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YouTube travel vlogger likens Avonmouth to a ‘collapsing Soviet town’
His videos have been watched more than 500m times, but viewers of the Bald & Bankrupt channel on YouTube are more used to seeing Benjamin Rich exploring eastern Europe than a Bristol suburb.
Rich’s latest video for his 3.5m followers, however, is a trip from Land’s End to John O’Groats; and along the way he stops off for a few minutes in Avonmouth – about which he is none too complimentary.
“It’s seen better days,” says Rich as he strolls down Gloucester Road towards the railway station. And that’s one of his most positive observations.
is needed now More than ever
Watch the episode This is Britain! below, with Rich arriving into Avonmouth from 10.45:
Rich’s first view of Avonmouth is from McLaren Road, where he spots Bristol North West Foodbank in the grounds of St Andrew’s Church.
“We thought we’d come to Bristol because we heard it was very nice. And it’s – oh my god, it’s just full of boarded up houses and what is this? What is this place?
“Oh my god, it’s a foodbank. What is this place?
“Oh my god. Look at this. Look at Bristol. It’s all flippin’ boarded up… It was probably nice once upon a time.”
On Gloucester Road close to the Royal Hotel, Rich imagines “how beautiful it was before (with) these nice pillars and architecture”.
“And now look because bloody lumps of concrete lying around like some collapsing Soviet town.”
“Who lives in these places?” he ponders. “Check it out. But you can see before, it would have been lovely… It’s seen better days.”
Main photo: Bald & Bankrupt / YouTube
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