Photo: Jon Craig
UPDATE: On Friday 13 January, a day after this podcast was published, Martin Booth announced he would no longer be standing to become the next councillor for Hotwells and Harbourside, because of “perceived conflicts of interest” with his role as editor of Bristol 24/7.
From Boris Johnson to Marvin Rees to… Martin Booth. Will the editor of Bristol 24/7 soon become one of a long line of journalists who enter political office?
Booth is in the running as an independent in the 2 February by-election for the Hotwells and Harbourside council ward. As the editor of a local publication, what are Martin’s motivations and inspirations? Can anyone be really independent, including Bristol 24/7’s owners and shareholders?
The area Booth is seeking to represent is also the site of a major battle over the future of Bristol – the transformation of Cumberland Basin into the Western Harbour. But what’s the big idea? Who wins and who will lose? Listen in!
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Regarding the lack of community space in H&H, the following is from a public statement by Jacobs Wells Community Hub to a Neighbourhood Partnership meeting in 2016.
Our research has uncovered the fact that a building, Harbourside Pavilion, BS1 5JE, exists that was completed in 2005 and conceived originally as an ‘Urban Village Hall’. It is a two storey building with an accessible multi-function space on the upper floor. It was built at the expense of Crest Nicholson (South West) Ltd, who are the developers, as their contribution to community facilities in the area and handed over to Bristol City Council. Through our attempts to hire this venue for community activities we have discovered that it is being managed by Central Support Services, Property and Finance, to generate income for Bristol City Council and is consequently too expensive for the use of the ‘urban villagers’
What are the chances that any community facility provided as part of Western Harbout development would be managed in the same way?
Very good point, and well remembered. Amazing how quickly these things get overlooked as time goes by.
Western Harbour will come with many lovely drawings and promises. Many of them will never be delivered. Just like Metrobus.