Random Stuff!

[TheLocalYokel]

Dont know where to put this so its here and move it if you think it needs to be moved. Has any one noticed on fr24 the helicopters now showing rotor blades,i have not noticed this until this morning.

I can't say I have. I'l certainly bear that in mind the next time I look.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Police pelted with 'bricks and bottles' at illegal warehouse rave

As many as 500 people were estimated to be at the unlicenced event

www.bristolpost.co.uk

This sort of thing is beyond comprehension. Police forces are already under immense pressure trying to police the virus regulations as well as carrying out 'normal' policing tasks.

Although chief constables don't like doing so and the military don't like acting in a policing role - for starters they are not trained for it - consideration must surely be given to calling for military assistance to assist the civil power in situations like this during the current crisis. Lack of numbers meant the police could not fully deal with the incident until well over 12 hours after they were originally called.

Organisers know that the police often struggle to find sufficient personnel to deal properly with these raves. With the pandemic in full flow they should be quickly disabused of this notion. Dealing with this also meant that considerable police resources were diverted from other mainstream tasks.

The prime minister should make it clear that such actions are intolerable and won't be countenanced and that he will support any chief constable's request for military assistance in this sort of situation.

If the government is serious about tackling this pandemic and believes that social distancing is a major plank of its strategy it must ensure that this sort of event is either stopped at source (often impossible) or brought to an end quickly, and if it means using military assistance in order to do so then that should be available.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Further to the above it's now reported that a police officer broke his leg whilst helping to deal with this illegal rave.

Had it been the other way around I suppose there would have been allegations of police brutality so is this raver brutality?

Yet more complete disregard of the virus regulations in the Bristol area (see below link).

Bristol club's 'most blatant show of contempt' for Covid curfew

The owner has been fined £10,000 just days after a first fine of £1,000

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A couple of Bristol aerial stories, one seemingly far more likely than the other.

Boeing plane to be brought to Bristol - and turned into an office

The £50million aircraft, which has not flown since 2011, is being transported from Cotswold Airport

www.bristolpost.co.uk

World's first 'Arc' attraction planned for Bristol

"A magical 20-minute scenic flight to see the City’s wonderful dynamic landscape"

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol's new ice rink is due to open in the spring. Strictly speaking it's not Bristol's ice rink as it's located just across the city boundary at the giant Cribbs Causeway shopping and leisure centre in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire, and would have been at the end of the Bristol Airport runway had the city council relocated their Whitchurch Airport to Filton in the 1950s instead of to Lulsgate.

The city region has been without an ice rink since the one at Frogmore Street in the central area was closed eight years ago. At least the Bristol Pitbulls ice hockey team will be able to return to the area having been playing at Oxford in recent years.

What's to know about Bristol's Planet Ice Rink at Cribbs Causeway

It will be run by the UK’s largest ice rink operator, Planet Ice

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[superking]

BRS airport got a mention in parliment today. The covid 19 was in discussion a d dr Liam fox stood up. His question was when will we see testing in airports to open up regional airports. He said my local airport was very quiet with not many passengers.He would like to see more regional airport flying. Statement was different from when he objected to BRS planning application. 2 heads spring to mind.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

BRS airport got a mention in parliment today. The covid 19 was in discussion a d dr Liam fox stood up. His question was when will we see testing in airports to open up regional airports. He said my local airport was very quiet with not many passengers.He would like to see more regional airport flying. Statement was different from when he objected to BRS planning application. 2 heads spring to mind.

Good job he isn't Pinocchio. His nose would have been stretching outside the door.

it's statements like this that make politicians look so foolish and duplicitous. A few years ago he was standing up for BRS saying that APD devolution to Wales would be damaging to the airport and the region's economy, then at the beginning of this year he wrote to North Somerset unitary authority saying there was no case for the airport to expand as there was no evidence that it would add to the region's economy. Now he wants the airport to join in a return to more regional flying.

 

[superking]

Just out of intereast has the airport hotel been open with this covid 19 thing going on. If the hotel has been open does any one know how the numbers of rooms being used and take up of people.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Virus tiers

No surprise that Bristol has been put in tier 3 given the alarming rise in infections over the past two months. Before the universities reopened in September Bristol had easily the lowest infection rate of any large city in the country. It was no coincidence that the huge incidence of cases at the universities led to a wider spread across the community, aided and abetted by many people obviously being cavalier about their behaviour.

South Gloucestershire and North Somerset unitary authorities have also been placed in tier 3. Their infection rates have also risen in the past couple of months but not to the degree of those in Bristol. In fact, in the last two weeks Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire have seen significant falls in their infection rates.

