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Totterdown

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Totterdown
Totterdown houses
OS grid referenceST607712
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBRISTOL
Postcode districtBS
Dialling code0117
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireAvon
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Bristol

Totterdown is an inner suburb of Bristol, England, situated just south of the River Avon and south-east of Temple Meads railway station and the city centre. It rises relatively steeply from the river bank to a largely terraced Victorian housing area which is notable for its painted homes - often in bright colours - that can be seen from some distance. There is a tight network of extremely steep roads in Upper Totterdown, of which Vale Street, although very short, is alleged to be the steepest residential road in England.[1][2]

Built in the mid to late 19th Century, to house workers for the nearby railway industry, Totterdown has more recently become a popular area for the younger generation taking up work in the city centre. In 2016 it was named fifth hippest place to live in the UK by the Times newspaper.[3]

Food and drink

Totterdown has several local pubs some of which attract a younger clientele with DJ nights.[4] Pubs offering music include The Oxford, Shakespeare New Found Out and the Thunderbolt[5] (previously known as "The Turnpike"). The Oxford has regular live music including "open mike" events and the Thunderbolt books local and national bands. The Shakespeare pub is currently closed down with a sign from the owners, Enterprise, stating the pub as a business opportunity. There is another pub (formerly) the Cumberland which is known now as the Star and Dove. This has a restaurant and bar and has a space for events.

Totterdown has a growing number of popular restaurants. The Thali Cafe chain is known for its eco-friendly food and take-away scheme using tiffins, winning an Observer Food Monthly award for "Best UK Cheap Eats" in 2010.[6] Banco Lounge, part of the Bristol-based Loungers chain, is a smart cafe bar based in the old YWCA building on Wells Road, opened in July 2006.[7] In December 2006 the Cumberland on St Luke's Road was given a makeover and opened as a gastro pub called the Star and Dove.[8] The Bocabar opened in the Paintworks (formerly Central Trading Estate) in 2005 and serves tapas, pizzas, cakes, cappucinos with a licensed bar.[9] Mrs Brown's Cafe opened in Victoria Park in spring 2007, serving Fairtrade coffee and cakes from a caravan.[10] There are a several popular eateries on the Wells Road. Assilah Bistro[11] is a long-established Moroccan restaurant. A Cappella is a pizzeria and cafe named by the Guardian as Bristol best budget Italian and by Tripadvisor as the UK's best independent pizzeria.[12] The Totterdown Canteen is a popular daytime cafe and Southside Bar and Kitchen is a nightspot and restaurant also serving Sunday roasts. Florence, an Italian restaurant on Oxford Street, opened in early 2016 near to the artisan bakery Baked. In 2016, The Little Butcher of Totterdown opened on the Wells Road.

Local facilities

The area also has a Tesco Express, a garage (repairs and MOTs), a convenience store called Patco Supermarket which offers everything from groceries to key cutting, a chemist, an optician, a wine shop, a fruit and veg shop, a Gym (offering gym, aerobics, etc. plus treatment rooms), various hairdressers and beauty treatment rooms as well as a doctors surgery, and is well served by buses into town and across to Clifton. There is also the Bristol Jamia Mosque close to Victoria Park. In early 2015, an artisanal bakery opened for business opposite the Oxford Pub on Oxford Street, replacing a long since closed Chinese restaurant Another recent addition to the square between the Tesco Express and the Oxford Pub is a ping pong table. This square also serves as overflow seating for the Oxford Pub and a common area for the various festivals held in Totterdown each year, and is also home to a new Italian restaurant. A number of new independent businesses have also opened along the Wells Road in recent times, including several cafes and a bar, a craft store, a vintage shop, a florist, a butcher and an upcycled furniture store.

Children

Totterdown is popular with young families. There are daily toddler groups at Totterdown Baptist Church. Victoria Park has a good newish play area at the top of the park, as well as tennis courts, basketball courts, football pitches, skatepark, and more.[13] School Road Park has undergone a transformation and contains challenging play equipment for younger children including swings, slides, mini trampolines, and a sandpit. Perrett's Park is a natural amphitheatre with benches around the top along Bayham Road and Sylvia Avenue:[14] a place where the balloon ascent can be seen during the summer Balloon Fiesta. It also has a play area suitable for the under 10s.

Art

The Totterdown Art trail Frontroom invites visitors into the houses of artists in this area of Bristol to view a large range of local artwork.[15]

The Thali Cafe in William Street, features a larger than life bust of Raisa Gorbachev above its front door. This dates from the 1980s when the cafe was previously named Glasnost.

Aldebury

Totterdown is believed to be the site of the Aldebury Iron Age hill fort behind Bellevue; however, the area is now built over.[16]

References

  1. ^ Dyckhoff, Tom (24 April 2010). "Let's move to Totterdown, Victoria Park and Knowle, Bristol". Guardian. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  2. ^ Henrys, Colin. "Vale Street, Bristol". Ten of the UK’s steepest climbs to tackle. Road Cycling UK. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  3. ^ http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/property/prices-investment/article4711198.ece
  4. ^ "Pubs & bars in Totterdown, Bristol, Avon that have DJ's". Use your local. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  5. ^ "The Thunderbolt". The Thunderbolt. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Best UK cheap eats 2010: The Thali Cafe, Bristol". Guardian. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  7. ^ "Banco Lounge Bristol". Loungers. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  8. ^ "About". Star and Dove. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  9. ^ "Bocabar". Paintworks. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  10. ^ Mellen, Steve (25 April 2014). "From Victoria Park to Hart's custard tarts: 101 Bristol gems". Bristol Post. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  11. ^ http://www.assilahbistro.com/
  12. ^ http://www.acappellas.co.uk/
  13. ^ "Victoria Park". Bristol City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Perrett Park, Bristol , England". Parks and Gardens UK. Parks and Gardens Data Services Ltd. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  15. ^ "Totterdown Front Room Arts Trail". Totterdown Front Room Arts Trail. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  16. ^ "Aldebury". Pastscape. Historic England. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  • Old Bank and Power Station Gym
    Old Bank and Power Station Gym
  • Three Lamps sign
    Three Lamps sign
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