Bristol24/7’s most-read stories of 2022

Riots and protests once again made headlines in 2022, in another important year for local justice.

But alongside the placards and chants, 2022 proved that it was the under-represented, the surprising, the quirky, and the downright hilarious that made the top of the list this year.

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Here are the most-read stories on bristol247.com in 2022:

1. ‘I just want my disabled daughter to have a safe garden to play in’

Back in April, a woman from Knowle West told Bristol24/7 her back garden was too unsafe for her disabled daughter to use – less than a year after it was transformed thanks to a community fundraiser. Liz Griffin said her garden had fallen into disrepair and that eight-year-old Storm is housebound because of the condition of it. However retired landscaper, Nick, who originally did the garden, denied he did a botch job, telling Bristol24/7: “I cannot be responsible for any of the maintenance she was told to do but has obviously neglected.”

Liz Griffin stands in her “dangerous” garden – photo: Charlie Watts

2. Pub’s cheese rolls go viral

The Sugar Loaf went viral in November for its cheese rolls, thanks to the generous slices of Cheddar cheese and onions with them. First appearing on a Reddit thread, the sandwiches quickly made their way to the popular Twitter account, No Context Brits, where reactions began to stream in. “I wouldn’t ever use grated cheese. That is sacrilege!” landlord Martin Donlin told Bristol24/7 in an exclusive interview. Martin and his team make 24 rolls every weekday and can sell as many as 70 on Saturdays as local football teams come to the pub after their game.

Rolls are all made fresh daily at the Sugar Loaf – photo: Martin Booth

3. Big Jeff seriously injured in fire

Bristol was shocked when famous gig goer Jeffrey Johns, better known as Big Jeff, was left seriously injured after a fire broke out at his home in Totterdown. Jeff was cared for at a specialist burns unit in Swansea before spending time at Southmead Hospital. He was discharged in early December but not before painting a mural on the window of the building.

Big Jeff painting at Southmead Hospital – photo: Simon Holliday

4. Not guilty verdicts in trial of Colston 4

Only five days into 2022, there were cheers in the public gallery as Rhian Graham, Milo Ponsford, Jake Skuse and Sage Willoughby were acquitted of the charge of criminal damage by a jury at Bristol Crown Court, over the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston. Dubbed the Colston 4, they were the only people to stand trial following events that made global headlines on June 7, 2020. The trial generated huge public interest, with renowned historian David Olusoga among the expert witnesses called.

After almost three hours of deliberating, the verdicts were returned as not guilty – photo: Martin Booth

5. Protests break out at Bristol secondary school

Redland Green School students protested in December following the resignation of a popular teacher who was allegedly forced out of the school after saying that she had experienced racial harassment. One member of staff told Bristol24/7 that a “riot” had broken out but the headteacher denied this, saying that there had been a “peaceful protest” over the issues.

Students protested after one of the few Black members of staff at the school was allegedly forced out – photo: Redland Green School

6. What would every area of Bristol do if they were people at a house party?

After a Reddit post asked this million dollar question, users responded with hilarious answers: “Stokes Croft is preaching political and ethical theory to anyone too wasted to move, while eating a faux-loumi kebab” while “Clifton didn’t go. It had its own party, invitation only. Wine tasting and cocaine”. Meanwhile “Southville couldn’t find a babysitter for young Percy, Mia and Nigella in time so stayed home” and “St George cycled in and won’t stop complaining about the cycle back home,” quipped a third. “Ends up getting an Uber and sheepishly picking up their bike on Monday.”

“St Werburgh’s is sniffing ket and doing an interpretive dance” one user wrote – photo: Lakota

7. Woman ‘disgusted’ that new homes overlook her garden

In July, Jackie Bowey told Bristol24/7 that she was “disgusted” that new houses that have been built at the back of her property overlook her garden and that the housing developer has “gone against its word” by building four homes looking into her garden. Fellow Alard Road resident Michelle Bartley added: “I feel like it’s an invasion of my privacy. It makes my garden look smaller, and I don’t like it at all.” Bristol City Council later launched an investigation into the development in Knowle West.

Jackie Bowley in front of four houses built overlooking her garden by developer BoKlok – photo: Charlie Watts

8. Bristol secondary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted

In June, Montpelier High School received a harsh dose of reality when Ofsted inspectors rated the school ‘inadequate’. The former Colston’s Girls’ School, on Cheltenham Road, was last inspected 12 years ago when it had been judged ‘outstanding’. But this time, inspectors say that the school has failed in efforts to make pupils feel safe and tackle bullying. The school apologised to parents and endeavoured to bring back a ‘good’ rating by the next inspection.

