NAILSEA
PEOPLE
CONTACT
comment, email and letters to community editor
www.nailseapeople.com is an online community newspaper for people living, working or going to school in Nailsea and its nearby villages. It is also a great way for holidaymakers, expats and students away at college or for work to keep in touch. We welcome news, previews, reviews, blogs, photographs and advertising. Use the box below to contact us. Our email address is nailseapeople@gmail.com but by using the box below this is sent automatically.
Dear Nailsea People, I’m delighted to share that the proposed bus lane along the A370 in Backwell has officially been scrapped—a major win for everyone who uses this road and for the residents of Nailsea and Backwell.
From the outset, I, alongside councillors Pryke, Smith, Burden, Blades, and Bird, supported by Backwell Parish Council, stood firmly against this scheme.
It would have cost taxpayers over £2 million and brought chaos, increased pollution, and greater danger to our roads.
I’m not anti-bus.
When roadworks led to the suspension of services in Nailsea West End, I worked alongside Nailsea and District Community Transport to arrange temporary buses, so residents weren’t left stranded.
I believe in practical, community-focused transport solutions—not expensive, disruptive projects that don’t serve the public interest.
This bus lane scheme should never have progressed as far as it did.
I, along with other Nailsea North Somerset councillors, members of Backwell Parish Council and Backwell Residents Association, voiced our opposition from the outset.
I made our position clear to the executive member for highways, but our concerns were ignored.
Even when North Somerset Council’s own scrutiny panel backed my motion to withdraw the scheme, it was ignored.
As a result, over £270,000 of public money has already been wasted, along with hundreds of officer hours that could have gone toward projects that genuinely improve people’s lives.
It’s deeply frustrating to see resources wasted in this way.
After this fiasco and the Clevedon sea front debacle, I’m urging the council to rethink its approach to car parking charges in Nailsea, Clevedon and Portishead, before irreversible damage is done to our high streets.
We need policies that support communities, not ones that undermine them.
I remain committed to standing up for local residents.
Ollie Ellis
Conservative Nailsea West End North Somerset councillor
by email Oliver.Ellis@n-somerset.gov.uk
Dear Nailsea People, I’d like to send a huge thank you to the Good Samaritans who rushed to the aid of my friend Mandy and I when she had a fall last Friday, January 2, at around 3pm.
It happened very close to the Station Road carpark and the Debra charity shop.
I was sat with Mandy and speaking to ambulance crew via one of these lovely people, everyone else kindly covered Mandy with their own jackets, car blankets, ran to Waitrose to get the defibrillator (just in case and as instructed by ambulance control) and borrowed more fleeces from the charity shop as it was a very cold day.
I’d like to mention Emma from Nailsea Physio and her team, she was so very professional and calming. Following her instructions, they managed to get Mandy onto a thick physio mat, and therefore off the very cold floor.
Within approximately 30mins, family and then the ambulance crew arrived.
The Good Samaritans who had been so wonderful melted away, but not without our heartfelt thanks
After a few hours in the BRI Mandy and her family returned home.
She was shaken and bruised and has a broken shoulder bless her.
I would like to add my thanks to Mandy’s and the family’s and say how very grateful I am to everyone who helped her.
Bless you and thank you xx,
from Bev Hirst
January 2026
Dear Nailsea People, I wanted to share this story with your readers to warn others of the reliance on Royal Mail .
I have always believed that if I put something in the post it will arrive within a reasonable time scale.
As you know this once truly great service has been subjected to significant fines in recent years for failing to meet the publics' expectations.
Sadly I have just found out that my expectation were certainly misjudged.
On 9th December I put 14 Christmas cards in the main post box outside Nailsea post office.
Like every year the card was special, made up by a nationwide print company.
This year the card featured a photo taken by the dog groomer of my lovely companion, Ruby, a very sweet Border Terrier.
Just before Christmas I was in contact with a friend who lives in Newport and asked if she likes the card to which she replied "it hasn't arrived".
I thought no more about it until I received a message from her on 19th January that my card had just arrived, some 40 days after posting.
Couple of days later I was talking to a friend in Fetcham, Surrey who also confirmed that my card had just arrived.
On following up on this I have now realised that all the cards I sent are now being delivered.
The destinations range from , Thetford, Leavenheath , Cambridge, Brentwood, Loughton and Chislehurst.
So what on earth has occurred?
When you post anything in Nailsea it is dispatched to the Bristol sorting office for sorting and dispatch.
What on earth is happening at the sorting office.
A sack of mail just left unattended waiting for delivery until someone decides it needs to be looked at.
There is no excuse for this and I wonder how many other people who put letter and correspondence in the post at a similar time.
Sending a condolence card to an old friend, a gift to a young child, paying a bill. It beggar belief that this once great organisation has fallen so far from grace.
I am now looking to register a complaint with Royal Mail but that is proving near impossible as the web site is structured in such a way that I would need to make 14 individual complaint.
Try phoning and the wait is 40 minutes.
So if you posted something in or around 9th December you may need to check it has arrived.
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Pauline Tillett
by email
January 2026
Dear Nailsea People, as the tumbleweed begins to descend in Nailsea with the closure of yet another business The Original Factory Shop, is it time to look around for a town that is not dying.
According to some media outlets Nailsea is a Thriving Town, that’s a laugh.
The best card shop closes for good very soon as well, yet another loss.
The authorities both near and wide will blame each other, parking charges, business rates and I am sure there are other factors reducing this town to nothing, so thank you.