As both South Gloucestershire and North Somerset are part of the Greater Bristol region and parts of their areas (especially South Gloucestershire) have urban areas physically joined to Bristol's outer urban areas they contribute to an unbroken physical city. From the air it looks like one city.

What does seem bizarre is the fact that the fourth local government element of the Greater Bristol region (formerly the county of Avon) - Bath & North East Somerset unitary authority (B&NES) - has been placed in tier 2. As with North Somerset and South Gloucestershire it is intimately connected with Bristol - in travel, business, work, educational and social terms - with parts of its semi-urban areas joined to Bristol's outer urban suburbs in the same way as South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, with B&NES also having physical boundaries with these other council areas.

Whitchurch Village is a suburb in B&NES that is joined to the Whitchurch part of Bristol proper - you can't see the join - yet one is in tier 2 and the other in tier 3. The government uses various criteria to decide on tier areas, apart from the infection rate, one of which is NHS capacity. Some residents of Whitchurch Village and other B&NES areas on the edge of Bristol use both hospitals and GP surgeries within the city.

I live within Bristol just 300 metres from B&NES. Because tier 3 residents are told not to travel between tiers I can't walk 300 metres up the road but can drive (or even walk if I was so minded) 12 miles across the city to Avonmouth which is within the city boundary. In fact there are streets in my suburb and the adjoining one where houses one side of the road are in Bristol and on the other side in B&NES with the residents of the B&NES houses using the local facilities in Bristol such as schooling, GP surgery and shops.

Given that the government has put whole counties such as Kent into one tier when parts of the county have relatively low infection rates and are far from higher infection rate areas in the county, but not included one of the four councils in the much smaller, in terms of area, of the populous and largely urban and semi-urban Greater Bristol region makes no sense whatever.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Zoo to close

The world's oldest provincial zoo, opened in 1836, is to close. The zoo is situated on the edge of the Downs near Clifton College. It occupies a small site and boasts some stunning gardens. Until forty or fifty years ago it housed large animals such as elephants, bears, lions, tigers and giraffes. As sentiment changed towards the enclosure of large wild animals in small spaces the zoo adapted to smaller species with research a key element of its work.

The zoo has been struggling financially in recent years and the Covid-enforced closures have brought matters to a head. It's reported that the gardens will remain when the zoo closes in 2022 with houses likely to be built where the zoo buildings are situated.

Some years ago the charity that owns the zoo, Bristol Zoological Society, opened a second facility called Wild Place Project near Cribbs Causeway just outside the city boundary. This is situated on a much larger site with plenty of space and already houses some larger animals.

The creatures currently at the zoo will be moved to Wild Place which will become the new Bristol Zoo.

For generations of people living in the area and beyond, many of whom will have visited in their childhood and later with their own children, the closure of the existing zoo site will be tinged with sadness. However, the new site will be far better for the animals and visitors, albeit it won't actually be inside the Bristol municipal boundary but just across the border in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire. Then again Bristol Airport is not in Bristol.......

BREAKING: Bristol Zoo in Clifton to close - latest updates

Bristol Zoological Society - the world's oldest provincial zoo - is relocating the attraction to its Wild Place Project site

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[superking]

It might stop a lot of locals moaning about car parking. Perhaps they will change over to the houses planned for the old zoo. Went there many times and always enjoyed it,not been there for well over 50 years.It will be sad to see it go.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It might stop a lot of locals moaning about car parking. Perhaps they will change over to the houses planned for the old zoo. Went there many times and always enjoyed it,not been there for well over 50 years.It will be sad to see it go.

There was a lot of complaining by locals about car parking. Now some of them are bemoaning the closure. The site near Cribbs Causeway will no doubt become as well loved as the current one by future generations

When our daughter's family was growing up at Chester we used to go to Chester Zoo with them. That's a much bigger site but the Cribbs Causeway site will be even bigger.

 

[superking]

Chester zoo is on every afternoon on more4 at 5pm. If you have not seen it,it might bring back some memories.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Army to take over Ashton Gate for mass coronavirus vaccination programme

As many as 110,000 people will be vaccinated a week

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[superking]

Lionel richie to do a concert in Bristol june 21st 2021,5 days before bryan adams concert. The location details will be announced in january 2021. The main thing to be announced will be the venue. a couple of big names in Bristol and i wonder who else will be here. All this will be if covid 19 will be sorted out in some way.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Lionel richie to do a concert in Bristol june 21st 2021,5 days before bryan adams concert. The location details will be announced in january 2021. The main thing to be announced will be the venue. a couple of big names in Bristol and i wonder who else will be here. All this will be if covid 19 will be sorted out in some way.