Montpelier High School used to be called Colston’s Girls’ School before students pushed to get the name changed – photo: Martin Booth

9. Yacht with helicopter on board moors next to Brunel’s Buttery

In December of 2021, Miss Conduct sailed into the Floating Harbour where it has been an incongruous sight ever since. The luxury yacht, which is owned by two businessmen who wanted to remain anonymous (but whose identities were later revealed, see no. 12) was originally moored in New York harbour and spent almost a decade in Sharpness in Gloucestershire before arriving in Bristol, ideally positioned for a bacon roll from Brunel’s Buttery.

10. Ravers climb over club wall to get into free Fatboy Slim party

In October, two superstar DJs, Fatboy Slim and Eats Everything, played a surprise set from the back of a converted van in Lakota’s carpark to a packed crowd to mark their latest track, Bristol to Brighton. The pair were due to hold the free party under the area of land underneath Brunel Way, but were moved on by police. Ravers then travelled in throngs to St Paul’s before the party was forced to stop as the number of partygoers outside the club got too much, with dozens of people managing to climb over the wall from Backfields to get inside.

11. New owner of much loved pub promises he will not change anything

In an unlikely turn of events, the new owners of the Bell in the hinterlands between Kingsdown and Stokes Croft, promised “not to change a thing.” The much-loved pub was taken over by Sam Gregory – who remains the landlord of the Bank Tavern – and landlady Olivia Ramsey. Sam called the little pub “a mini Glastonbury” and celebrated the diverse range of people and music. “It’s a reflection of Stokes Croft and its vibrancy,” Sam told Bristol24/7 as we exclusively revealed the Bell’s new custodians. “All too often, pubs have the heart ripped out of them in communities like this.”

Owner Sam Gregory, landlady Olivia Ramsey and pub dog Charlie outside the Bell – photo: Martin Booth

12. Demo outside yacht as protestors demand answers from owners

Another entry for the Miss Conduct in our most-read stories of 2022. Protestors gathered outside the yacht in August to allege that real life misconduct was allegedly being carried out by its owners. The allegations were varied, from alleged illegal evictions to alleged unpaid bills. Owners of the yacht, Thomas Flight and Harry Steeley, are prominent members of the city’s LGBTQ+ community and are very well regarded in some quarters, using the boat to raise money for charitable causes including Suicide Prevention UK and the ongoing war in Ukraine. But one demonstrator who spoke at the protest said that they “hide behind a veneer of respectability”.

13. Work starts to build Bristol’s first railway station in almost a century

In February, work began on Portway Park & Ride, the first new railway station to be built in Bristol since Parson Street was opened in 1927. The new £4.2m station in Shirehampton links with the Severn Beach line. Cabinet member for transport, Don Alexander – whose favourite bus in Bristol is the Portway Park & Ride – called the build “a major milestone for the project”.

Portway Park & Ride is the first new railway station to be built in Bristol since Parson Street was opened in 1927 – photo: Network Rail

14. These six shops are new to Cribbs

Just in time for Christmas shopping, we previewed six new businesses that were new to The Mall in Cribbs Causeway. The new shops included the UK’s largest independent toy retailer, The Entertainer, and beauty specialists, Rituals, its first store in the West Country. Nail salon Townhouse also launched its second location outside of London and Mango, the global fashion brand, will launch in the new year, along with arts and crafts shop, The Works and Suits Direct.

The Mall at Cribbs Causeway opened in 1998 – photo: The Mall at Cribbs Causeway

15. The hidden river flowing underneath Bristol city centre

In the early new year, Bristol24/7 Editor, Martin Booth, went on a hunt to find the elusive River Frome. The original course of the Frome followed the line of St Stephen’s Street and Baldwin Street, with the Frome and the Avon creating the natural fortifications for Bristol Castle. Now only the last stretch of the diverted Frome between the Watershed and the Arnolfini remains above ground in the city centre. You can go on the hunt for glimpses of the Frome and other hidden underground waterways with Martin on his walking tours around the Old City and Castle Park with Yuup.

This grate next to the Watershed is where the Frome flows into the Floating Harbour after travelling underground from St Jude’s – photo: Martin Booth

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Bristol24/7 Person of the Year 2022: Jayde Adams
• Nominations for Bristol24/7 2023 charity partner now open
• Bristol’s best new food and drink openings of 2022

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