With abolition of role of elected mayor, our City might be rescued
THE closure of Debenhams a year ago (‘Conversations ‘ongoing’ over future of store,’ May 16) and its fate seems uncertain.
If it suffers the same planning prevarication which continues to surround both The Grosvenor Hotel and George & Railway pub opposite Temple Meads Station the indigenous vermin will have homes for life!
Although I consider Marvin Rees to be the worst executive administrator Bristol has ever had, he is but the latest in a line of self-indulgent local politicians who have continued the infrastructural rape of our city.
Once upon a time we had a humanised connectivity [albeit remote] between the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.
Of course I am not alone in my assessment of Bristol’s ‘dictatorial’ mayor, for Mark Taylor’s recent letter commented that: “Marvin Rees’ other follies include scrapping the Temple Meads Arena out of spite to George Ferguson, his predecessor, and allowing a monster tower block in the city centre. That will stand as a blot against the historic skyline and be forever known as Marvin’s folly”.
I would suggest that many iconic buildings have been sacrificed by Bristol City Council’s very own architectural ‘bulldozing’ mayor. Hopefully any future administrations might cease to sanction legostyle blocks of high-rise offices/ flats!
The Bristol Post’s article: ‘Conversations ‘ongoing’ over future of store’ (May 16) reported Mr Rees as commenting that: “They [the sellers] are obviously looking to get a return on their investment, we say ‘we recognise that you need to get that return, but what happens to that building has to be in line with Bristol’s broader needs and ambitions.”
Thankfully with the abolition of the position of elected mayor future plans might just rescue what little remans of our historic city.
The epitome of local go-getter career politicians can perhaps best be encapsulated in Bristol City Council’s decision (in 1998) to dig up the glorious city centre gardens in favour of uninspiring boring slabs of concrete and pathetic dribbling fountains.
Furthermore, under Mr Rees’ tutelage what little still remains of
Bristol after the Luftwaffe’s bombing during the Second World War continues to be destroyed.
R L Smith Knowle