Ward profiles 2021: Cotham – ‘We’re a good balance of people who seem to get on okay’

Cotham ward was the surprising focus of a section of journalist Owen Jones’ YouTube show on Sunday evening.

The columnist and author spoke about the week of disorder in Bristol before interviewing Kieran Glassmith, who was a candidate up until a few days before he talked to Jones, when he was deselected for his “targeted and abusive social media”.

According to Glassmith, he was under investigation for his social media activities which included retweeting criticism of Labour leader Kier Starmer and calling him ‘Keith’.

Glassmith said that four Labour council candidates in Bristol received a letter at the same time saying that they were under investigation.

“Very clearly it’s trying to build up a culture of intimidation,” Glassmith told Jones. “So that everyone feels like they can’t risk criticising the people in charge.”

The remaining confirmed Labour candidate in Cotham ward, Dylan Woodward, is one of 20 Labour candidates across Bristol who has signed an open letter calling for an independent investigation into videos “which appear to show police using excessive force against protestors” over the last week.

In Cotham ward itself on Sunday evening, a few families were still making the most of the extra hour of daylight in the playground in Cotham Gardens.

The playground equipment was recently refurbished but the city council’s parks team had trouble getting supplies of playbark due to a shortage of building materials across the UK due to Covid-19.

Cotham Gardens was built on a field called Upper Hilly Close, with the land leased by the Fry family, owners of the Cotham Park estate, to Bristol Corporation for one shilling a year for 1000 years.

At the public park’s official opening in 1881, it was described as “a beautiful little pleasure ground as a place of recreation for the public”.

The refurbished Cotham Gardens playground was a surprising casualty of Covid-19 – photo: Martin Booth

Cotham ward encompasses Cotham (but not Cotham Hill) as well as much of Redland and Kingsdown.

At 84.1, males in Cotham have the highest average life expectancy in all of Bristol with females ranked third on the citywide list.

On Chandos Road, a key local issue currently for many traders – especially in the hospitality sector – is whether the street can follow in the footsteps of Cotham Hill and be pedestrianised.

The Good Measure co-owner Kelly Sidgwick said that the city council have been “really helpful” throughout the pandemic.

She said: “They’ve obviously had to work to adapt to the situation just as we have, but they’ve communicated with us and sorted out grants pretty promptly. It feels like they’ve had a pragmatic approach to hospitality and worked with us to get through it.”

She added: “It would be great if Chandos Road was pedestrianised but we recognise the challenges that go along with that, with so many narrow residential streets surrounding.

“Making it one-way might be a more realistic aim. We’d also liked to see provision for cycle parking as there currently isn’t any on the road or very nearby.”

Chandos Road is one of Bristol’s foremost streets for food and drink – photo: Martin Booth

Lib Dem Anthony Negus is one of the two ward councillors alongside the Greens’ Cleo Lake, who is stepping down from her role in May and is currently standing as a candidate in the police & crime commissioner election.

Negus told Bristol24/7: “I am bringing beneficial idea forward and making them happen, like working with schools for better safety and getting them involved with our local park and how it can be made more friendly to wildlife, and to a wider range of users..

“And I am trying to appreciate the benefits and dealing with issues arising from living close-packed with permanent and temporary residents with different lifestyles and priorities, working closely with all agencies.”

The two 18th-century obelisks flanking the entrance to the former Cotham Park estate are Grade II listed – photo: Martin Booth

Twenty-five-year-old baker Ri Meredith lives in Redland. “Redland and Cotham seem a grandiose place to live for those passing down the streets, but my experience is looks can be deceiving,” she says.

“These magnificent houses have paper thin floors and ceilings so you really get to know your neighbours.”

She added: “We’re a good balance of students, young professionals and families and we seem to get on okay.”

Main photo: Martin Booth

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