Council ‘can’t support’ call to drop by-law banning swimming at Bristol beauty spot

Bristol City Council has said it ‘cannot support’ calls to amend a bye-law prohibiting swimming at a historic Bristol bathing spot, despite the campaign being backed by thousands of residents.

The petition relating to a stretch of the River Avon at Conham River Park was launched by Conham Bathing at the beginning of July and has so far garnered more than 2,400 signatures.

The group want permission from the Council, which owns the site, to apply to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to grant it Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS).

Situated by Beese’s tearooms, the stretch of water has been popular with swimmers and boaters for decades and appears to remain so despite the bye-law being signed off in 2009.

But it’s about more than allowing people to cool off, the group argue, after Wessex Water discharged ‘raw sewage directly into the river more than 23,000 times’ last year.

Achieving DBWS would combat this issue, the group say, as it means that the Environment Agency would have to test the site for sewage pollutants such as e.coli annually and take action should these be found.

“The group need the Council’s permission to submit the application, as it is the landowner of the site,” the petition reads.

“However, the Council has refused to support [our] efforts due to the Bristol City Docks Bye-Law 2009: Part V, sub-section 49, which prohibits swimming in the harbour, including the stretch of river at Conham River Park, despite this being some distance away.

“We are now demanding the Council amend this bye-law, so we can work towards enhancing and protecting the water quality in this treasured nature reserve, not only for public health, but for the river and the wildlife it supports.”

Bristol City Council has said that while it ‘welcomes’ petitions as a way of residents letting it know their concerns, it was unable to back Conham Bathing’s application for bathing water status at the site.

“Entering the tidal River Avon presents a number of risks including cold water shock, boat strike, hazardous objects under the water, strong currents, and illness and infection,” a spokesperson for the authority said.

“The stretch of river all the way up to Hanham Lock, including Conham River Park, is covered by our 2009 Byelaws under which swimming is prohibited and there is a right to navigation.

“We are therefore unable to support the application for bathing water status at this time, which would encourage prohibited activity and carry significant risk from boats on the waterways.”

If the petition garners 3,500 signatories (at the time of writing it stands at just over 2,640) it could still be debated by Full Council.