TV company illegally bans cars parking
A TV company illegally prevented residents from parking in a Brislington street.
On Wednesday, the night before filming, a security guard from a private firm set out yellow cones along Sandy Park Road where parking is free between 6pm and 8am.
Drivers were warned their cars would be towed if they were not moved by 5am the next day.
SRM security is employed by Touchpaper TV – an independent production company commissioned by the BBC to make a new comedy Being Human.
But the company did not get permission from Bristol City Council to order residents at such short notice.
And one resident claimed a security van was parked outside all night to ensure cars were not blocking the way for film crews.
Tracey Birchall, 30, who lives in Sandy Park Road, usually parks in one of the unrestricted bays overnight. She said: "We have had no warning of this, there was no letter put through our door.
"If I hadn't gone out and seen the security guard putting the cones out I would have left my car there and then woken up in the morning wondering where it had gone.
"The BBC must have known when they would have been filming there. All it would have taken was to put a simple letter through the door.
"Apparently they are filming a comedy show, but it is not very funny for us."
Student Ellie Lenton, 21, of Brislington, works in a shop on Sandy Park Road. She said: "They came in to tell us on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"The man was nice enough and it doesn't really affect us – it's more the residents. But I did ask him if they had told everyone who needed to know and gone through the right procedures."
Butcher Paul Moss, 60, from Headley Park, added: "I noticed all the cars parked up by us in the morning. It makes it difficult for deliveries."
Kate Hartas of Bristol City Council said: "The council is investigating a complaint regarding a production company – Touchpaper TV – and their contractor SRM security.
"The method and timescale applied to remove parked cars and prepare the street for filming was not agreed by the council.
"The production company will be served with an improvement notice to ensure this does not happen again."
Although the council would not comment further, it did confirm that Touchpaper TV would have paid just £43 to suspend parking.
Applications by film companies must go through the council's Parking Services department through the Bristol Film Office.
Hayley Bushell, a spokeswoman for Touchpaper TV, said: "We accept that errors were made and have taken action to prevent them from happening again.
"Normally, the production team would letter drop. However, given the lateness of the decision to film at this location, it was not possible. Hence the posting of security personnel where bays were to be suspended.
"The security firm hired by Touchpaper TV provided residents with inaccurate information – they were asked to simply inform residents of the following morning's suspension."
13 Comments
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by Alex, Bristol
Sunday, November 16 2008, 4:22PM
“Ginge, I don't get it.. Who's "attacking" me?? and what's the reasoning?”
by GingerRog, Bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 3:18PM
“And, more importantly ~ why are you attacking Alex ~ he is quite entitled to his opinion.”
by GingerRog, Bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 3:16PM
“You were posting as Me, Bristol and now The One Who Knows, Bristol ~ pack it in and get my name right.”
by The one one knows, Bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 2:02PM
“Ginger Roger
Sorry I should have written Alex not Cheryl.”
by The one who knows, Bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 2:01PM
“Ginger Roger and Knackered Mum. I am afraid you are both wrong Marc is not the same person as Cheryl in fact not even the same gender. Surprised?”
by Mikos, Southville
Saturday, November 15 2008, 1:51PM
“Yeah, the Casualty film crews are plain nasty down in the city centre. This week, they commandeered the bridge at Bathurst Basin, so nobody could cross it. What are they, trolls?
When I pointed out what a waste of money Casualty is, the crew got nasty and threatening. They did have permission (I checked with the Harbour Master), but it's the sheer arrogance of these people that is the problem. They seem to believe that filming poorly-scripted, made-up cr@p somehow makes them superior beings.
Cardiff is welcome to them.”
by gerry, bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 1:30PM
“Alex, It would have been news if cycles had been banned mate.”
by Alex, Bristol
Saturday, November 15 2008, 12:01PM
“Is this news?”
by MendipMan, Wurzel Country
Saturday, November 15 2008, 11:59AM
“Television companies seem to think that they can do anything they like in the name of drama. The 'Casualty' units are the worst in my experience. Last year they took over roads around the Stockwood shopping precinct and in fact even closed some roads. They parked their vehicles outside the shops preventing people from leaving their cars to go shopping. I contacted the City Council and asked why there had not been proper road closure notices advertised and orders applied for as this was clearly not an emergency. The reply was that the roads had been closed on public safety grounds. This is the same council that refused to allow one of these roads to be closed ON PUBLIC SAFETY GROUNDS for a street party in connection with the Queen's Jubilee a few years ago. Some weeks ago I was cycling along Woollard Lane that ends in a triangle of roads at the Publow end to be confronted by a uniformed security guard operating a stop/go board. Beyond him were numerous vehicles and film units. He said, "Won't be a few minutes, You'll have to wait til they finish this scene." I said, "You're joking. I'm not hanging around just for a television film." He said, "If you cycle past this red board you will commit a traffic offence." As I passed through I noticed that each road in the triangle had been closed with security guards at each junction. Again there whad been no road closure orders applied for, unlike nearby Queen Charlton who have to apply for and pay for a road closure order each year for their summer fete, so I said, "I doubt that is the case but I will get off and walk." So I did - right through the scene they were trying to film. The sheer arrogance of these people is what gets me. If they tried to be co-operative I would be prepared to co-operate with them. The use of uniformed security guards is intimidating and some clearly exceed their remit, or try to.”
by john, briz
Saturday, November 15 2008, 11:27AM
“They should do their filming in Cardiff”