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‘Bristol’s parks are no place for commercial advertising’
An image of College Green overshadowed by huge billboards aims to portray the potential consequences of introducing advertising in Bristol’s parks.
The cash-strapped council has put forward a raft of proposals that include allowing commercial promotions in the city’s green spaces as part of a bid to cut costs and increase revenue streams.
But campaigners argue the introduction of advertising in places that currently offer an escape from daily pressures is a step too far – and the strength of public feeling against such measures has forced a debate in City Hall.
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A petition, launched by Adblock Bristol, is calling on the council to reconsider proposals to allow commercial advertising in the city’s green spaces. It has been signed by almost 4,000 people to date.
Advertising in Bristol parks. Illustration by Rosa Ter Kuile
“I’ll be presenting the petition to Bristol City Council on behalf of thousands of people who have signed it and feel strongly that our parks are no places for commercial advertising,” says Nicola Round of Adblock Bristol.
“We are all exposed to thousands of advertising messages every day, pressuring us to buy a new car, a foreign holiday, or tempting young people with junk food and energy drinks.
“Often these messages are designed to make us feel we are lacking in some way – not beautiful enough, or successful enough – so that we buy the product to make us feel better (although in the long term it invariably doesn’t).
“Advertising is all over our city’s streets and we can’t escape it. People really don’t want to see advertising in parks as well – parks are places to relax and escape from the pressures of urban life. We urge the council to drop plans to introduce advertising into our parks.”
A billboard in St Werburgh’s portraying art not ads was designed by Matt Bonner in collaboration with the St Werburgh’s Neighbourhood Association and Adblock Bristol.
The council says the aim of the proposals is to ensure access to Bristol’s parks remains free for all and that they are financially sustainable.
Under the plans, ‘appropriate advertising’ will be introduced within the city’s public green spaces in a bid to generate £50,000 of income.
While this will exclude tobacco and alcohol, pay day loans, party political content and more, campaigners fear the presence of billboards will detract from the health benefits parks are proven to provide.
The council currently spends £6m a year on its day-to-day parks services, which is offset by an income of around £1.5m, leaving a budget of £4.5m.
The plan is to slash this by £2.8m as part of the ongoing bid to plug a £108m deficit by 2020.
A debate on the matter will be held at the full council meeting on Tuesday.
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