Ward profiles 2021: Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze – ‘There is no sense of urgency’

It is an oft-quoted fact that Bristol has no statue of a woman other than Queen Victoria on College Green.

This is not strictly true – if you count a small sculpture of Victorian author Amelia Lodge in Henleaze.

Edwards was a novelist, journalist, campaigner, traveller and Egyptologist, with artist Emma Jean Kemp using books as stepping stones, referencing her life as her traveller and writer.

The statue of Amelia Edwards was commissioned by Churchill Retirement Living for their new building, Amelia Lodge, which opened in Henleaze in 2016 – photo: Martin Booth

Edwards, who was born in 1831 and died in 1892, lived in Westbury-on-Trym. She was buried at St Mary’s chuchyard in Henbury, where her grave is marked with an obelisk.

Westbury-on-Trym used to be a self-contained village before the growing city of Bristol gradually encroached upon it.

An indication of the olden days in Henleaze can still be spotted thanks to the thatched cottage along Henleaze Road.

This is the former Henleaze Park Lodge, now known as the Old Lodge and “the epitome of Henleaze for many people” according to Keri Beckingham writing in the Henleaze & Westbury Voice.

https://twitter.com/KYPBristol/status/1387660258781319169

Built in the early 19th-century, The Old Lodge is a Grade II- listed building and is believed to be the only thatched private residence in Bristol – photo: Martin Booth

There are sub-plots worthy of a novel by Edwards in the upcoming local elections taking place for Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze.

Bristol mayoral candidate Caroline Gooch is hedging her bets, also standing as one of the three Lib Dems candidates in the ward alongside former council leader, Simon Cook, and Christopher Harris.

One of the three Green candidates is Alex Dunn, who is not only chair of Sustainable Westbury-on-Trym but also a former President of Bristol Chess and the organiser of the Bristol Quiz League – the oldest quiz league in England – where he captains the current champions, Sheepworrying.

So how will his quizzing and chess experience help him to be a councillor? “With quizzing as captain I recruit and organise the quiz team… Team members may suggest different answers so judging who is most likely to be right is a vital skill.

“Because of the time restrictions the team needs to be very organised to submit their best set of answers on time. All these skills are excellent training for managing teams in lots of situations.”

Dunn added: “Chess, like the quiz has helped me develop my organising skills, I am chairman and treasurer of Horfield Chess Club, one of the top clubs in the city.

“I am not a strong player but playing has helped me to learn to concentrate, plan and look for unexpected solutions to problems in difficult situations. Chess has also given me a wide knowledge of Bristol as there are clubs all over the city.

“I was president of Bristol Chess for three years which helped me learn to find solutions to problems where strong willed people had different views. I feel that these skills would be valuable as a councillor.”

The Little Shop & Pantry has been opened in Westbury Park by the team behind Little French – photo: Martin Booth

The new decking outside the Little Shop & Pantry on Northumbria Road – where Westbury Park meets Henleaze – was a popular spot on a sunny recent Thursday morning.

Enjoying a flat white and a custard tart was the man behind the Twitter account @westburypark, who would only give his name as Alan.

“Henleaze is the centre of the earth for Honda Jazzes and charity shops,” Alan said. “You can park your Honda Jazz and potter. It’s definitely a place for pottering. There are always plenty of elderly folk wandering around. There is certainly not a sense of urgency in Henleaze.”

Looking around at the customers enjoying coffee alfresco on Little Pantry’s terrace, Alan said that Westbury Park “is becoming a destination”.

He said: “All the people who couldn’t get that taste of Clifton get that taste of Clifton here, and the wallet impact of Clifton.”

North View in Wesbury Park has a fine variety of independent businesses – photo: Martin Booth

Steve Smith, Conservative councillor for Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze, said that some of the ways in which he and his fellow Tory councillors have helped the ward in the last five years have included:

• “coordinated opposition to the Labour mayor’s awful proposals to cut Westbury in two with the A4018 programme, which were eventually dropped”
• “protected our libraries from the Labour administration’s plans to close them”
• “worked with local campaign groups to protect the Downs and Stoke Lodge”
• “secured funding for new road crossings on Canford Lane and Passage Road”
• “helped residents to feed back to the Council on pavement-widening Covid barriers on our high street

Smith said that the closure of public toilets “has been a real blow” to residents, especially during lockdowns when the city council’s Community Toilet Scheme has not been available

“Cotham School’s annexation of Stoke Lodge playing fields is a huge concern to lots of people who need access to their local green space. Similarly, many residents are very concerned about the Downs becoming a de facto campsite.”

Smith added: “All three Conservative candidates live in Westbury and Henleaze and are raising (or have raised) our families here.

“We have thriving shopping areas, beautiful parks and fantastic green spaces like the Downs and Blaise on our doorsteps. Most of all though we have a friendly, welcoming and engaged community with dozens of local voluntary groups and organisations making a real difference.”

The basic fabric of Holy Trinity church in Westbury-on-Trym is medieval, with the north and south aisles and the nave dating from the 13th century – photo: Martin Booth

Standing for Labour in the ward – part of Labour MP’s Darren Jones’ Bristol North West constituency – are Simon Crew, Miranda McCabe and Sam Taylor-Elliott.

Taylor-Elliott said: Westbury-on-Trym, Westbury Park and Henleaze are fantastic places to live and work but I know – having managed our MP Darren Jones’ local office for two and a half years – quality of life issues are a concern.

“Residents are facing empty stores on high streets, parking chaos in Westbury Park, congestion on the A4018, cuts to schools and a lack of bus services to Gloucester Road.

“The lack of equal community access to Stoke Lodge is also a real concern as are the Tory government’s proposed changes to the planning system which will remove residents’ say.

“I’ve spoken with thousands of residents so I know them and the ward really well; I know Labour councillors can give Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze the active voice in City Hall it needs.”

Main photo: Martin Booth

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