It won't be at the new aren at Filton if it ever gets built. Ashton Gate is the usual venue for such acts although there have also been concerts at the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club ground. Tom Jones was there last year, or was due to be but there were some health and safety concerns about the staging and I can't remember if the event took place. Another possibility is The Downs. Massive Attack had a sell-out 30,000 crowd there a few years ago and then there is Ashton Court. The likes of the Colston Hall (sorry, the Beacon - I must remember its new name, at least occasionally) and Lloyds Amphitheatre on the Harbourside would be too small for this type of performer, although the amphitheatre can accommodate up to 10,000 spectators. Colston Hall apart (capacity only 2,000) these venues are all outdoors although Ashton Gate does have covered spectator seating on all four sides.

Are you keen to attend these performances, superking?

 

[superking]

Are you keen to attend these performances, superking posted by localyokel in last post.
No i shant go as i think health problems wont be cleared up. I thought it was worth a mention as a coo for Bristol. Last time Lionel riche was in the area was back in 2015 at Glastonbury. I wonder if it will generate any trade for BRS.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Are you keen to attend these performances, superking posted by localyokel in last post.
No i shant go as i think health problems wont be cleared up. I thought it was worth a mention as a coo for Bristol. Last time Lionel riche was in the area was back in 2015 at Glastonbury. I wonder if it will generate any trade for BRS.

Hopefully the vaccines will be effective and later next year they will have been rolled out substantially. The thought of another year like 2020 doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The new virus tiers in the Bristol area

Bristol city council and North Somerset unitary authority have been moved from the government’s tier 3 to tier 2 from this Saturday and join Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) unitary authority that has been in tier 2 since these tiers were introduced. However, South Gloucestershire unitary authority remains in tier 3 despite Gloucestershire ‘proper’ being in tier 2 immediately to the north and Bristol in tier 2 immediately to the south.

Government guidance dictates that you should limit movement into higher tiers as much as possible but if you do move you take your tier status with you. Hospitality rules and guidance is different according to tiers. In particular pubs, cafes and restaurants can only deal in takeaways in tier 3 whilst tier 2 establishments can open for patrons taking substantial table meals with beverages that accompany the meal, including alcoholic drinks.

In the local press and other local news media there has been much discussion about the situation in south Bristol with Whitchurch highlighted because this outer suburb falls partly in Bristol and partly in B&NES. These news outlets have carried stories about the ramifications of pubs, cafes and restaurants on either side of the border being in different regimes.

Yesterday the local rag had an article about a pub in Pensford, a mile or so south of Whitchurch along the A37, being subjected to abuse from some potential customers living in Bristol (still tier 3 until Saturday) after being told they could not eat there. This pub relies almost exclusively on Bristol people for its trade and what with the hassle and loss of most of its clientele has only been opening for short periods mainly at weekends.

Our son and his wife had booked afternoon tea in the Chew Valley for last Saturday (the B&NES tier 2 part - the other part of the Chew Valley is still in tier 3 in North Somerset until this Saturday) but when they rang to confirm were told they could not be accommodated because they live in Bristol. Their home is in Whitchurch within the Bristol part but the B&NES border coincides with the hedge at the bottom of their garden.

The ‘take your tier with you’ seems to apply to Covid rules set out in legislation but the local media and many hospitality premises proprietors have interpreted it as applying to the guidance as well.

The chances are that now Bristol will soon be in tier 2 with South Gloucestershire remaining in tier 3 that situation will exacerbate. The South Gloucestershire/Bristol border is much more populous and runs for a far longer distance than the B&NES/Bristol border. Large suburbs in South Gloucestershire on the northern and north-eastern edge of Bristol include the likes of Patchway, Filton, Bradley Stoke, Frenchay, Downend, Staple Hill, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Cadbury Heath and Hanham. Physically they are part of the unbroken Bristol urban conurbation but are not within the Bristol municipal area.

In fact, the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire is the only part of the 5 million-plus population of the government region of the South West (Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including unitary authorities within those ceremonial counties) that is in tier 3, despite having an infection rate below England’s average.

For most practical purposes that part of South Gloucestershire contiguous to Bristol is part of the city (it's known locally as the North Bristol Fringe) as are those parts of North Somerset and B&NES that border Bristol. I wonder if it’s really necessary for government to over-complicate its reaction to the pandemic in this way.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Another odd outcome of the physical Bristol conurbation being separated by different virus tier levels.

Bristol Rovers' ground is in Bristol (tier 2 from tomorrow) less than a mile from the South Gloucestershire unitary authority border (remaining in tier 3) where many of the club's fans live.

Rovers fans in walking distance of ground can't go to games

South Gloucestershire, where the majority of the club's fans are based, is staying in Tier 3

www.bristolpost.co.uk