Let us name Bristol's new landmarks
Three cheers for Massive Attack's Robert del Naja for speaking out about the Colston Hall and the poverty of architecture in Bristol.
The new Colston Foyer is great – visually arresting, spacious, a big improvement on what was there before. It was the perfect opportunity to give it a new name and lose some of those old, awful slaving associations: new place, new start. But it was wasted by a council stuck in its tramlines.
As for some of the new buildings down by the "historic" harbourside – well, who really wants to see a casino in battleship grey colours and dull flats built with only regard for costs, not for the built environment they create?
Bristol means both the physical place, and it means us, the people. Wouldn't it be great if we could have a choice on what the Colston and the Museum of Bristol are to be called?
It would be the perfect way to engage citizens more in the city. A real choice with a lasting impact. We could have used the Banksy queue to canvas opinions and ask for suggestions. Choice is good, spending our money and imposing things on us is bad.
Maybe our council just doesn't trust us to agree with it?
Ben Hibble, By email.
4 Comments
by flute222, Gloucestershire
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 10:39PM
“I agree that we cannot alter history by changing names. For born and bred Bristolians, The Colston Hall is just 'The Colston Hall' and does not honour or conjure up images of slavery any more than the Royal Albert Hall or The Clifton Suspension Bridge does. equality of opportunity, respect and courtesy for fellow human beings is what counts.”
by Jon, Bristol
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 10:22AM
“The coucnil have paid £100k but not simply for a name change. The consutlancy provide a complete service (branding/logos/letterheads - everything) which proves value for money.
They did not solely advise on the name for their money, as was intimated by the BEP only reporting half the story.”
by David Morris, Stoke Bishop
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 9:33AM
“I did not see the original piece on monday, but the related item published on tuesday infers that Bristol City Council paid £100,000 to a consultancy for coming up with a name for the new Museum of Bristol. If true, this would appear to be a scandalous misuse of public funds. Have the City Council offered an explanation/ justification?”
by Jon, Bristol
Monday, September 21 2009, 3:10PM
“Ben, we should not ignore the past by wiping from history anything to do with slavery. It happened hundreds of years ago and we have to live with it. Changing the names of civic buildings will serve only to have the matter buried forgotten.”