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Many young people from south Bristol have never visited Suspension Bridge
The Clifton Suspension Bridge may be our city’s most internationally famous landmark, but some young people who have lived in south Bristol all of their lives have never visited it.
“It’s a different world up there in Clifton, even though it’s not that far away distance-wise,” says Levi, a youth worker with Youth Moves.
Youth Moves works with young people from Hartcliffe, Knowle West, Stockwood and Withywood, with Levi and his colleagues finding it increasingly common that those living here have never set foot on Brunel’s splendid span.
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“Lots of people may be surprised by this but I am not really, it’s very common, and you will find it with other well-known sites in the city too,” said Levi.
“It’s just not really in their reach or part of their life to do so. Lots tend to stay in their estate, so why would you go?”
Clifton Suspension Bridge opened in 1864 – photo: Callum Cutler
Levi, who grew up in Knowle West, visited the bridge for the first time when he was a staff member at Oasis Academy. “It is pretty common for where we are from to be honest.”
He said that the reasons for this are “hard to say”.
“Partly getting there, if you have the transport, but as much to do with it being beyond their horizons.
“It’s a different world up there in Clifton, even though it’s not that far away distance-wise. People just tend to stay in their estates, maybe go into town sometimes.”
It is a similar story to one that was shared in 2019 by Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, who grew up in St Paul’s, Lawrence Weston and Easton.
In a cabinet meeting discussing plans for the Western Harbour development, Rees said that when he was growing up, he never visited Clifton or Hotwells, saying that “the bridge, the Gorge, the balloons were an inaccessible part of the city’s life to me”.
Levi said that the tourist-friendly view of Bristol is not one shared across the city, which is why working with young people in south Bristol is of vital importance.
He added: “It’s up to us to show the famous parts of the city too. I mean, why shouldn’t our young people have a taste of it too?”
Main photo: Youth Moves
Read more: Rees: ‘The bridge, the Gorge and balloons are not central to my city’s identity’
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