COUNCILLORS, residents, visitors and many businesses celebrated as Princess Victoria Street in Clifton was made permanent.
The ‘Grand Opening’ event on July 5, organised by Clifton BID and ward councillor Paula O’Rourke, featured a ribbon-cutting by the Lord Mayor Henry Michallat. Visitors were then treated to performances from artists and performers, including stilt walkers, a choir, live bands and a Mr Brunel character.
Cllr O’Rourke and fellow ward councillor Jerome Thomas were joined by the chair of Bristol’s Transport and Connectivity Committee, Cllr Ed Plowden, who said: “There is no doubt that these works will have a huge impact on the area. By creating a traffic-free zone in the day, it means people can walk, wheel, cycle and spread out across the whole road, which is looking very smart and greener than ever with the new planting.”
Work to make permanent the temporary pedestrianisation that’s been in place since August 2021 began in January.
Some traders say they are counting the cost of six months of closure while work on the £655,000 scheme took place.
One said: “We were told it would take 18 weeks. That didn’t’ happen and here we are at the beginning of July and it’s still not ready. I reckon most traders will have lost 20 per cent of their trade over this period.”
But Cllr O’Rourke said: “I am delighted that the street now looks so inviting. Now that people can shop online, we need to offer something quite special to entice people onto the high street, and I think that is what we have done. The footfall has increased and it’s great to see the shops and restaurants thriving.”