Best Selling Bedminster

The Jeffrey Archer publicity machine came to Bedminster on Saturday 14th May in the form of a blue and cream double-decker vintage bus.

The bus’ mystery tour around Bristol was to promote Jeffrey Archer’s latest novel Only Time Will Tell. The concept of Immersive Theatre was used and the invited guests on the bus all become part of the cast.

Starting at Temple Meads station with Reggie the liveried porter to greet us and a whole host of 1920s clad characters to meet us; we were soon caught up in the tale of the novel’s protagonist, Harry Clifton.

Young Harry, a lad from the backstreets of Bedminster, in a mad rush to get to his friend’s birthday party, makes off on his bicycle with the wrong suitcase strapped to the mudguard. The case belongs to a certain Mr Ponsonby-Jones. Ponsonby is frantic to reclaim the case containing his wallet stuffed with white fivers. Reggie the porter gamely sprints after the bicycle using his best porter’s run but returns puffing and despondent moments later.

The bumpy old bus gives chase following Harry to Stillhouse Lane in Bedminster where a bakery maid passes on the information the lad has just been seen on his way to Billington Grange - this looked remarkably like Ashton Court to us when we arrived, but after gin and cucumber sandwiches had been consumed, who were we to argue?

The famous dancer Greta (never heard of her, but boy could she dance) was found cavorting on the lawns much to the delight of a gaggle of local children who crept ever closer to the twirling Greta but soon ran away after several young ladies in sable wraps and cloche hats leapt down from the bus to join in the dance.

Harry had been spotted again, cycling like the clappers, on route to the suspension bridge; the bus creaked away climbing up through Clifton hot on Harry’s tail. After a fruitless search with many photo opportunities for the invited guests on the bus - some of whom who came from as far away as: Mauritius, the Netherlands, Germany and Lancashire, Ponsonby spotted the lad pedalling furiously over the bridge. Off we headed to the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel where Harry’s bicycle was parked outside while he visited his mother, Maisie, a waitress in the Palm Court restaurant.

Everyone got back off the bus to enjoy coffee and a talk by the author.

Jeffrey Archer took many questions from the guests, explaining how he researches in detail the plot of all his novels to ensure the story is not spoilt by anomalies or errors.

He told how he looked at 1920s Bristol to discover where the dockworkers lived (one of the candidates for Harry Clifton’s father was a stevedore) and discovered Bedminster was just the place he needed for his novel.

Only Time Will Tell is the first book in the series The Clifton Chronicles spanning the Clifton family from 1920 to 2020 - a potential five books in five years. With links to the West Country, Jeffrey Archer’s great-grandfather was born in Clifton and his grandfather born in Nailsea, he relished the opportunity to dig into his roots.

A glorious trip back in time for the guests from Bristol and a delightful visit to our fair city for the visitors from afar. Although a special mention must go to the policeman, who when asked for directions to Temple Meads station said: “What do you want to come to Bristol for?”