People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Rebecca Hanmer
Rebecca Hanmer is a producer of Countryfile, made by BBC Bristol from their headquarters on Whiteladies Road. She is currently producing The Countryfile Experience at Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace from August 2 to 5, celebrating the programme’s 30th anniversary.
Here are Rebecca’s top-five Bristol favourites:
North Street
is needed now More than ever
Inkie painting at Upfest – photo by Paul Box
“I live just off North Street and there’s nowhere else in Bristol I’d rather call home. It’s such a vibrant place with something always happening to keep me, the husband and kids entertained. I have everything I could need right on my doorstep. Who else can walk to the end of their road and buy a bike, get a great coffee, appreciate some art and lay their hands on a grow-bag?”
Southbank Arts Trail
The Southbank Arts Trail: ‘”such a feel-good, happy community event”
“Bristol is a haven for incredible artists and it’s amazing to see just how many live in my neighbourhood. I could spend a fortune weaving in and out of the open doors, soaking up the arty vibe at the annual Southbank Arts Trail. I paint abstract landscapes myself and taking part in the trail one year was a delight; such a feel-good, happy community event.”
The cross-harbour ferry
Mary Brunel is a Rotork Sea Truck co-designed by James Dyson when he was a 23-year-old student at the Royal College of Art – photo courtesy of No. 7 Boats
“My journey, when I’m working at the BBC, involves me crossing the harbour. Sometimes I walk round the long way, but most days I jump on the ferry. It always puts a smile on my face seeing the SS Great Britain looming over me and the houses in Cliftonwood with their brightly coloured facades. More often than not there’s a cormorant bobbing on the currents.”
The Wardrobe Theatre
Jazz hands at the Wardrobe Theatre in Old Market
“I’ve only discovered the Wardrobe Theatre recently, but the couple of shows I’ve seen there have been fantastic. It’s such a small, intimate space, you are right on top of the action and you can’t help but get involved with what you’re watching. I honestly don’t think I’ve laughed so much at the theatre. There’s a real feel good atmosphere bouncing of the walls in this special place!”
Kennel Lodge Allotments
https://www.flickr.com/photos/o_g_richards/30568558106/in/photolist-gvHR-686pz-NzeRkh-9eLHXM-Ch4Sut-KQ8o6w-zjRyi6-686gr
“My mother-in-law has recently taken on an allotment just off Kennel Lodge Road (run by the Hotwells & District Allotment Association). I don’t spend a lot of time there, but when I do it’s like entering a peaceful secret garden. Nowhere else does the change in seasons seem so obvious. The view from here is just perfect; looking straight up to Ashton Court and the deer park.”
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