"It's like a rabbit warren" - Bradford on Avon's creatives
From wool to rubber, mushrooms, marijuana farming, and live music.
Greetings from Bradford on Avon! I’m housesitting for a couple of weeks. I’d planned to use BoA as a base for day trips to Bath and Bristol, but have fallen in love with its charms. Been really happy pottering about here all week.
The first person I spoke to said “it’s a rabbit warren” and it is. Hillside houses, footpaths and snickets (Rosemary Walk to Tory – you’d be fit living here!). It’s a ‘working historic town’ with a busy canal, 13c bridge & chapel, a Saxon church, converted mills, and creamy cottages.
There’s a tiny Co-op/Post Office/cashpoint in the centre (very useful - no banks), but otherwise it’s all independent shops and eateries. No vape shops either - hurrah!
An architectural feast in Church Street - medieval, Georgian and Victorian buildings. Team Eleven ad agency are in the old Lloyds bank - big neon sign on the wall with their tagline: ‘The Bank of Brilliant Ideas’. Busy earlier this week but all in darkness today (it’s Friday) so looks like they do a four-day week.
Good energy too – dunno about ley lines but it’s not far from the Mary & Michael Pilgrims’ Way, which runs from Cornwall to Norfolk. I feel like I’m wrapped in a cosy blanket – 600 years of wool and weaving before it became a rubber town.
Went to the Chapel of St Mary Tory this morning and said a prayer for my mum who’s struggling with multiple health issues. It’s on the Pilgrim’s route to Glasto so I wasn’t alone for long. Fabulous views up here - a slice of Wiltshire!
Canal living
I’ve also been inspired by the canal life. Didn’t expect to see so much action on the marina in winter - from vintage narrowboats to stylish submarines. The petrol-smoky smell is intoxicating - I can’t get enough of it, even on drizzly days.
Gongoozler - an idle spectator aka canalspotting - my new hobby!
Mostly leisure cruisers but there’s a shifting community of people who love the lifestyle. Every other boat has some kind of Buddha captain at the helm.
Had a chat with the owner of ‘Juggernaut’- his home. I could hear a kid running around inside.
“It’s a great lifestyle. But it’s hard work - there’s a lot to do.”
“How do you work? What do you do?”
“I’m a lorry driver. With difficulty!”
What the locals say
I’ve had chats with:
A woman outside an interiors shop who was eyeing up a Cannes lamp for her new home. They’ve just moved here from Bath and love it. Had a Georgian house in the centre of the city, but found it too hectic and busy. 6M visitors a year and getting closer to a tourist tax.
Mark Selway - a carpenter who’s restoring a cottage in Newtown (just found a spring in the basement!). “Everybody knows my green van.” Very chatty and passionate about BoA - told him he should be a tour guide. “He’s always talking to someone,” his mate chuckled.
“Bath’s a bit up itself. Bristol has a buzz about it (recommends Bedminster for indie vibes - lots of Londoners moving there). Best pub in BoA? “The Shoes!! You must go to the Shoes.” (Three Horseshoes – people travel for miles to hear the bands).Lauren / Elle @rocketandhummus (she used to write a food blog). Met her in Timbrell’s Yard hotel on a date night with her little man, Archie the dog. Works in finance and travels solo a lot.
“Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find lots of subcultures here, which keeps it interesting.” Second person to recommend The Shoes!
What’s next?
I’ve been working in the library/museum - they have a ton of titles. Must be one of the most-published about places in the country!
BoA: an introduction:
Today, Bradford is a small town of 10k inhabitants that is somewhat overshadowed by its larger neighbours and looking for a new role in its post-industrial age.
Undersells it a bit I reckon. It’s a stunning place. The only issue is the volume of traffic over the bridge - starts around 5am. They need to sort it out as you can’t cross the road.
From Roger Jones’ book: Bradford on Avon - a town like no other:
“Bradford is home to commuters to Bath and Bristol but also to a growing army of homeworkers, as well as artists and craftspeople.” There’s still some industry - Moulton Bikes are made locally. Illegal activity was stamped out pretty quickly.
Figuring it out like the rest of us!
Bradford on Heaven or Boredom of Avon depending on your age ;)
Huge thanks to Marianne Lehnis for your hospitality. And to the BoA Preservation Society aka ‘Guardian Angel’ (name of their newsletter) for their hard work restoring run-down buildings.
Nika x
🎪 Bold Types Community Calendar
I’m building a community calendar – key media & journalism dates for a creator’s diary. Some inspo to help you plan content and get out of the house / off the laptop!
Feel free to add your events – I’d like it to be a useful, collaborative resource.
Well written and gives me new perspectives on my home!