Speaking of ****, looking forward to visiting the Memorial Ground again lol. Seriously though, used to live in Redland and used to go watch the Gas every now and then, few of my Gashead mates have already been taking the michael and I can't wait to get down to the Welly for a few and make my way down the Gloucester Road for some drinking. Best pubs in the country in Bristol. I worked for Smiles for a bit.
I worked down in Bristol for 6 months. Stayed in the Marriott and used to walk down to the town centre to the office every morning. Went home for weekends. Great place. I was trying to find (on Google Earth) the bridge I used to walk over to get to the office but I got lost. There often used to be a tramp under the bridge.
Depends whih Marriot you stayed in Ron - there are two in Bristol (although I think when you were down there - and I know when you were down there don't forget ;-) - there was just the one, at Castle Park. I would hazard a guess you walked over the (rather imaginatively titled) Bristol Bridge, which led you up into Broadmead and then eventually into St Jame's Barton Roundabout which is v close to where you worked. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bri...oLNiIQKYKsOZGa8JN7dhng&cbp=12,337.92,,0,13.74 Try that?
Don't recognise that Jock. The Marriott was the one linked on my post. The bridge was a walkway only if that helps. Up some steps, over the road and down the other side. Once the other side I think we were virtually at the building. Takes me back this does. I also spent some time in the main office down there. More like a bloody shopping centre that was - very nice though.
Don't know that area Rocky. There is one road that is just full of bars and restaurants. Great place for youngsters.
I gathered that. The Marriott is a nice hotel, handy for the town. There was another (posher) hotel I could have stayed at but it wasn't within walking distance of the town. Can't remember the name off hand. Also stayed at Thornbury Castle a couple of nights. Very up market that was.
Ron I reckon you might be referring to the Swallow Royal? And that has now become another Marriot. Not sure of the footbridge you were thinking of - wasn't the bendy bridge was it? http://www.cyclestreets.net/location/12696/cyclestreets12696-size640.jpg I see the hotel you were referring to now - that's the one on the edge of Castle Park. The river flows through Castle Park and there's prob a few footbridges over it there?
And the street full of bars would have been Whiteladies Road - which led onto Blackboy Hill (where i used to live). terrible names, a reminder of Bristol's history being steeped in slavery.
Bristol has a little more history than Slavery lads, but I get your point St Pauls itself is actually not all that bad Rocky. I think the place you may be referring to is Stapleton Road which is one of the worst in Britain for drugs and gun crime (not too far from St Pauls but more Easton). Bristol like all big cities has some **** areas for sure, but I think Bristol can offer some lovely scenery, some greats bars, brilliant night life and music scene, and some good history/sightseeing, so it’s not all bad
We have the marriott http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/brsdt-bristol-marriott-hotel-city-centre/ and the royal marriott http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/hotels/united_kingdom/bristol_bristol/cheap_rates_marriott_bristol_royal_hotel_hotel.html?mkid=64283423&aid=1&gclid=CMq0-NqmlLECFZMmfAod_Dv9gA
Swallow Royal sounds familiar Jock. The footbridge was over a road, not a river. I can't see it on Google Earth so maybe it got taken down. I remember coming out of the Marriott and walking down Lower Castle Street, kept going at the bottom and, at some point turned right up a narrow street which brought me out near to the footbridge. However I'm probably boring you to tears now. Also my recollections may not be too accurate. Sorry about that. Thankfully I don't need to find it again.
chris i was only referring to what i have seen,bristol has some very nice places to be honest and as you say every big city has some bad areas,even wycombe has some crap areas ,i know you will find that hard to believe chris
It has some nice areas. The Rye and Keep Hill bring back a few memories. Oh and the Dovecot multi story car park (top floor) is quite nice. Not forgetting Hughenden Park of course.
I reckon there used to be a footbridge here Ron http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bri...=goPRbCpLvk2tXqmg20xn9Q&cbp=12,96.46,,0,-2.66 before they built the new shopping centre. And the Spectrum building was on the left (Still is but called summink else now). Chris - you're right mate... of course who can forget the other contributor to Bristols historical economy... SMOKING lol. Don't get me wrong, I love that place from the bottom of my heart.