Ward profiles 2021: Windmill Hill – ‘The best thing is locals are really involved in the area’

Marks are etched into the tarmac at the bottom of Vale Street from countless tyres struggling to grip the vertiginous incline.

England’s steepest residential street may not have its own Banksy anymore, but it still has plenty going for it, including the annual egg rolling event, picturesque houses with enviable views and a community space and orchard on the adjoining Park Street.

While Vale Street is officially the steepest, Totterdown is renowned for its precipitous, narrow residential roads – anyone who has ever had to walk down in icy conditions will be all too aware of how apt the name of the area is.

It is just one part of Windmill Hill, the 34th and final ward to be covered in Bristol24/7’s series ahead of the elections on May 6. Stretching out to Perret Park in one direction, down to Brocks Bridge (the bridge to nowhere leading to the site once earmarked for an arena), the ward covers Victoria Park, Bedminster Station, Marksbury Road open space and, of course, Windmill Hill.

Tyres marks and the spot where Banksy’s Aachoo was briefly on Vale Street

“The best thing about Windmill Hill is that locals are really involved in the area,” says Chloe Fussell, a member of the management committee for Windmill Hill Community Centre.

“The community centre is totally run by volunteers, and local people run events like Art on the Hill (the local arts trail) and Window Wanderland.”

Chloe continues: “Accessibility can be a bit of an issue with the hill’s steep, narrow streets. Thankfully the 512 bus now comes up the hill, and we’ve spent lockdown improving our disabled access throughout the building, so hopefully that’ll help.

“Local pubs (including our bar) have suffered through the pandemic and we were sad to see one on the hill close last year. Hopefully it’ll soon be safe for everyone to come back and enjoy a pint.”

“The best thing about Windmill Hill is that locals are really involved in the area,” says Chloe Fussell

The loss of the Windmill came despite a colossal effort to raise enough money to buy it and run it as a community pub. The once-popular local is now set to be turned into flats as one of several housebuilding projects due to come to fruition across the ward and in its immediate vicinity.

In Victoria Park, children make the most of the sun on Thursday afternoon while their parents chat nearby.

Barney Smith is busy tending to the garden nearby. The Victoria Park Action Group volunteer also happens to be a long-term Green Party member and activist. He says the park has been particularly busy over the last year, with residents making the most of the green space during lockdown.

“It’s been wonderful this year because people have needed the space to get out,” says Barney.

Barney Smith tends to the garden in Victoria Park

He says there are strong community networks in Totterdown and Windmill Hill but that they don’t tend to encompass the entire ward.

“There’s no sort of centre,” says Barney. “St John’s Lane is very bad for pollution. One of the biggest issues is traffic and how we stop that getting worse.”

With sections of Wells Road, Bath Road and St John’s Lane, Windmill Hill has some of the city’s main arterial roads going through its centre. Concern about levels of congestion and air pollution are high, with 96 per cent of the population stating air quality and pollution are concerns locally, compared to a citywide average of 77 per cent, according to Bristol City Council’s Quality of Life Survey. 87 per cent said congestion is a problem – compared to 77 per cent across the city.

New homes on St John’s Lane, one of Bristol’s busy through roads

Up on Oxford Street, landlord of The Oxford Jon Evans says he would like to see something done about the levels of congestion and traffic on the narrow Totterdown streets.

“We’d like to use the square out front and make it like a plaza,” says the landlord, gesturing at the road between the pub and collection of shops opposite. “The traffic is relentless so some kind of one way system could work.”

He says the community as a whole is very strong and reminisces about the hundreds who turned out in support after the Jamia Mosque was the target of a vile hate crime.

With the pub just back up and running, Jon is hoping for good weather to see the business through to May 17, when dining inside is expected to be permitted. In the meantime, he’s erected a series of gazebos outside to keep off the elements.

The landlord of The Oxford says its a great community around Totterdown

Of all the wards Bristol24/7 has visited, party support is more visual across Windmill Hill, where party posters – mostly Green and Labour – are displayed in windows of homes, although this could be because it is now less than a week before people head to the polls.

Alongside the four main parties, the city’s only Burning Pink candidate is standing in Windmill Hill. The new “direct action and anti-political” party was registered with the Electoral Commission in June 2020.

In a recent Facebook post, candidate Rachel Lunnon said: “Democracy is broken. Our system makes a mockery of representation, with well-meaning reformists unable to make real change. I’m fed up with big promises but lack of action on city-wide clean air, the climate and ecological emergency, and affordable housing.”

Rachel added: “I am a mother and former computer programmer turned activist, prepared to use the system as well as civil disobedience for change.”

Windmill Hill is currently represented by Labour councillors Lucy Whittle and Jon Wellington, both of whom are standing down. Aileen McLoughlin and Ted Powell will be running for the Labour Party instead.

Lisa Stone and Ed Plowden are the candidates hopeful of turning the red ward Green, while Daniel Angell and Anthony Scrase are running for the Conservative Party and Vitor Brandao Moreira da Silva and Finn Conway for the Lib Dems.

Views across the city from Perrett Park

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