What do you think of the new barriers on North Street?!
I was on North Street today and have a meeting with BCC highways on Thursday PM to recommend changes. I wish to have a consensus picture in my mind by then as the council are clearly trying to be accomodating of business needs.
Most businesses I have spoken to are understanding of the challenge and cautiously positive to the new layouts in this age of Covid; a few of you are distraught; and some are delighted. Please read on and let me know of any further questions, concerns, ideas or clarifications you have as soon as possible.
Urgent Concerns (Distraught)
Western End of North St
259 - Clarkes Pies - loading issues
267 - Fishminster - prefer to have parking outside
269 Ashton Fruit and Veg - need loading bay in front of shop clear and would prefer cps adjacent to be clear
Mixed p/d residents parking on North Street and adjacent side streets. Could these be temporarily converted to dedicated p/d?
Eastern End of North St
Generally we requested and and see the need for much less intervention here and would prefer to see at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the barriers taken out to increase parking, especially those spaces not in front of hospitality type businesses.
56-58 North St - InRecovery. Needs parking outside/near shop for customers mainly but also deliveries. Thus please reduce number of spaces taken by new barriers. Similar principle for many businesses here except hospitality
62 North St as above
Principles of Use by Hospitality Sector
One of our hopes from the barriers is not just covid safety but also creating outdoor pavement space for hospitality sector businesses. For example I have spoken with several hospitality businesses and the hope here is that any space in front of their business beyond say circa 2.5m width for pedestrian flow may be used for dedicated seating? Clarity on this is important as we can then:
provide pavement markings delineating dedicated hospitality business seating space
provide some pavement markings to direct pedestrians away from the seating
improve the bollards to make the place look less like a building site and more like a place people will wish to go (eg artwork, both 2D and 3D)
Below is a list of the businesses that would benefit from the above and some which are not accommodated in the above but would require some sort of assistance via this approach and thus any further ideas are welcomed. Side streets for example are an alternative to suspending car parking spaces and I think 1-way pavements are a useful idea) the western end of North St businesses consulted supported this but the eastern end did not). I would also seek to slow traffic where there are 1 way pavements as people will need to cross more often.
Other Key Questions Requiring Answers
How long will this go on for?
Hospitality Businesses on North St (not exhaustive)
(those underlined are PM type operations (including sale of alcohol) and would require largely lunchtime through evening; others are cafe requiring daytime only mostly). Any assistance to create outside space will be helpful.
12 sweven (ability to create space in adjacent side street)
36 nordic cafe
51 kask (permission required to extend all the way to the ebenezer pocket park)
57 friendly records
60 albatross
81 flip cafe
139 spotted cow
181 enids fish bar
234 tin can (ability to create space in adjacent exeter side street)
252 parsons (ability to create space in adj gathorpe st)
273 savana
277 souk (ability to create space in adj raleigh road)
tobacco factory (ability to create space in adj
291 bristol beer factory
298 el rincon
I look forward to hearing from you. Please email or call - details below. Finally on this there will be a Zoom meeting for anyone in the pub and related hospitality sector on Monday at 2pm. Again please do get in touch if you are interested.
PLEASE GET INVOLVED IN THE BID
If you are interested in becoming more closely involved with the BID, we are an informal, friendly group, whose basic duties are to direct spending for the BID and Town Team. The BID Board meets 6pm on the first Tuesday of each month online. Please do get in touch if you'd like to get involved.
Alternatively a marketing (and arts, culture) group meets on the last Monday of every month also at 6pm and a Built Environment Group on the first Tuesday monthly at 4pm - also online. Alternatively if you prefer drop us a line or telephone us for a chat to discuss any ideas you have that you think the BID should be pursuing.
About the Business Improvement District
Bedminster BID funding is generated via a small levy on all eligible businesses in the area and paid into a central 'kitty' in November each year, to be spent on projects that benefit Bedminster businesses.
Our stated priorities are to:
Create vibrant streets that excite and delight
Market and promote Bedminster
Reduce crime and improve the shopping environment
Advocate and lobby for Bedminster business interests
Drive down costs
Further Information
Business to business news: www.bedminster.org.uk/business
Customer facing website and social media (these streams are owned by the BID and open for your use to announce items of interest to the local customer base - please get in touch if you have anything you wish to share):
Contacts
George Grace - business@bedminster.org.uk
Simon Dicken (Wilko) - man242@wilko.co.uk
Stef Brammar (AGB) - stef.brammar@way-out-west.org
We are grateful to local accountants Tyrrell Procter and communications experts Plaster for their generous pro bono contributions to our activities.