Walking into the traditional-looking Old Crow pub in Henbury, there was one topic on the lips of the five 60-something regulars sat around a large table near the bar.
“The prices went up yesterday,” said one, sipping his pint of nectar lager. “The Natch has gone up 10p, it’s now £3.10,” said another. The friendly lady behind the bar smiled, and said: “They’ve not been happy about it.”
And so the national rise in pub prices was the hot topic as we started our visit of a city suburb which until 70 years ago was a rural village on the outskirts of Bristol.
It’s hard to imagine, what with the high-rise tower blocks, busy roads and industrial works, but this once-village five miles from the city centre was a retreat for wealthy Bristolians looking for a rural escape from the city’s pollution.
What accelerated the change was the Blitz and the subsequent demand for new housing, resulting in large farms in Crow Lane and Station Road being purchased for huge housing estates.
The new homes saw a boom in the village population, and soon it was within Bristol’s boundary with new roads, schools, shops and designated open spaces for use by the public.
The fast-paced developments haven’t all led to good news. Henbury is among the most deprived areas of the city - although there is wealth in surrounding areas like Brentry, Blaise and, further afrield, Charlton Mead.
And in the Henbury and Brentry ward, almost half of people feel antisocial behaviour is a problem locally, while 36% of people are claiming unemployment benefits.
But despite the issues, we discovered a welcoming community right from our start at the Old Crow, where, apart from the small increase in prices, loyal regulars were obviously well looked after. The busy line of shops on Crow Lane were doing good business and Crow Lane open space was being enjoyed by dog walkers, families and skateboarders.
What do you like about Henbury, we asked the people sitting in the pub. Retired bricklayer Robin Redford, aged 69, said: “It’s the best housing estate in all of Bristol, I’ve always lived here and it’s a place where everyone knows everyone. We all look out for each other.”
Christopher Smith, also aged 69, agreed. “The place has changed so much”, he said, “but we’re all still here, right?”
Here are 20 pictures showing life in Henbury:
1. Crow Lane shops
A good variety of shops line Crow Lane with shoppers able to fetch anything from fruit and veg to a haircut to a fry-up. Shopkeepers say despite the downturn in the economy and cost-of-living crisis, the street is busy and doing good business.
2. Dirt bikes
While we were in Henbury we saw three people illegally riding dirt bikes on roads. Wearing no helmet, and often with their faces covered, the riders often speed and swerve on and off the roads. Henbury and Brenty Councillor Mark Weston said police were well aware of the issue and had made tackling the problem one of their key priorities. The issue is catching them.
3. Old Crow pub
Prices have just gone up on pints at the Old Crow pub, but it’s still relatively cheap for Bristol. A pint of Thatchers is £3.80 and a pint of Atlantic pale ale is £3.90. A pub has probably stood on this site since the late the sixteenth century when it served as a coaching stop. On the lunchtime we were there, it was home to a friendly bunch of locals sat around in the bar area.
4. Henbury Library
A decorative mosaic is on display at the entrance of Henbury Library - unfortunately on the day we arrive, the library isn’t open. It’s open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.