The Bradley Stoke Journal

A planning application for an astonishing 856 illuminated and non-illuminated signs in Bradley Stoke’s new town centre has been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council by Tesco Stores Ltd.

The schedule lists items ranging from large signage gantries to anti-ram bollards and “no smoking” signs.

Notable items are the signs for vehicle set down points (along the northern side of the mall), bus stops (on the edge of the town square) and taxi ranks (in front of the five non-food retail units).

Interestingly, the detailed plans show the “Brooks Centre” moniker on some of the signs, despite this having been scrapped in favour of the “Willow Brook Centre“, following a public competition to choose the name of the new town centre. The Planning Committee of Bradley Stoke Town Council, which kicked up a stink when Tesco seemed to be set on sticking with the earlier name, can however rest assured that the plans were drawn up before the naming competition had been judged.

One of the signs carries the message “Please do not take your trolley beyond this point; trolleys have been fitted with a locking device”. This would appear to confirm suggestions that Tesco intends to implement a system to prevent trolleys being taken off site, an issue that was raised at the local Stronger and Safer Community Group meeting on 10th June. A representative from Tesco is to be invited to attend the Group’s next meeting on 30th September in Bradley Stoke Community School to discuss issues relating to the new town centre development.

Bradley Stoke residents have a chance to speak with some of their Town Councillors this Saturday (5th July) at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. The monthly Councillor Surgery takes place between 10am and 12 noon and is usually located in the cafe area of the centre. The photo above shows the April session, attended by Caroline Charlton and Robert Jones (recently elected Town Mayor).

The Journal’s Contact your Councillors page, featuring an interactive map of the parish wards in Bradley Stoke, can help you find the name and contact details of your Town/District Councillor(s), MP and MEP.

The judging panel tasked with selecting a name for Bradley Stoke’s new town centre development has chosen “Willow Brook” as the best suggestion submitted in a public competition jointly organised by Bradley Stoke Town Council and Tesco.

The competition was held after a remarkable U-turn by Tesco, which had previously insisted on using the name “The Brooks Centre“, despite having previously promised the Town Council that residents of the town would be given a chance to choose the name in a public competition.

The winner has asked to remain anonymous and has donated the winnings to the Mayor’s Charity, the local branch of the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC). Tesco has also matched the sum so that the charity will benefit by a total of £100.

The entry-level personal computer that was also offered as part of the prize package will likewise go to the NACC.

The naming competition was open to all UK residents, not just those living in Bradley Stoke. Dan Bramwell, Tesco Public Affairs Consultant, has however assured The Journal that the mystery winner is a local resident.

Construction of the new town centre is now well under way and Tesco recently began advertising management positions available at the new Tesco Extra store that is scheduled to open in “late autumn [2008]”.

More information about Bradley Stoke’s new town centre development can be found elsewhere in The Journal:

• New Town Centre posts
• New Town Centre pages

Photos of the new town centre construction work can be seen in our PicasaWeb Gallery.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has quietly opened a second round of public consultation on the proposed bus priority scheme for the Aztec West roundabout.

Richard Lewis of consulting group Mouchel (working in partnership with SGC) told The Journal that the new consultation concerns the same scheme as before, “but revised following the public consultation”.

Respondents to the original consultation have told The Journal that they feel the exercise was “a waste of time”, as most of their comments were rubbished in the SGC responses, with many issues raised being rejected on the grounds that they were considered “outside the scope” of the proposed scheme.

Local Liberal Democrats have criticised the lack of publicity given to the original consultation, although they seem to be unaware that a mail drop was made to properties near the roundabout and an exhibition of the plans was held in the shopping centre of the Aztec West Business Park.

No mention of the original or current consultation can be seen on the Bradley Stoke Town Council website, which preferred to inform residents about “Rabbit Roundabout” during the period of the initial consultation.

Links to the consultation pages on the SGC website:

• Aztec West - Proposed Prohibited Right Turn Order (Greater Bristol Bus Network)
• Aztec West Roundabout - Bus Priority Scheme

Details of the proposals may also be viewed at Bradley Stoke Library.

Closing date for comments is Monday 30th June 2008.

[Postscript]: SGC has provided the following statement listing the changes that have been made since the first consultation:

The public consultation received a number of comments asking for improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. The scheme has been revised to include a new pedestrian/cycle refuge to assist crossing the Bradley Stoke Way exit of Aztec West Roundabout. We have also highlighted that cyclists are able to use bus lanes and that the pedestrian facilities are being upgraded at the Bradley Stoke Way/Woodlands Lane junction. The new information is explained on the Statement of Reasons on the public website.

Warm and sunny weather saw crowds flock to the Jubilee Centre in Savages Wood Road for the main day of Bradley Stoke’s Community Festival 2008.

The day got underway at 11am with a demonstration of gamegoers’ dogs, falcons and ferrets and continued throughout the afternoon with events alternating between arena and stage. Highlights of the day included performances by Queen tribute band Monarchy and James Dylan Stuntworld (motorcyle riders). The day was rounded off by musicians and dancers from the South Gloucestershire Asian Project at around 5:50pm.

Over on Jubilee Green, the annual Community Fair took place between 1:30pm and 5:30pm, featuring stalls from local charities, community groups and businesses.

The Leisure Centre in Fiddlers Wood Lane was the venue for a skate park competition organised by Southern Brooks Community Partnership.

Fine weather is also forecast for tomorrow (Sunday 8th), when the main Festival event is the Bradley Stoke Festival Fun Run at 10am. The Journal’s interactive map of the race route shows you where (and when) you can see the runners go by.

The National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC), Mayor Robert Jones’s nominated charity for his year in office, will benefit from the proceeds of the weekend’s events.

There are more than 140 photos of the day’s events in The Journal’s PicasaWeb Gallery:

• Jubilee Centre [album; slideshow]
• Skate Park Competition [album; slideshow]

Please contact us if you would like a free full-size copy of any of our photos. In due course, we plan to add captions to our photos, so please also let us know if you have any information (e.g. website address of your charity/group) that you would like us to include.

Entries for the town centre naming competition, organised by Bradley Stoke Town Council and Tesco, must be received by 5pm on Friday (6th June).

Judging is set to take place on Monday (9th June). The winner will receive a £50 Tesco shopping voucher, with an entry level personal computer being presented to their choice of local school or nominated registered charity.

Bradley Stoke’s annual Community Festival gets underway on Friday (6th June 2008) with a coffee morning and flower arranging competition, a four mile walk around Bradley Stoke and a “picnic in the park”.

The main events take place on Saturday in and around the Jubilee Centre [map], Savages Wood Road. Stage and arena acts are scheduled from 11am to 6pm, while a Community Fair, with stalls from local charities, community groups and businesses, takes place between 1:30pm and 5:30pm.

Sunday sees the third running of the Bradley Stoke Festival Fun Run, a 10km multi-terrain race, which starts near the Leisure Centre at 10am. Race HQ and finish is at the Jubilee Centre. Residents are urged to turn out and support the competitors along the course - see The Journal’s interactive map of the race route to see where (and when) you can see the runners go by.