‘Grotesque’ new digital screen erected on pavement

A new digital advertising screen installed on the pavement outside Cabot Circus has been greeted with almost universal criticism.

Work has been taking place for more than a month on Bond Street South where the screen has now been erected, with applicants, global advertising giant JCDucaux, saying with a straight face that it will “complement local character”.

Almost 11 metres high and supported by a central leg, the screen is allowed to show static digital adverts 24 hours a day which will change once every ten seconds.

“This is horrifying,” tweeted Jon Massey. “Who is responsible for this monstrosity?”

“The disruption for the screen has made me really cross, it’s grotesque!” added VonCake on Twitter.

Bristol Cycling Campaign tweeted: “Wow this is incredibly dangerous in the middle of a busy pedestrian and cycling space. This is the key route from Castle Park to Stokes Croft/Concorde Way. How was this allowed?”

To answer that question: back in 2018, the screen was recommended for approval by council officers, refused by elected councillors at a planning committee meeting and then allowed after an appeal by JCDecaux to the Planning Inspectorate.

Objecting to the plans, Green Party councillor Stephen Clarke said that the proposed screen “would be visually incongruous to the townscape and would dominate views”.

But in her appeal decision, inspector Hollie Nicholls said that the screen “would not be out of character with the area” and nor would it “prejudice conditions of public safety”.

The screen on Bond Street South is in front of artwork commissioned for the opening of Cabot Circus

Nicholls even paid a visit to the site, “albeit for a short time outside of peak hours”, where she “observed a regular flow of traffic, appropriate driving conditions and good lane discipline”.

She said: “Due to its siting to the side of the carriageway and with adequate spacing for pedestrians, the safety of crossing pedestrians would not be prejudiced.

“Furthermore, there would be no effect on pedestrian (sic) given the clearance height of the bottom of the sign above the footway.”

Objections to the new screen included the lack of need for additional adverts and visual clutter, its carbon intensity, and the potential for the creation of a harmful precedent; but Nicholls wrote that the relevant planning regulations “require that consideration is given only to amenity and public safety”.

The screen takes up much of the pavement which is used by pedestrians and cyclists

In their planning application, JCDecaux said that “the nature of the advertising is dynamic and attractive and will set a high standard in build design and quality for this type of roadside development”.

Another similar screen could be built on the junction of Temple Way with Temple Back.

The pavement has been closed for more than a month while work took place on the layby

Ben Matthews was not so upset with the arrival of the new screen.

“Simply just walk around it problem solved,” he tweeted.

Replying to Bristol24/7’s video of the new screen on Instagram, Penny Ricketts wrote: “What is the purpose of the screen, can people fit walking around it, what about buggies and wheelchairs… not actually investigated this have you? There is a whole pedestrianised area behind there, is it a busy walkway or not? It could have been better planned yes, but really feels like yet again you’re just looking to stir up trouble without actually providing information.”

All photos & video: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Calls to ban ads for flights, SUVs and red meat on council-owned sites
• Plans for another ‘giant’ digital billboard by M32
• Bristol campaign calls for ban on high carbon advertising

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