Grosvenor Hotel fire: Fences still blocking off large part of pavement and cycle path a week after blaze

Fences on a busy commuter route are still blocking off large parts of pavement and cycle paths more than a week after the Grosvenor Hotel fire.

The fences were put up around the hotel after the blaze, preventing pedestrians and cyclists from getting directly from Temple Gate to Victoria Street. And now Bristol City Council says the temporary fences will stay up until the owner of the hotel makes the building safe.

But blocking access to the pavement and cycle path means cyclists and scooters are instead using the busy four-lane road at Temple Gate. Pedestrians walking up from Temple Gate to Victoria Street must now cross a busy road four times, waiting for signal-controlled crossings each time.

The lengthy diversion has meant that some pedestrians now walk onto and along the road, instead of following the diversion.

Green Councillor Ed Plowden said: “Sadly whenever there are roadworks, not just in Bristol, it seems to be standard practice that the needs of people walking and cycling are considered last, and are often seriously compromised. This is in direct contrast with the strategies of both Bristol and the West of England combined authority, which are both supposed to put walking and cycling at the top of the transport hierarchy.

“The most ironic thing is that fencing such as this, which is installed to promote safety, is actually making it more dangerous. We call on the different council departments to collaborate to review the situation and prevent any more needless danger. Pedestrians and cyclists should not be forced into the road.”

Earlier this week, a woman in her 20s suffered a life-threatening head injury after the e-scooter she was riding collided with a car on October 26. Paramedics were seen attending to her on a stretch of road by the temporary fencing, near to the blocked off cycle path.

The Grosvenor Hotel, which has been derelict for at least two decades, caught fire on October 18. The fire has caused new concerns about the stability of a building, leading to the council putting up fencing “to make the area safe”.

A council spokesperson said: “Bristol City Council’s priority is public safety. We responded quickly to make the area safe after the fire at the Grosvenor Hotel and the cordon around the building will remain in place until the building is safe.

“We have been in contact with the owner of the building whose responsibility it is to make the building safe. We will continue to liaise with them to ensure this happens as soon as possible.”