News / radio
Exploring Bristol’s wealth disparity, racial segregation and political polarisation
The first Black member of the Merchant Venturers, a youth worker from Knowle West and a film director from Hartcliffe are among the people featuring in a Radio 4 documentary on Tuesday.
Cultural Exchange: Bristol promises to search for the city “beyond the headlines” (not to be confused with Bristol24/7’s weekly podcast, Behind the Headlines).
Presenters Neil Maggs and Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley are said to both step out of their comfort zones in the half-hour documentary, which is produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Toby Field.
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“Bristol has been making news over the past year – the toppling of Colston’s statue, the renaming of its vibrant arts venue Colston Hall to the Beacon Centre, the marches and protests for #BLM,” says the programme description.
“But its renown goes further back – a seminal music scene, nightlife and a laid-back vibe.
“House prices are rising, now more rapidly in the pandemic as people are moving in from London. It’s always had diversity of media, but the mainstream are moving in.
“It’s liberal; it had an overwhelming Remain vote and the Greens, Lib Dems and Labour are always jostling for its Westminster and local council seats. So whilst the image may be affluent, cool, metropolitan, and woke, it also has wealth disparity, racial segregation, and political polarisation.
“Neil Maggs and Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley criss-cross their way across Bristol searching for the city beyond the headlines.”
Maggs speaks to lawyer Marti Burgess, co-owner of Lakota and the first Black member of the Society of Merchant Venturers, about the city’s balance of power; and Knowle West singer-songwriter Makala Cheung about perceptions of the Bristol accent.
As first reported in Bristol24/7, youth worker Levi Hodge says that many young people from south Bristol have never visited Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Ketibuah-Foley meanwhile heads to the Three Lions pub on West Street in Bedminster to meet Paul Holbrook, a film director from Hartcliffe, to talk about Bristol’s portrayal in the media.
Cultural Exchange: Bristol is on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday at 4pm
Main photo: BBC
Read more: Many young people from south Bristol have never visited the Suspension Bridge
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