Investigations
From exclusion zones to convictions: How Bristol’s rough sleepers can be criminalised under controversial notices
The government has promised to scrap the Vagrancy Act, but campaigners fear this long-awaited reform could mean the use of other powers to target homeless people will become more widespread.
In Disrepair: Bristol's broken renting system
Would a database that names and shames rogue landlords help protect renters?
London renters can access a searchable database of enforcement actions against landlords. Could something similar help people navigate the minefield of finding somewhere to live in Bristol?
A year after opening, some residents fear for their safety at controversial south Bristol flats
Imperial Apartments, a converted Hengrove office block where many flats do not meet space standards, was opened in 2020 to private renters and people facing homelessness. There are serious concerns about conditions there – but with Bristol’s bleak rental market cutting off housing options, some s...
Revealed: Untreated sewage is being dumped into our rivers thousands of times a year. Who’s to blame and can it be stopped?
The surge in popularity of wild swimming during the pandemic has highlighted the extent to which our outdated sewage system dumps waste into rivers – including the Avon. The Cable asks why, and speaks to local campaigners pushing for change.
‘Covid meant I didn’t have a job any more’: dozens of Bristolians face eviction after pandemic ban lifts
Hundreds of people across the country have lost their homes in hearings lasting just 10 minutes, an investigation has found. In most cases, judges couldn’t take Covid-related hardship into account.
Riot charges handed to Bristol Kill the Bill protesters are rare in recent history of unrest in Britain
Protesters face up to 10 years in prison after being charged with the most serious of public order offences. Lawyers comment on what this means and how recent riots and protests have been dealt with by the criminal justice system.
