points' wins the five grand! There are also runner up prizes of £2,000 and £1,000.

So if you get the Post, why not collect the coupons and send them in for Faithspace? Winners announced on 1 July,

Southville Centre's Summer School

The Evening Post has reported that the Southville Centre is looking for course instructors, workshop tutors, fun day organisers and children's activity leaders to be part of its Summer School during August this year. Read more on the Post's website.

Canoe cleaner clears Cut

Well done John Pursey! There's a report in tonight's Evening Post about 64 year old John who was so fed up of seeing things dumped in the New Cut he got in his canoe and did something about it. In the past six weeks he's already pulled out 20 bikes. Read more on the Post website.

Who's ringing our bells?

The Southville Ringers are holding an open day on Saturday 9 May (11am-3pm) at St Paul's Church on Coronation Road. You can watch the bell-ringers in action and perhaps have a go yourself? Everyone welcome but children must be accompanied by and adult.

Wild in BS3

There's an open meeting at Windmill Hill City Farm on Monday, 27 April (7.30pm) to launch a new wildlife network. This group already includesSouthville CDA, South Bristol Riverscapes Project and Avon Wildlife Trust andwill work with Bristol Parks, park and river groups, schools and anyone elsewho wants to join in. The idea is to make BS3 much more welcoming to nativeplants and animals and to involve local people in making that happen.

GBCP Conference and AGM

Greater Bedminster Community Partnership's Priorities Conference and AGM is on Saturday 4 April. It runs from 9.30 to 3.00 at Southville Centre.

GBCP drop-in meeting

Find out more about the Greater Bedminster Community Partnership at its drop-in event on Wednesday 18 March. It is in the Green Room of the Tobacco Factory between 5.30 and about 8.00pm.