Barton House tenants: ‘We are a strong and united community’

Residents of a tower block who were displaced from their homes have rallied together as their futures “hang in the balance” while they remain living in hotels or with friends and family.

“We feel as if we have faced challenges with dignity, courage and fortitude,” they say. “We have managed to do this because we are not just a group of council tenants, not a group of random individuals; we are a strong and united community that has been sixty five years in the making.”

It’s now been almost a month since more than 400 council tenants, including around 100 children, had to leave Barton House off Marsh Lane due after a “major structural risk” being discovered.

Most of the tenants, who are still expected to pay rent, are being temporarily housed in the Holiday Inn in the city centre. Housing union ACORN has publicly and continually criticised Bristol City Council’s handling of the situation.

Residents, some of whom have protested inside City Hall, now describe the sudden mass evacuation on November 14 as like being “plunged into dark and uncertain times”. In a joint statement to full council, taking place on Tuesday afternoon, tenants ask to be listened to and for their homes to be “cherished and preserved and not consigned to the dustbin of local history”.

The 15-storey Barton House was built in 1958 and contains 98 flats – photo: Martin Booth

“Throughout the whole period from the events of the evacuation onwards, our unity and solidarity has brought praise from councillors, council workers and the media alike, and this is only possible because we are a strong community,” the statement reads.

“We are the sort of community that modern Britain strives for, caring, diverse and united, please do not throw our community away.

“We love Barton House, yes it is not perfect, but it is our home and we feel the very layout of the building helps bring us and bind us together, from the lifts and communal laundry to the open walkways and the garden.

“However, we also understand that some of our community do wish to leave as they no longer feel safe in Barton House or any high-rise.

“We respect their opinion and wish to support them as well, so we also request that these members of our community be given maximum support so that their relocation is carried out quickly, smoothly and they be offered suitable accommodation that serves their needs.”

“We understand that Bristol City Council are currently facing a series of tough choices over this and many issues at the moment, but we ask that if at all possible our community with in the block is cherished and preserved and not consigned to the dustbin of local history.”

Looking back on the evacuation, mayor Marvin Rees says: “There always some lessons, and there will also be successes.

“Our experience shows just how important it is to engage with community leaders to prevent misinformation from exploitative campaign groups.

“One negative is the suspected leak of information to the press during the confidential all member briefing. We need to consider how we share information in future.

“We’ve been in constant communication with residents regarding the operation and this has been a success.”

Main photo: Ellie Pipe

Read next:

• ‘Overwhelming’ community response to Barton House crisis
• Hundreds of residents evacuated from Bristol’s oldest tower block
• ‘Barton House evacuation highlights Barton Hill’s inequalities’

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