Despite sitting on the border with South Gloucestershire and flanked by the affluent Henleaze and Westbury on Trym, the suburb of Southmead is home to the most deprived Bristol districts north of the River Avon. For people that don’t know the area, its reputation sets it apart from its neighbours and is reinforced by government statistics for employment, education, health, crime and income, that all place Southmead in the worst 10 per cent of areas in England.
But when Bristol Live headed to Southmead in 2020 during Covid restrictions, residents painted a much more nuanced portrait of what it’s really like to live and work in the area, going beyond notoriety and numbers. We returned recently to see how things have progressed since then and found a community that was forthcoming and clear-eyed in its criticisms. But also staunchly proud and spirited, ready to take on the challenge of redevelopment to improve where they live.
