The Battle For Bristol

A night dedicated to ongoing struggles in Bristol to control our urban spaces whether playing field, park or pubs and clubs.

Packers Field: A Victory?

Packer’s Field is a seven acre area of green land that nestles between the Whitehall, Easton and Greenbank districts of Bristol. For generations it was used by local people for recreation and leisure. In 2003 the City Council sold the lease to an Academy school without proper community consultation. Kevin Davis recounts the battle by local people to retain access to the site, while Roger Ball considers the strange resonance with the history of enclosure and the struggle for common land in Britain. These echoes relate to ideas of custom and right, ancient legal precedents and the tactics and propaganda of the land enclosures.

Listsen to this talk:

Roger Ball

Kev Davis

• Download to Roger Ball’s (44mins, 8mb mp3 file)
• Download to Kevin Davis’ (50mins, 8.8mb mp3 file)

Castle Park: The Town Green

Castle Park lies in the centre of Bristol and is a haven for city centre workers and shoppers alike. It is one of the few open green spaces in the city centre and is the only green space adjacent to the floating harbour. The Castle Park Users Group was formed in 2006 when development proposals were unveiled to develop up to 25% of the existing parkland. Currently the Castle Park Users Group are launching an application to turn the site into a ‘town green’.

Listen to this talk:

• Downlaod Mary Bannerman’s talk (50mins, 8.8mb mp3 file, Right Click and Save As to download)

Stokes Croft And Old Market: Sanitising The Underground

The districts of Stokes Croft and Old Market are under imminent threat from developers lusting after the high property prices of inner city areas. These areas are historic not only in their architecture but also in the ‘underground’ music, art and sub-cultures that have radiated across the world. Can we protect them? Or will they be sanitized like other parts of the city?

• Download Roger Ball’s talk (45mins, 7.7mb mp3 file)