Let them be bulldozed

WHEN it comes to the future of Castle Park, R L Smith and I seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Yes, the existing buildings serve only to obscure the remains of St Mary Le Port church (although it has to be said that for much of its history it was obscured by older buildings, latterly those destroyed during the blitz).

Let them be bulldozed, and if they are to be replaced, then only with structures reflecting the ambience of the lost city. The rebuilding of the Dutch House has been much mooted.

Nor is it beyond the ability of our present architects to create modern designs sympathetic to the past.

Several German cities devastated during the war saw the substantial recreation of their lost buildings.

Britain hadn’t that option at the time, not least because Marshall Plan money wasn’t being pumped in our direction, but Britain is, despite the setbacks of Covid and Brexit, a much wealthier society than in the immediate post-war period. Otherwise, yes, grass it over.

Coupled with this should go a revised layout of Castle Park, with paths realigned to reflect the street plan of old Bristol and labelled as such: Mary Le Port Street, Dolphin Street, Peter Street, Castle Street, Bridge Street etc.

Display boards, at the very least similar to the ones placed around the harbour for its centenary, might illustrate the city area that was lost in 1940 and 1941 as well as older features like Bristol Castle. They of course would need to come with a commitment to maintain the displays so that they didn’t decline into the tatty and defaced condition that so often awaits such features.

These, combined with an offshoot app of ‘ Know Your Place’ describing the area, would enhance the “Castle Park experience”.

And wouldn’t it be nice if the city held an occasional pageant around the ghost of the old city, partly historical, recreating the great civic processions of the past, and partly modern, bringing together the disparate communities and companies which make up present-day Bristol.

Wishful thinking perhaps, but there will never be a better moment to regenerate an area so important to Bristolian identity.

Gerry Small

Clevedon