It’s supposed to be one of the fiercest rivalries in Bristol - the ‘turf war’ between young people in Hartcliffe and those in Knowle West. But now a big first step on the road to ending the feud for the next generation of young adults has taken place - and it happened in a swimming pool in North Somerset.
Back in October, the leaders of youth work charities in both areas devised a plan to bring the two communities of young people together so that future teenagers and young people don’t carry on the rivalry that their parents or older siblings did.
When the plans were unveiled for an £8 million Youth Zone for South Bristol - the first of its kind in the city - council chiefs said one of the key factors in the choice of its location - right next to the Hengrove Way roundabout in the ‘no man’s land’ between Hartcliffe and the Inns Court end of Knowle West - was that they hoped it would be considered ‘neutral territory’ and welcome young people from across South Bristol.
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So that gave added impetus to a drive from two youth work organisations - with the aim that, when the Youth Zone does open, young people from Withywood to Knowle Park would already have the connections and friendship to make the first days of the Youth Zone run smoothly.
Youth Moves, which is based at the Park Centre and operates predominantly in Knowle West, hooked up with the Hartcliffe Club for Young People, run by Young Bristol.
Youth Moves took a group of young people to the Barton Camp residential activity centre based in Winscombe in North Somerset. They got to take part in a range of outdoor team-building and personal development sessions from high ropes, to swimming pool games, to forest skills. And on the second day of the week, for the first time, they were joined by a group from the Hartcliffe Club for Young People, and both groups merged.
Around 50 youngsters played together in the pool and the surrounding areas and Youth Moves youth worker Laura said any postcode barriers were broken down quickly.
“It was great to finally be able to mix the two youth clubs together, with the well known issues between both areas,” she said. “But to be honest it wasn't an issue on the day, and you wouldn't have known where they were from. Some of the older volunteers from both projects were more aware of past history and issues than younger children, but it didn't even come up in conversation. If anything it was more about what it was like being young volunteers!"
The chief executive of Youth Moves, Ali Dale, said while there have been many stories of groups of young people clashing from Knowle West and Hartcliffe, and there was some truth to that, there was a wider story that the two South Bristol estates are intertwined with families and friendship groups that go back for generations.
"It's important to recognise the real life challenges that some young people can face, if they wander into an area they aren't from, which is well documented on the news and media,” he said. “But it's also vital to challenge some of the myths that young people have about each other and those postcode areas.
“By going to neutral places like Barton Camp it takes the sting out of it, and territories aren't an issue, and young people are out of their comfort zones. They soon forget these differences, take part and play and quickly become friends. By working with clubs like Hartcliffe , who have that trusting relationship, collectively we can bridge the gap between young people,” he added. “We hope to maintain and build partnerships with a range of organisations to create a lasting and sustained legacy in the city.”
One of the youth workers there on the historic meet up was Paul Coyne, born and raised and still living in Knowle West. “Who said Knowle West and Hartcliffe couldn’t mix, eh? It just goes to show the power and impact of effective youth work - this is just the start,” he said.
Jack, a youth worker from Young Bristol’s Hartcliffe side, said he was ‘really pleased’ with how everything went. “The meeting-up was met with some trepidation by the Hartcliffe young people,” he admitted. “But we set up mixed teams, and the barriers literally fell within minutes. The kids instantly forgot where they were from. From a club viewpoint this is something we look forward to continuing," he added.
While the rivalry between Hartcliffe and Knowle West is worse in myth and legend than in reality, it is true to say it’s very real. Drill and grime rap videos featuring young people from each community threatening each other have sporadically appeared, and there have been violent flashpoints over the years. The rivalry played a part in the trial of a teenager from Hartcliffe who was jailed for an incident in April 2019, when Michael Rice, from Knowle West, was killed in Hartcliffe when a YoBike was thrown into his path as he rode a stolen motorbike past the Fulford Arms pub. And in May 2021, a violent incident involving an armed gang of young men being shot at by another, was widely blamed on the Knowle West-Hartcliffe rivalry.
Youth workers in both areas say initiatives like the Barton Camp will mean the next generation of older teenagers and young adults don’t continue the feud. “We hope this is the start of more partnership work and targeted projects to bring together groups of young people from across South Bristol,” said a Youth Moves spokesperson.
Read next:
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- The amazing doctor who dedicated his life to the people of Hartcliffe finally retires
- 12 images which show Hartcliffe over the years
- Corrie legend and two local kids bring movie magic to Hartcliffe
- The £8m South Bristol Youth Zone - 'world class' or 'black hole'?
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