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Bristol Post

National

Tristan Cork

Firefighters called to Turbo Island nine times since it was 'cleaned up'

Avon Fire and Rescue Service Bristol City Council Bristol

Firefighters have been called to Turbo Island more frequently since the start of work to spruce up the place than they were before, figures shared with Bristol Live suggest.

Work began on October 24 to clean up the corner of Stokes Croft and Jamaica Street, with the area initially fenced off, dug up and then tarmacked with bike racks installed. The aim of the work by landowner Wildstone, in conjunction with Bristol City Council, was to create a safer environment after months and years of complaints that the spot was a haven for street drinkers, street parties and anti-social behaviour.

Figures from Avon Fire and Rescue Service reveal that firefighters were called to nine reports of fires at Turbo Island in the 12 day period between October 25, the day after the work began, and Sunday, November 6. Five were logged as being 'deliberately' lit.

What prompted the work to happen was a summit called in the summer by local MP Thangam Debbonaire, who brought the landowner, the council, local residents, councillors and the fire service together to work out what to do about Turbo Island.

After hearing that Avon Fire and Rescue Service had been called to Turbo Island 44 times in the 103 days between April 1 and July 13, Bristol City Council served landowner Wildstone with a community protection order, requiring them to act to sort out the issue.

In return, Bristol City Council promised to help with that, and the land was cleared for Wildstone’s contractors to begin to dig it up a fortnight ago. A total of 44 fire service call outs in 103 days was a call-out average of once every 2.3 days.

In the time since the work began, Avon Fire and Rescue Service have been called nine times in 12 days at an average of once every 1.3 days - albeit over a shorter timescale that did include Bonfire Night, but also the area was - in theory - fenced off for much of that time. All but one of those nine call outs happened between midnight and 5.10am, and all were classed by firefighters as either a ‘rubbish fire’ or a bonfire that had either been started deliberately or had got out of hand accidentally.

The fire service's log is listed below:

25/10/2022 – 00:57 – Bonfire, cause thought to be deliberate ignition
25/10/2022 – 04:44 – Rubbish fire, cause thought to be deliberate ignition
27/10/2022 – 03:49 – Rubbish fire, cause thought to be deliberate ignition
27/10/2022 – 04:26 – Rubbish fire, cause thought to be deliberate ignition
27/10/2022 – 23:22 – Bonfire, cause thought to be deliberate ignition
05/11/2022 – 02:38 – Bonfire, false alarm good intent
05/11/2022 – 04:02 – Bonfire, fire safety good will advice
05/11/2022 – 05:10 – Bonfire, cause thought to be accidental ignition
06/11/2022 – 01:19 – Bonfire, cause is thought to be accidental ignition

When work began, the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft - a community arts organisation based nearby that had tried and failed to raise the funds to buy Turbo Island for £300,000 from the advertising land agency that owned it at the time - warned that they feared simply tarmacking the spot would not stop the fires.

"At the start of the works our Mayor Marvin tweeted 'we welcome the landowner taking action to prevent anti-social behaviour at this spot', as if a slick of tarmac is going to have any impact on the problems, or in any way soothe the deep social ills which increased street dealing and addiction are symptoms of," a statement from the PRSC said.

"Arguably the current controversy about Turbo is at least partially the result of similar actions being taken in the Bearpit, where a superficial aesthetic veneer was part of a drive to push out people who the council and (some) local business etc don’t want to be such a visible part of our city.

"It’s unsurprising that, as the fires on Turbo have become more frequent and larger (recently catching the billboard itself, after a stack of sofas was set ablaze), there have been calls for some kind of action. Recent changes to the patterns of street dealing have seen increased anti-social behaviour- from drug-taking, to fights and threats to the passing public, but suggesting that the current works will affect much beyond the ash blowing over the street seems like wishful thinking.

"The general tone of language used by many when talking about the various people who hang out on Turbo Island betrays a disregard for anyone not part of respectable city life. This is often evident in statements from the authorities and those 'respectable' elements.

"As we’ve acknowledged, there are some nasty dealers in the area recently, but there are people who come to hang out on Turbo Island who have been a part of the fabric of the local community for decades in one way or another. To make the our streets more than clean thoroughfares for commuters means having some form of life and culture and activity on the streets, and locals know the friendly faces and will stop for a chat. Dismissing anyone who hangs out in public spaces as some kind of undesirable undermines community cohesion and demonises some of the most vulnerable members of society," they added.

Last month Wildstone said they hoped the works would make the site "more attractive" but they added that "the wider social issues that have affected the site in the past are beyond our control". The company says it will continue to work with the council, fire service, businesses and the local community after the changes are complete.

Read more - The Turbo Island story