THE online community newspaper for Nailsea people, their family and their friends

April 2025

Our town is a very, very nice town

Property people

North Somerset Council's revised Local Development Scheme was approved in July 2024, this has to find development sites for 23,895 homes from now until 2040. That’s 8,620 more than was proposed in the last Local Plan consultation. Nailsea and Backwell are listed to take many new homes but no new roads or access improvements to the railway station. More on our Hensons sponsored property page HERE

What's On 2025

March was manic with the Turn Nailsea PINK fortnight - just waiting for the money raised for the Nowhere FUNdraisers For Cruk to be counted. April has church services and Easter eggs galore. But the best news is Eat: Nailsea is back for its fab food & drink street fest. Read more HERE

Gallery 2025

We have lots of slideshows in our galleries and for 2025 it includes the second farmers' market, wonderful Backwell Lake and atmospheric weather photos too. But best is all the PINK images which are mostly on its own page HERE, below is the Ambling Band musicians taking a break at Costa

ALIAS SMITH & JONES

WH Smith the books and stationery retailer has sold its 480 high street stores to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital for £76 million. We are not sure how this will affect the Somerset Square shop in Nailsea or its staff. It is reported shops will be rebranded as TG Jones while airport stores will remain with WH Smith. The Nailsea store which opened with much fanfare in 2012 is also a DHL Express Service Point. WH Smith has been a High Street name for 233 years.

HANDBAGS AT THE READY

Nailsea District Leg Club is collecting preloved handbags, backpacks, small suitcases, holdalls and purses for its fundraising sale on Saturday, May 17. This is market day and their stall will be outside Waitrose. To donate items in good conditions take to 65 Nailsea High Street and please check inside, you’d be surprised at what’s been found!

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

This work of art is the much admired Hannah More inspired pudding made by former Nailsea School student now top chef Amber Francis who was voted the best at the Great British Menu banquet which we feature on our VIP page HERE

NEW BUS TIMETABLES
A new First bus timetable will operate from Sunday, April 6. In a nutshell for Nailsea the X8 is scrapped and replaced by the X7 which will run between Bristol and Clevedon via Nailsea and Backwell. This will mean no more double-deckers on this route as it will go under the railway bridge. Nailsea people still can’t get a direct bus to The Mall, major hospitals or Bristol airport but luckily The Availables and Nailsea & District Community Transport will fill in some of the service gaps. Read more on our On The Road page HERE.

CAR PARK

We have been told that Pelican Business Services the billing company for Bristol Water and Wessex Water is taking over the Clevedon Road car park from North Somerset Council. We aren't sure whether this is the whole of the car park which has 300 spaces including 10 disabled bays or just part The 'notice of intent' currently displayed in the car park says 'for vehicles with valid permits displayed'. What we would like to know is will the car park have a barrier and who will 'police' the parked vehicles? And will Nailsea carnival floats and walkers still have access this summer and will stallholders at the farmers' market still be able to park for free? We have asked North Somerset Council and Pelican managing director Oliver Jerrome for more information.

GOING UP

Developer Paul O'Brien says work will begin in April on the tower block on the edge of Somerset Square. His company has planning permission to build 38 flats. Developments Bristol Ltd was previously granted planning permission to build the seven-storey block of flats on the long-derelict Weston College building in the middle of Nailsea on the condition that eight of the flats qualify as affordable housing. But the housing association who had planned to deliver affordable homes has pulled out saying it 'wasn't a suitable site' and the developers now say it will not be viable to include any affordable housing in the development. After carrying out their own viability assessment, North Somerset Council planning officers agreed with the developer.

CYCLE SHOP TO CLOSE

After 30 years of trading, Nailsea Cycles will be closing its doors for the final time on Saturday, April 5, 2025. But the Gadget Lounge is moving to online trading. Read more on our BMD and Marketplace pages which also has details of Nailsea Barbers move to The Courtyard.

10am-4pm in High Street and Somerset Square

Marathon man in London

All the fundraising for Cancer Research UK in Nailsea during March brings into focus those among us fighting breast cancer, here we tell the story of a local dance teacher and her husband's gallant fundraising efforts

Jason Stitch is running the London Marathon in April and raising money for Breast Cancer Now.

The charity funds research and gives support to anyone affected by breast cancer.

His inspiration is his wife Adele who runs Adele Stitch School of Dance and her cancer challenge.

