What is next for the Bearpit?

A sunken roundabout in the heart of Bristol city centre continues to divide opinion as its future remains unclear.

The Bearpit reopened on Friday with freshly-painted walls and colourful hanging baskets following the eviction of squatters and subsequent five-week closure, in which the space was given a thorough clean-up.

The entire operation – including security – cost Bristol City Council some £250,000, yet barely 48 hours later, graffiti marred the scrubbed walls and the white-washed subways sported footprints and scrawled messages.

The walls were tagged with graffiti barely 48 hours after the Bearpit reopened

Local business owners have welcomed the council’s intervention, calling it a step in the right direction towards creating a safe, welcoming space.

While the council says it offers a “potentially exciting opportunity” to make it a place the city can be proud of.

But others, including some who were involved in the now-disbanded Bearpit Improvement Group, have expressed disappointment that the once-vibrant space has become a “clinical and featureless space” with no immediate plans to revive it for the future.

………………………..

Read more: Bearpit reopens after five week closure

………………………..

“We still believe that the principles which drove the Bearpit Improvement Group were correct, and community empowerment and artistic expression could – with the right support – make the Bearpit into the vibrant city centre location it should be,” said Benoit Bennett, a director of the Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft (PRSC).

“Our main concern is that, despite repeated assurances that the future of the Bearpit would be decided in an open, city-wide process, the council’s actions and decision-making processes to date have been entirely behind closed doors.

“It would seem that after stopping the community activity which drew people into the space by diversifying the activities that occurred there, they have no plan, and are content to leave it a dead space, and can’t help but leave it worse.”

https://www.facebook.com/bristol247/videos/469984387189211/

The Bearpit’s journey has been a rollercoaster for the many people who invested time and effort into the space over the years before the council took back control, amid “escalating anti-social behaviour”.

The council and police both say they are working to prevent further issues and are prepared to prosecute anyone inflicting criminal damage.

Jake Voekler has welcomed the clean-up operation

This comes as a relief to Jake Voekler, the owner of Jake’s Bikes and Bristol Bicycles, tucked away in Haymarket Walk just under the bus station.

He has been operating his business there for eight years and says the latest clean-up has “massively improved matters”.

“It seems unbelievable that a location so close to the city centre had become so run-down and neglected, but now that it has reopened it’s looking lovely,” says Jake.

He says the spot is an ideal location because it’s central and the Bearpit itself is a great place to test ride bikes as it is flat and traffic-free, but Jake believes it does suffer from being a place that people pass through, rather than being somewhere they want to stop and spend time in.

“I would really like to see a big reduction in the amount of motorised traffic, then it could become much more pedestrianised at road-level as well as on the lower level,” adds Jake.

Rick Emerson is keen to increase the love for the Bearpit across the city

Rick Emerson, of vintage clothing store Loot, just above Jake’s Bikes, agrees the clean-up has been a step in the right direction.

He says his staff have had to deal with some “pretty unacceptable confrontations” and believes it has been a case of “containing anti-social behaviour” out of sight of the main shopping centre.

“Historically, the Bearpit represents vibrancy, creative discovery, exploration and expression of new hungry generations refusing to be silenced,” says Rick.

“It’s an honour to share the space and electric energy of the past.  I want to concentrate on increasing the love for this area; the clean-up is a great step in the right direction.”

Simon Green hopes to see the Bearpit become a safe and welcoming space

Simon Green, the former owner of Bearritos and one of the team behind proposals that could have seen the Bearpit turned into a food innovation hub, says he hopes the thoroughfare can become the “safe and welcoming place that we always wanted it to be”, but he and other former traders will no longer be involved.

“Bristol City Council wanted to show strength and direction, but sadly that did not include us,” he told Bristol24/7

“So we have a clinical and featureless space with no trade, little activity and no eyes on the ground and no plans for anything in the near future. The Bearpit needs a period of calm.

“We asked for a clean-up when we left in February 2018 and again in November that year, and it is really sad that it took the predictable and premeditated occupation of the units and assaults on members of the public to trigger this action.

“It’s too late for us, but the important question now is: will the council be able to sustain the current scrubbed up Bearpit? This will take a level of dedication and vision for the space that we have never seen before.

“Bristol deserves better than a neglected, abandoned and dangerous place or a pristine, bland and characterless space.”

Responding to the question of what the future holds for the Bearpit, a Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “The Bearpit and surrounding St James Barton roundabout offers a potentially exciting opportunity to develop an area which we can all be proud of, and feel safe to be in.

“Any medium or long terms plans will be done with community involvement as we want to hear ideas about how we can build a positive environment there.

“However, more recently an escalation of crime and violent incidents forced us to close the Bearpit and do an intensive clean-up project which included waste and specialist drug paraphernalia removal. This came at a considerable cost to the taxpayer and in the short term it will continue to be costly if it’s not maintained by all who use it.”

He confirmed there is no timescale regarding future plans yet.

………………………..

Read more: Battle over future of Bearpit bear

………………………..

PRSC is the owner of Ursa, the black and white bear statue overlooking the roundabout, and says it has been asked to remove her by August 9, although has had little communication from the council about alternative locations.

The council says: “The owners of the bear have agreed to move it and we are waiting for a safe and suitable proposal from them about where it can be situated.”

The Bearpit subways were covered in footprints and scrawl soon after they reopened

As to how the police will maintain order in the Bearpit, neighbourhood inspector Rob Cheeseman said: “The St James Barton roundabout is a key part of our regular city centre patrol plans. We’re working with Bristol City Council to find ways to prevent damage and anti-social behaviour in the Bearpit.

“In the meantime, we’ll thoroughly investigate criminal damage including graffiti. Where we find evidence of who is responsible, we’ll prosecute.

“We need the support of the community in reporting incidents as they happen so that we have the best chance for our investigations and can resource patrols at the right time.

“If a crime’s underway or a suspect is nearby, call 999. Otherwise call 101 or report online at www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact.”

The Bearpit reopened on Friday

Read more: Squatters kicked out of Bearpit as council clamps down