Not all that long ago, the area of St James Barton roundabout, colloquially known as ‘The Bearpit’ became the subject of research, where it scored consistently highly as an unsafe area in the city of Bristol.

The dank, dark subways that linked the shopping strip of Broadmead to the vibrant area of Stokes Croft were avoided whenever possible, despite the police statistics proving that relatively little crime was taking place. It was the fear of crime that was preventing the public from lingering in the space.

With the support of Bristol Civic Society and the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, an initial meeting was held in 2010 with a mixture of residents, amenity groups, the Council and police representatives. The Bearpit Improvement Group was formed to implement ideas and prospects for the Bearpit.

A few years on and the beloved Bearpit has been nurtured into something to be proud of.  Go and see the change for yourself.