Jason who works as an NHS advanced clinical practitioner at hospitals in Bristol and Weston is part of the Breast Cancer Team Now running in the 2025 TCS London Marathon on Sunday, April 27.

He said: "As you all know Adele has been battling breast cancer for the past two years.

"She has always taken it in her stride and continues to be the strong, positive and passionate person she has always been.

"Running the London Marathon has always been a goal for me personally, and the past couple of years has shown me how time is so very precious, and waiting for things that are under your control is no longer an option!

"I will complete this marathon to the best of my ability to show my support to Adele and for a charity that means so much to her.

"Adele will be part of this process (I am sure this will be no surprise), she is my motivator, my organiser, my fundraising champion.

"Together we will succeed and hopefully the money we raise, will in small part help others living with cancer."

Since November Jason, aged 46, has completed in five half marathons at Silverstone Race Track, Warwick, Southampton, St David’s Day in Wales and Gloucester.

And a couple of weeks ago he ran 20 miles in Exmouth and has the 15 miler Bath to Bristol railway race in mid April.

Jason's training regime has included running approximately 20-25 miles a week mostly on local park runs.

And he is getting faster and faster having beaten all his personal best running times four weeks ahead of his goal.

Jason has already raised £2,500+ but is hopeful he can raise more. Go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/jason-stitch-1719915970179

The focus areas were Stockway South and North, Brockway, Millennium Park, Station Road and Clevedon Road car parks, and the Skate Park.
More than two supermarket trolleys full of bags were filled with rubbish and recyclable waste collected by the hard-working volunteers.
Committee chairman Karen Bird said: “The community litter pick was a great success.
"A big thank you to all who supported the initiative and the Nailsea Community Group for providing the equipment for this important task.
"It was timely as it was the 10th Great British Spring Clean between March 21 and April 6, and our councillors were keen to help Nailsea get ready for summer by helping to keep our parks and public spaces looking lovely.”

Nailsea Community Heroes joined forces with Nailsea Town Council for a spring clean on Saturday, March 29.Nailsea Town Council environment and leisure committee set out with an army of litter pickers including Brownies, Scouts and Friends of Trendlewood Park and random volunteers.

Nailsea's own Wombles go spring cleaning

First Bus representatives called in at the café meeting of Nailsea Disabled Access Group to hear about travelling traumas experienced by passengers especially those who use a wheelchair.

Bus driver trainer Miles Dolphin and Weston depot boss Ilyas Hafezji listened to the confusion caused when drivers can't tell the difference between wheelchairs and powered scooters and failures to get out a ramp when required.

Certain mobility aids do need a permit to travel on public transport, the meeting heard.

And others described the frustration of not being able to reach to zap their payment cards when sat in a wheelchair.

Miles offered to do some training sessions in Nailsea for travellers and staff and talked about sharing good practice and customer service.

It was suggested that staff at 65 High Street could help people to find out how to obtain if necessary, an online permit and 'user approval assessment'.

Nailsea town councillor Graham Parsons called for an awareness campaign and 'bus friendly' stickers for wheelchairs that met the strict weight and size criteria.

Resident David Howard asked for help getting a road sign moved which blocked a footpath on the High Street near the Coates House flats.

He submitted a 'public right of way' report at the beginning of January but had received a reply saying '...unable to locate any obvious obstructions relating to road signs...'.

Café organiser Alison Morgan said she would take the matter up with North Somerset Council and North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan.

Wheelchair access on First Bus

GOOGLE IMAGE HIGH STREET: Can you spot the obvious obstruction?

eat:Nailsea returns to Nailsea for 2 bumper editions this year thanks to the financial backing of Nailsea Town Council and the support of the Crown Place Shopping Centre.
The first of two eat:Nailsea food and drink festivals for 2025 will be on Saturday, April 26, at the High Street and Crown Glass Shopping Centre.
This will showcase 100 producers - including farmers' market favourites like ales, cheese and baked goods alongside street food, more exotic deli produce and high-quality makers.
eat:Festivals bring the very best West Country food and drink producers and artisans together.
At the event you can buy local food and drink direct from the producers in a welcoming environment.

Festival organiser Bev MIlner Simonds said: "We have loved getting to know Nailsea during the past six years and this year, thanks to the support of the town council, we are moving to two festivals a year.
"This one in the spring on the and a bumper festive edition on Saturday, December 6.
"The festival will have more 100 producers stretching through the Crown Glass Shopping Centre, past Waitrose and up the High Street to the Ivy Kitchen cafe.