This week in Bristol: Men arrested in Brislington murder probe
The big story
Two people have been arrested after a man was killed during an altercation in Bristol, bringing the number of people in custody to seven.
Police were called to reports of a disorder at Bloomfield Road in Brislington at 22:00 BST on Tuesday.
A man in his 30s from London – yet to be formally identified – died from stab wounds. Six others were injured.
Five men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and two on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Det Insp Ben Lavender, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: “This is a tragic incident in which a man has died following a shocking act of violence and our thoughts remain with his family at this difficult time.
“The man who sadly lost his life has not yet been formally identified but we have updated his next of kin and specially trained family liaison officers will now provide them with support and keep them fully updated.
“What happened on Tuesday night and why is still unclear and while our investigation is still very much in its early stages, we have made significant progress already.”
The rest of this week’s news
🚌 26 bus services paid for by council taxpayers in the Bristol region are under threat amid a row over who will foot rising costs to fund them. The routes supported by public money because they are not commercially viable are at risk of being scrapped, with the West of England mayor and South Gloucestershire Council again at the centre of a bust-up over funding.
🚍 Shortly after news of the bus row, it was announced that First Bus will run a £57 million bus service between Cribbs Causeway and Bristol Parkway. The new ‘m4’ service links with the existing ‘metrobus’ network and has been made possible by a cash injection from the West of England Combined Authority.
⚽ A vandalised adventure playground in Southmead has been rebuilt by the BBC DIY SOS team. The Ranch was originally built in the centre of Southmead in the 1950s, then was taken over by a development trust in 2019 supported by the community. Local volunteers and tradespeople clubbed together to give the playground a makeover, following a history of vandalism and arson attacks.
🏠 A new consultation has launched over plans for 1,500 homes near Bristol Temple Meads. The council says the homes could be built between York Road and Totterdown, as part of the wider Temple Quarter project which contains proposals for 10,000 new homes, in a scheme which it says will create 500 jobs and public spaces.
🚨 Another Kill the Bill protestor has been jailed for five years, after being found guilty of one charge of riot and one of arson. Matthew O’Neill was filmed placing lit items under a police vehicle, using a police riot shield to fan the flames and smashing the front window of a police van with a chair.
🍺 Windmill Hill pub will be developed into flats after a successful appeal against a planning refusal. After the pub closed in March 2020, its owners applied for permission to turn it into five apartments. The council refused permission in November 2021, after a campaign from the local community which claimed its loss would be a ‘travesty’.
🚽 The UK’s first women’s urinal will be launched at Love Saves The Day festival. Peequal was created on home turf by two Bristol Uni students. The company claims it will tackle long queues for loos, with its research showing women queue up to 34 times longer than men because there are 10 male urinals for every women’s public toilet.
🎨 Upfest returns for the first time since 2019 in south Bristol this weekend, featuring over 400 artists from 50 different countries. Europe’s biggest street art festival will see murals being painted on houses and businesses, including one of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as Superman.
🎥 The Watershed’s super-short filmmaking competition is back as part of Encounters Film Festival. Depict 2022 is accepting entries of films under 90 seconds and is free to enter. The deadline is 13.
- Listen: Bristol Unpacked with the BBC’s Pete Simson on the WECA mayoral election, making politics interesting and why snacks matter
- Joy as resistance: inside the club night changing Bristol’s queer scene
- Marvin Rees receives payment from energy giant he awarded massive contract to
- Listen: People Just Do Something, with Palestinian activist Iyad Burnat on the power of nonviolent resistance in the face of genocide
- What does the arrest of metro mayor and MP Dan Norris mean for his constituents?
- Being a Crip is a radicalising experience
