The Bradley Stoke Journal

A number of clubs and organisations that operate in Bradley Stoke will tonight (Tuesday 31st) learn the fate of grant applications made to South Gloucestershire Council’s Southern Brooks Area Forum.

The Forum, which has £23k to allocate from its Capital Grant Funding scheme, has received 17 applications totalling £37k.

Organisations with Bradley Stoke links that have applied for funding include South West Winterguard Academy, Bradley Stoke Community Radio Association, 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group and Bradley Stoke Bowls Club.

The Winterguard Academy, which meets at Meadowbrook Primary School, is a group that promotes a dance-based activity called ‘colourguard’ – using flags and other equipment to perform a routine to music. They are looking for £2,000 to purchase equipment.

Bradley Stoke Community Radio Association is asking for £3,000 to purchase recording equipment so that it can create programmes and interviews for a radio broadcast planned for October. They say they will work with Bradley Stoke Community School and the local youth service to run workshops to train young people to use the radio equipment to produce jingles. The association previously received a grant of £1,500 from the forum and was recently awarded £400 by Bradley Stoke Town Council.

Read on for details of two more organisations that could win grants tonight »

Bradley Stoke Police say they arrested three adult males following a robbery in Brook Way on Friday 20th August.

Two males are said to have grabbed a female’s handbag as she passed them walking in the opposite direction.

The victim was pushed over when she resisted. No weapons were used and she sustained no injuries. One male left in a green Volvo car whilst the other walked off, dropping the victim’s bag.

Beat Manager PC Steven Palmer  says he wishes to assure  local residents that this is an unusual offence for Bradley Stoke and that there haven’t been any other robberies in the town since his arrival two years ago^*.

Of the three males arrested, police say one is currently on bail and will be charged with robbery on his return; the other two are to be released without charge.

Related story: Mobile phone not good enough for Bowsland Way robbers

Related link: Police in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

^* Statistics published on the Local Crime Mapping website show that there were, in fact, two robberies in the last twelve months within the Bradley Stoke Beat area.

There were emotional scenes at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) yesterday as the school’s first Year 11 students collected their GCSE results.

Students and parents queued nervously outside the school, exchanging holiday tales as they waited for the doors to open at 10am.

Once the staff had opened up, the students surged in and rushed to find the appropriate desk in the main hall, where they could sign for the brown envelope containing the examination results that would shape their immediate futures.

Numerous small groups of students formed in the hall, with exclamations of “What did you get in …?” and “I can’t believe a got a … in …” to be heard as they shared their achievements.

For the disappointed few, plenty of advice was on hand to help them explore options for future education and/or employment.

Headteacher Dave Baker said:

We are delighted to share the successful outcomes for our first cohort of students at Bradley Stoke Community School; they have set a high standard for the school in these first GCSE results, exceeding targets in the process.

“85.6% of students achieved at least 5 A*-C grades and 66.3% achieved at least 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths. Boys and girls achieved equally well.”

“There were many individual successes including 2 students who both gained 10 A* grades and 2 A grades. We are now looking forward to many of our students progressing to post-16 study in our brand new Post-16 Centre which is almost complete and will be open next week for the start of term.”

Read on to find out how the BSCS results compare with other local schools »

The management of Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook shopping centre have confirmed that they are in “final discussions” with Boots, the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer.

Speculation that Boots would be opening soon in Bradley Stoke heightened when a planning application in the company’s name was submitted to South Gloucestershire Council last week.

The planning  application concerns unit 1 in the retail terrace, on the corner of the Town Square – between the new Simpson’s Fish and Chip shop and Brantano.

Permission is being sought because Boots wishes to add an extra “mezzanine” floor to the unit, in order to accommodate a regional office and extra storage space. The company also wishes to add an extra entrance, for direct access to the regional office.

Once extended, the store will offer 3,900 sq ft of retail space with a further 3,000 sq ft available for the regional office.

Read on for more details of the new Boots store in Bradley Stoke »

Issues surrounding the provision of youth work in Bradley Stoke have once again proved divisive within the Town Council leading to a Councillor walking out of a meeting after being accused of “railroading” proposals for extra expenditure.

After hearing youth leader Steve Robertson raise concerns in his quarterly report to Council that much of the youth club equipment is old and in need of replacement, Cllr Brian Hopkinson wanted to force a vote to approve extra funding for replacement items.

His proposal found little support amongst his colleagues on the Leisure, Youth & Amenities Committee, who thought that South Gloucestershire Council or Southern Brooks Community Partnership (SBCP) should provide the money.

Fellow Tory Cllr Morgan Baynham pointed out to Cllr Hopkinson that no vote could be taken as the topic of extra spending was not on the meeting’s agenda, adding that Cllr Hopkinson was trying to “railroad” the matter through Council.

After further discussion, it was suggested that Mr Robertson write to the Town Council with an equipment “wish list” which could then be discussed at the Full Council meeting in September.

Read more about the Councillor walk-out »

The Harvester chain is to set to open a restaurant at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre.

An eagle-eyed Journal reader spotted notices in the windows of Town Square units 5, 6 & 7  this morning, which show that Mitchells & Butlers (the owning company) has applied to South Gloucestershire Council for an alcohol and entertainment licence on behalf of the national restaurant chain.

The Journal understands that the company plans to open a restaurant seating around 80 diners, with the possibility of further tables being positioned outside in the square.

Initially the business will be “dining only” but there is the possibility that a bar might be included at a later stage.

Objections to the licensing application must be made by Wednesday 15th September.