Sunday, January 8th, 2012
One of our members has made this delightful 3 minute film about The Community Farm. It’s on the ‘People Fund It’ website, but its worth watching even if you are already supporting the farm, and if you haven’t yet got involved then maybe now is the time to do just that!
Thursday, December 29th, 2011
The CSA (community supported agriculture) project that Susred has helped to set up has now got a lovely new website. This makes it easier to keep up with our news, with recipes, with volunteer days, and it makes the veg box ordering even easier. There is still only a cold tap on the field, and the project is still in its infancy, but the progress made is truly impressive.
Thursday, December 29th, 2011
Councillor Anthony Negus kindly came along to St Nicholas Market on a crisp cold and sunny morning to present prizes to a bunch of Bristol folks who had nominated their favourite local independent businesses. Our very own Whiteladies Market had donated two vouchers as prizes, along with Absolutely Cakes, Bristol Beer Factory, Better Food Company, Scoopaway, Tobacco Factory and St Nick’s market. The Bristol Independents campaign launched in September and is all about supporting the local economy. You can vote for your favourite out of the nominated independents until the end of February.
Friday, December 9th, 2011
Here’s a list of some of the places where Costa has opened without planning permission and has not had to back down; Portishead, Clevedon, Cornwall, Herts, Southend, Thatcham, Crowthorne, Morpeth, Beverley, Cambridge, Barnstaple, Lymington, Havant, Lytham St Annes, Cheltenham, Oxted, Darlington, Glasgow, Trowbridge, Epping, Skipton, Ceredigion, Aberystwyth, Torfaen, Rayleigh…
In fact, in arguing with planners they use this as grounds for why there is no point refusing them permission – they will ignore it. Why does it matter? Because it is puts locally owned and run small independent cafes out of business. These independents are far better for local jobs and the local economy than the chains are.
Friday, November 25th, 2011
Our next meeting will be 25 January 7.30 in the Friends Meeting House on Hampton Road, BS6 6JE opposite the Clyde Arms pub. Read more…»
Saturday, November 12th, 2011
The Bristol Independents campaign website is glowing with information about gorgeous Christmas Markets in Bristol, and you can vote for your favourite out of the 42 local food businesses that have been nominated for a Bristol Independents award, by local people. It takes about 10 seconds to do the vote.
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
On Thursday 15 December 2pm to 8pm (candlelight) there will be a Special extra Christmas Market, selling local produce and locally made gifts. Same place as the regular Whiteladies Market (corner of Whiteladies Rd and Apsley Rd), and many of our regular stall holders will be there. The event is jointly organised by Keep Whiteladies Local and Sustainable Redland. A number of our Whiteladies Shops will be late evening opening as well, so you can get all your Christmas shopping done.
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Another coffee chain has opened without planning permission on Whiteladies Road, putting local jobs in the existing small independent cafes under threat. This is in addition to Costa cafes on Gloucester Road which has had its second enforcement notice served, and on Westbury Hill, both in breach of planning law.
What can we do?
First – support our Bristol Independents and don’t spend your money in a chain. Choose one of the locally owned and run cafes, of which there are many. Here’s a radio piece on the issue 1:38 minutes in on Tues 1 Nov Steve Le Fevre’s 6.30am show .
Second – tell Bristol City Council that you want them to take enforcement action against the Costa cafe.
Why does it matter?
Whiteladies Road and Cotham Hill still have around 30 fantastic locally owned and run businesses. These Read more…»
Sunday, October 16th, 2011
In response to concerns about the domination of the Big Four (Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys) the City Council is holding an inquiry day into High Streets and how to keep them alive and diverse. To provide evidence for the Inquiry they want to know what residents and businesses experience is. To give your views you can complete this short easy residents survey, or this short easy business survey. It takes about 5 minutes.
Saturday, October 15th, 2011
Residents in Cotham are keen to have a residents parking scheme following on from, and extending, the successful scheme introduced for Kingsdown earlier in the year. At the recent Cotham Neighbourhood Forum Read more…»