Don't places change!

[CaroleF]

We were in Bristol this past weekend - attending a Conference, or at least my husband was and I was the "and wife"! I was a student in Bristol during late 1960s/early 1970s. We stayed at the Marriott hotel which is near the newish shopping area of Cabot Circus. Now I lived in the Redland area back then and the Cabot Circus had never been dreamed of let alone built. When we drove into Bristol thank goodness for the Sat Nav as I would never have been able to find this new area. On Friday evening there was a meal arranged at one of the restaurants on the water - another area that had not been developed back then. We were taken there by Taxi and I thought now I would be able to get my bearings - no hope! The only thing I saw that I recognized apart from the old city walls was one end of Baldwin Street down which, I think, is the Bristol Old Vic.

On Saturday afternoon we went to meet a friend in one of the squares of the new shopping area - very impressive by the way - met him in Carluccios and then had a very nice lunch. It was a whole new experience. Outside the restaurant is a sort of palazzo area with water fountains - children were loving that - and one little girl aged around 10 was doing amazing things on a scooter and then one armed cartwheels. I then made a detour into The White Company to go into their baby department to buy things for our new Grandchild. (Don't tell John how much I spent!) Then, to my amazement John agreed to go and look round the newly opened Harvey Nicholls - he actually enjoyed poking around the food/wine department with all its fantastic things.

When the conference finished at lunch time on Sunday - concluding with a talk from Michael Portillo - very funny and the only talk I went to over the weekend - before leaving the city I wanted to visit my old haunts. In order to get to the part of the city I knew we had to use a Sat Nav to get to it! Mind you once I got to what I call the City Centre - where the Hippodrome and Colston Hall is I could navigate from there. We then went up Park Street - looking fairly shabby I thought - and then up to the Downs which was my area. I went to look at the house I lived in for the first two years I was in Bristol and it's been joined up to the house next door and is now a Care Home! John laughed - don't know whether he was trying to tell me something. We then found the house I lived in for the last two years and it had scaffolding all up the front of it and is presumably being completely renovated. The college I went to is no longer there - it was demolished and flats built several years ago.

It's very strange going back to somewhere you knew so well all those years ago. I always thought Bristol was a great place to be a student and now, what with all the development of the waterfront - loads of restaurants, wine bars, art galleries etc. it must be even better. I'm now going to look for my old street map of Bristol and see just what was originally in all the places I saw this weekend. Going back to old haunts is not always good but I did enjoy this weekend - not sure I'd want to live there now though - far too much traffic and don't even mention parking!

[Frank Manning]

Rotary Conference Carole? I didn't go but will get the report from our President tomorrow evening.

The last time I was in Bristol, my sat nav got us lost and we drove down one street where the prominent culture seemed to be "Rasta" and there were things hanging in (butchers?) shop windows enough to frighten the lives out of anyone of a squeamish nature. Very colourful. I would like to go back to Liverpool. Haven't been since 1961, when the old docks were alive with real ships.

[Manoverboard]

It Seems that some of the ' old ' student area has gone up in flames, according to a local News report .

[The Tinker]

It Seems that some of the ' old ' student area has gone up in flames, according to a local News report .

Yes - gave me a major headache as all my staff were running late!

Would honestly say don't think Bristol has changed a great deal - they build new roads and then change them back. They built Cabot Circus but still prefer the old Broadmead shops. I think most cities are always changing due to the fact that they will squeeze houses in any tiny gap they can find.