Living in Bedminster is it a safer community

Wouldn't live anywhere else! People will stop and pass the time of day with you here, and it's no worse for crime than many areas of Bristol.

A large chunk of my family is from Bedminster and although I did not move to Bedminster until the early 90s I spent a lot of my childhood and a good proportion of my teenage years in the area.

My own personal view is that like other areas it has its good side and it has its problems. Certainly over the years some areas have declined quite badly. The lower part of North Street for example. In the 70s, whilst it was a bit tatty, all the shops were occupied and fairly diverse, there were banks and there was a cinema too. Those premises that are still occupied seem to be mainly offices for smaller companies and others have been boarded up for years (although a couple have recently started to show signs of being renovated). The former cinema is also boarded up and is starting to look a bit of an eyesore. The upper part of North Street however, is very vibrant but I do think that some care needs to be taken lest it become saturated with bars and restaurants to the detriment of its diversity of traders.

East Street has had its ups and downs but has never really recovered from the recession of the 1980s and despite an attempted makeover in the 90s is once again starting to look pretty grim again. At a rough estimate there are at least 15 premises that have been lying empty for some time between Cannon Street and St Catherines Place with at least another in the throes of closing down. However, on the good side it remains a traditional shopping street where items can be purchased locally and the traders are friendly and helpful.

In terms of crime. If you look at the official figures Bedminster comes out as average or slightly below average. In the fifteen years I have lived there I have experienced one attempted break in and one vehicle break in. In the time I lived in the Cotham/Redland/Clifton area there were two murders within a few hundred yards of my house, four rapes/attempted rapes, seven assaults and on a Saturday morning if you walked up to the main road you could see a minimum of five vehicles that had been broken into (some areas of Clifton remain vehicle crime hot spots even now). The most noticeable increase in recent years has been in drugs and this coincided with the building of the hostel on the corner of Luckwell Road and the conversion of a property on the corner of Sion Road into a 'halfway' house. 

I think there needs to be some work down on the local parks as there seems to have been an increase in anti-social behaviour and underage drinking but again, this is not as bad as some areas of the city.

As for the people...well, I know there are a few troublemakers but that is the same anywhere and I know that some incomers look down their noses at some parts of Bedminster but to me, Bedminster residents on the whole are some of the friendliest I have met. My neighbours are fantastic and most people in my road know each other, help each other out and keep an eye on the older folks. Most of the smaller traders are as mentioned above helpful, friendly and will often take the time for a chat.

So, is it a safer community ? Compared to a number of places I have lived, yes. There seems to be much more of an older fashioned community spirit with people looking out for each other and crime is lower. I'm not saying it is a perfect Utopia, we all know that there are still problems with crime, drugs, graffiti, parts of the area need smartening up and there could be a more visible police presence at times but despite this I plan on staying for quite a few years yet.

I don't remember Bemmy much from the 80's but I moved here a good few years ago now and I can really see the difference even in that time.

Bedminster definitely has got a vibrant feel about it and I think there has been more of an effort lately on the part of local government and police to address some of the issues south of the river. I think it was ignored for years.

Best bits for me include Victoria Park, Greville Symth Park, and North Street, the mix of houses and old factories and the views. Victoria Park has improved greatly since I moved here. East Street has got a bit further to go yet.

I've been lucky never to have had my house burgled or had any trouble at all, but you do read of some nasty attacks in the area, and a lot of drugs problems. On the whole, I feel quite safe here, but I wouldn't walk through Vicky Park on a winter evening!

Like Coddger, i've always thought of Bedminster as being the whole BS3 area. What I like best about the Bedminster area is the people. I've lived in Clifton and it's much nicer here! Much friendlier and you meet all sorts. It's a good community.