Dismay as historic building could be demolished

A building that was earmarked to be restored and brought back into community use looks likely to be demolished.

After a feasibility study was carried out by the city council into the possibility of refurbishing the building in Barton Hill, the cost associated “was not deemed to be value for money and funding was not available for the project”.

Despite the council saying that demolition “is required to enable the land to be taken on by a community group and developed for affordable housing and community space”, some local residents and Bristol Civic Society have still objected to the plans.

In an unusual scenario, Bristol City Council are applying to themselves to determine if prior approval is required for the proposed demolition of the former Barton Hill Tenants Association Club on Avonvale Road.

The building, also known as Tenants Hall, is believed to date from 1906 and has previously been used as a social club.

Henry Brown at Bristol City Council writes in the application that “the building has been unoccupied for the last ten years in which time the building has deteriorated significantly. During this period the site has been broken into and used for fly-tipping making the site a health and safety hazard for local residents.”

Tenants Hall was previously used as a social club but has remained unused for a decade – photo: Martin Booth

Speaking to Bristol24/7 in February 2021, Barton Hill Activity Club founder Samira Musse said that she was open to the idea of housing, saying this is much-needed in the area, but wanted to see at least the first two floors of the building restored for wider community use.

Abdihakin Asir, chair of the Bristol Somali Community Association, also said that the building must go straight back to the community and be transformed into a multi-purpose space that is accessible for people of all ages.

Unlike many other areas of the city, there is no library or dedicated youth centre in Barton Hill.

Children at Barton Hill Activity Club – photo: Ellie Pipe

In their objection on the city council website, Bristol Civic Society said that Tenants Hall is “a historic building in an area of the city where heritage should be preserved and the building restored for use by the community – there are very few alternative facilities in this area”.

“Notwithstanding the need for housing there is also a need for community facilities. In addition, there are overwhelming arguments in terms of the climate emergency to retain and to reuse existing buildings.”

A member of Barton Hill History Group, whose name has been redacted in the planning documents, wrote that they “totally disagree with the demolition of this building on historical grounds”.

They said: “This building is fundamental to the heritage of Barton Hill. It is has strong links as a key religious building as a mission hall to St Luke’s Church.

“I also disagree that a grant has been allocated to demolish the building when the same amount of money could be used to repair it.

“When are we going to learn economic cost is not as great as heritage loss? Reusing some of the original stone work in the new building is a poor excuse for keeping some of the heritage.

“Many years of neglect should not have led to the decline of this building. We could see exactly the same happening to the Rhubarb Tavern unless protection takes place.”

The building on Avonvale Road dates back to around 1906 – photo: Martin Booth

Much of Barton Hill’s architectural heritage was lost in the 1950s and 1960s.

Local resident and chartered architectural technologist, Chris Ratcliffe, said that he was “devastated” to find a notice outside the building for the pre-approval to demolish Tenants Hall.

“Demolition should not be even considered,” Ratcliffe told Bristol24/7.

“My view is that if it was situated in many other more affluent parts of the city, this conversation would not be happening.”

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• 11 things you probably didn’t know about Barton Hill
• Hope disused Barton Hill building will be restored for community use
• New book remembers 1950s life in Barton Hill
• ‘If this cinema was in Clifton, it wouldn’t be being knocked down’

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast: