The worst and best connected
“We are neglected by Bath and North East Somerset Council, I think they forget about us.
“I think this is the most isolated village in North East Somerset, it’s impossible to exist without a car or money for a taxi.”
These are the words of John Mallone, a parish councillor for Nempnett Thrubwell, one of three communities identified by Reach Data Unit analysis as the least connected in the district.
The village is strung out over five miles - the only way I found anyone to talk to about life in the community was by knocking on his door.
Along with the villages of Ubley and Compton Martin it’s one of the most isolated places in Bath and North East Somerset - particularly if you don’t have access to a car.
According to the data, it’s a 15 minute journey by foot or public transport to a primary school and 42 minutes to a secondary school.
By car, that’s cut to eight minutes and 16 minutes respectively.
A GP is 25 minutes away by walking or public transport, 18 minutes on a bike or 10 minutes in a car, while it takes longer than an hour to get to hospital on public transport.
Getting to an airport or major railway station is likely to take more than four hours on public transport, although in the car you could be at Bristol airport in 23 minutes and Bristol Temple Meads in 39 minutes.
But to find out how the data is reflected on the ground, I spent a day exploring the communities.
Ubley
To access Ubley you turn down into the village via a narrow road called The Street that takes you to the centre of the village.
The village is quiet except for the sound of children enjoying their break time at the small Ubley Church of England Primary School.
In the centre of the village sits Saint Bartholomew’s Church which seems to be a community hub. Inside and outside of the church are notice boards full of events and information.
And luckily for this journalist the church was open and so were their modern toilet facilities.
The church, though small inside, is clearly well-used as I notice chairs set up in a circle and boxes full of children’s toys.
As you drive past the primary school you pass Ubley Parish Hall, a village hall with a fully licensed bar available for hire.
I noticed a sign advertising “Rugby Publey Sports Specials,” notifying residents that England’s matches will be shown during the Six Nations, leading me to believe there are a few rugby fans in the village.
I didn’t come across anyone in the village while I was there but I did speak to the Reverend Simon
Lewis who has been in the area for two years and took my contact details to pass around.
Compton Martin
Next on my list was Compton Martin, back on the A368 and just over a mile away from Ubley.
As I entered the village I drove past the surprisingly famous Ring O’bells pub (inset). Though not open until 6pm on Mondays I speak to a couple of Compton Martin residents who tell me Kylie Minogue and Tinie Tempah have performed there.
I continued my search to find people to talk to about village life, stopping at the small post office.
Its owner, Ray Stewart, says residents are “well blessed” to live in the area and they know what to expect.
He said: “If you want a life out here you have to have your own transport. In my 27 years living here I’ve never used the buses but people do, it tends to be older folk who do their shopping.”
Ray tells me how the village used to have a shop but it closed because it couldn’t compete with supermarkets’ low prices and home delivery.
He says the closest supermarket for residents is around ten miles away in Wells or Bristol but proudly boasts that the villages around Compton Martin actually have more post offices per square mile than Bristol.
He said: “People can use the post office for everyday banking and so can businesses too.”
As you drive into Compton Martin you pass a new housing development of an “exclusive collection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes.”
Ray tells me how in recent years the demographic of the village has changed with “new blood,” more children and lots of activities for young mums and families.
He said:”the older, more mature demographic has changed to young families who have sold up in bigger towns.”
A resident who has lived in Compton Martin for 50 years but asked to remain anonymous said: “You have to have a car if you live in Compton Martin.
“If I couldn’t drive I’m not sure I could live in Compton Martin. I wouldn’t describe it as isolated but that’s because I have a car.”
While locals admit needing a car to get around the area, they echoed concerns of “horrendous” traffic passing through with some claiming the villages have become a “rat run” for the bigger towns and cities.
The resident said parents become chauffeurs in rural areas, taking children to schools, often in Chew Magna or Chew Valley. Once her children went to university they “scattered” across the UK, she said.
After finding a bit more life in
Compton Martin, it was then time to visit the third of North East Somerset’s most disconnected villages and perhaps my most worrisome drive as a local told me: “Once you go into Nempnett Thrubwell, it’s hard to find your way out.”
Nempnett Thrubwell
I was told about a Facebook group named I’ve been to Nempnett Thrubwell, where comments liken the Somerset village to the Bermuda Triangle.
Though there’s hardly any signal, I attempt to use Google maps to navigate to the centre of the village.
I notice a sign for a village hall but as I drive through the narrow country lanes - one of which is named Awkward Hill - I wonder where I will end up.
Before I get there I come across a local resident who points me in the direction of one of the village’s parish councillors, I find part of the road wide enough to turn and head to John Mallone’s house.
Mr Mallone, a parish councilor for more than two decades, says there’s no centre to the village as such. He describes Nempnett Thrubwell as long and sparsely populated with around 170 people living in the area and around 65 houses.
There’s a village hall and a church, but no pub, post office or school. And on the day I visited there was nothing on the parish council’s notice board. I can’t believe there is nothing going on here - maybe the board is just waiting for an update.
Mr Mallone explained how
Nempnett Thrubwell is served by no public transport at all with villagers having to travel three miles to Chew Stoke or Blagdon for the nearest bus stop.
He said: “One summer, they ran a bus, once a week for three months. They were surprised when no one used it, but it takes a while for people to notice.
“There’s some older people that can’t drive or go anywhere and they have to be taken by other people.”
Mr Mallone says to complete their weekly food shop residents mostly travel to Bristol or Wells.
He says those at the northern end of the parish are likely to shop in North Somerset’s Nailsea or the Sainsbury’s on Winterstoke Road in Bristol, near Ashton Gate Stadium.
Mr Mallone says rural villages are forgotten about and says that Bath, Midsomer Norton and Keynsham get more attention than those living on the border.
A lack of bus services and needing to rely on a car can have an impact on who moves into the village and while there’s not much social housing around he says “when they fall vacant, they can for a while, because it’s so isolated.”
It’s not just transport that mars the community in terms of connectivity. Sporadic phone signal and internet problems means residents can feel left behind.
John said: “We’ve almost caught up with the 21st century with broadband but mobile phone signal is hopeless.”
Among concerns John also mentions Bristol Airport which is just under five miles away, though there are no public transport links.
Residents of Nempnett Thrubwell use the A38 to access Bristol, but they have to battle with commuters and airport traffic.
Mr Mallone said: “You go out on the A38 most days and the traffic has almost ground to a halt.”
Despite the isolation, Mr Mallone ended the conversation by reiterating “we do like living here.”
Cllr Paul Crossley, cabinet member for community services for B&NES, said: “We recognise that our area has many differences because a large part of it is rural, which is why the work we do to improve engagement with our communities is so important.
“Our parish councils are valued partners in helping us to improve the quality of life for people who live in rural communities and all parish councils are welcomed to our regular parish liaison meetings.
“The Connecting Communities Forums aim to bring together communities to discuss local issues and find local solutions.
“For the Chew Valley we have an excellent Village Agents scheme that aims to address isolation and loneliness.”
In regards to the roads a BANES statement said: “Every street in B&NES is inspected for faults a minimum of twice a year, as well as extra visits if any issues including potholes are reported.”