Key Facts:

Project summary: A beach was created for 6 weeks with trader stands and facilities to hire deck chairs and play equipment.

Location: Redcliffe Wharf, Bristol

Programme: Beach, buying food and drink, deck chair hire, daytime workshops, board meeting space

Initiator: Individual through Demos

Project Duration: 6 weeks (August 2007)

Lead in Time: 9 months

Site Area: 6400m2 project build site

Client Team: Bristol City Council (BCC)

Project Team: DEMOS, Architecture 00:/, muf Architects, NEST Building, Skanska, Arup.

Funding Sources: Total: £120,000
South West of England Regional Development Agency
Bristol City Council (BCC) Hewlett Packard
Converging Worlds

Funding Type: Grant

Project Costs (Build): Unknown

Project Costs (Operation): Unknown

Profitability/Loss: Food/ Drink and deck chair hire turnover of £122, 000

Permissions / Permits: Permission to use site from Bristol City Council, Temporary Event Licence

Local Links: Café food supplied by Bar Wars, Bordeaux Quay, Richmond Events, Community Waste, Pieminister, Bristol wireless.

Publicity/advertising: BLOG, GWR, Bristol Evening Post, Proteus

Project Evaluation:

Site Details & Ownership:
The wharf is owned by Bristol City Council. Site accessible by vehicles from Eastway for deliveries, pedestrian access primarily via canal towpath owned separately by British Waterways.

Project Reach / Visitors / Target Audience:
Aimed at engaging the local community through the beach, drinks, food and events. It attracted a total of approximately 65,000 visitors.

Problems Encountered / Overcome:
Standard planning submission, flood risk assessment, licensing, health and safety and insurances were time consuming.

Feedback from users / staff:
“It’s a neighbourhood social club.” Male, 60s.
“It’s original and a bit surreal.” Male, 40s
“I wish it were here all year round.” Female, 30s
What next?
The site of Redcliffe Wharf remains as car parking.
Sand was reused within the construction industry

Complementary Programmes:
N/A

Project Website / Further Info:
http://www.demos.co.uk/projects/bristolurbanbeach