On a final comment I would like to thank the totally thoughtless members of the driving community, those of the ‘can't pay won’t pay’ brigade for parking in Scotch Horn Way, Nailsea at around 6 and 7 o’clock Monday to Friday sitting in their car, radio on, drinking their Costa coffee before walking off.
If you can afford to pay for coffee each day then pay for parking and stop waking me up.
Chris Gowler
by email
Dear readers, thank you to everyone who got back to us, and especially those who completed the google form indicating days which would work for an initial meeting.
We really wanted Nailsea Town Council to be a key part of this process, but sadly the original dates proposed were not viable. Instead, a different date for the meeting has been organised which is as follows:
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Date: Monday 23rd February
Time: 7:30pm (doors open from 7pm)
Location: Grove Sport Centre (in the main function room)
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We would be honoured if you can join us for this event which will take on the following format:
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Introduce the competition- rules, conditions, benefits and key dates
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Discuss and gather all the special aspects which contribute to the town’s culture
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Discuss ideas on how (if successful) any money awarded can be used to preserve, advance or celebrate our culture both locally and to attract people to the town
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Create a main committee to gather ideas and create a draft application to present back to everyone at the next meeting for confirmation
If you are unable to come but want to be involved, this is no problem, we simply ask that you let us know so we can share information and allow you to input your ideas.
If, as we hope, you can make it; please feel free to encourage other interested parties or people to come along to make this as inclusive as possible.
We would also ask that you let us know if and how many of you are coming in advance to ensure there is enough seating provided.
Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this email and engage in this process, as it is a great chance to come together and create a positive narrative around the amazing town we live in.
If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know.
Ian (on behalf of the Nailsea Playing Fields Association)
FRONT PAGE: February 2026 we announce Town of Culture bid
Dear readers, Nailsea Town Council needs to get its act together.
This town needs to get rid of it's derelict sites and empty shops and give over worrying about reducing carpark charges by 50p per hour.
The first thing that is needed is for the old Weston College to be deleted along with the locked up toilet block and do something to attract new business before the whole area becomes deserted.
Many of the people driving into Nailsea think nothing of paying anything up to £500.00 per month to purchase their vehicles so they can show off a new number plate.
Please have a word with developer Paul O'Brien and ask him when he plans to start, it's nearly four years now the site was purchased, maybe in the next four years.
Please advise when you have some news.
Neville Crewdson.
by email
Dear readers, as now one of the longest residents of Nailsea (since March 1977) parking charges were never even thought about until recently.
I would like to see the Business Case put forward by North Somerset Council that may have included the 50 to 100 vehicles that used to park in Station Road Car Park giving a daily income of up to £3,500 that never materialised.
This car park was never resurfaced nor proper lines put in so probably left out of the Business Plan.
I would also like to see the deal done with Wessex Water and the Telephone Exchange for Clevedon Road Car Park?
I saw the lads out measuring for yellow lines in Mizzymead Road so this means more cars will be looking for spaces in residential areas within 500m of the old Somerset CC signpost outside Coates House.
So were these costs plus the cost of policing the 30mph speed limit now in place along Queens Road and a traffic warden out issuing tickets or instead the dreaded CCTV with some nerd watching what good honest people are doing?
Oh dear, goodbye to Nailsea village; Parsons, John Browns, Poundland, Superdrug, Boots, Maynews, Pet Store, greengrocers and others that may go when leases come up for renewal.
Was the loss of business rates included in the Business Case?
Probably not.
What will be included is the gradual rise on hour rate charges for parking in year 2, 3, 4 you'll see.
Last thing, being old and wise don't you feel cheated having to pay to be sick when visiting a doctor or getting prescriptions, that is if you can get an appointment! Ah well c’est la vie, as the French would say.
And another last thing, I’ve recently received my NSC council tax bill and it’s been raised by 9.3%,
I suppose this is to pay for Birnbeck Pier and Banwell bypass and other pet projects that NSC councillors have in mind – like fixing potholes, not!
Speakers Corner, Hyde Park corner, 1970s
Oh, but they can’t because that money must pay for council worker national insurance and private pensions and cars!
Does North Somerset Council add value to North Somerset residents, or could we do without them by outsourcing all activities??
Now there is a thought!
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Nailsea resident by email
Eirik Bird, owner of Sam Bird TV, has lodged a formal objection to the proposed one-way system for Link Road. Sent to North Somerset Council environment, assets and transport services directorate delivery manager Jackie Lower he has shared part of this correspondence and this email with Nailsea People and local councillors and other highway officers ref PSWLP/BSIP/NTH.
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This is what Eirik said: I will try and keep this simple: I do believe the Link Road one-way scheme doesn’t make sense for Nailsea, and the basics haven’t been properly worked through for the following reasons.
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1. Environmental damage
Your own data states that 47 cars an hour turn down the Link Road. They will now need to travel an extra one‑third of a mile. That’s 47×6 hours×â…“ mile — roughly 100 additional miles of traffic per day, adding up to around 36,500 unnecessary miles of COâ‚‚ emissions per year.
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2. High Street road damage
The brick‑laid High Street road is already suffering, especially from heavy vehicles like double‑decker buses. Diverting buses away from the High Street would help reduce wear and avoid expensive repairs. Heavier electric buses exacerbating this issue. The Tesco junction is also unsuitable for handling this additional traffic, and any incident on this route would cause significant disruption on the High Street, leaving traffic with nowhere to go.
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3. Consultation was inadequate
Most people in Nailsea didn’t know about this. Those who did were overwhelmingly against it. Your own documents say 56% strongly opposed the one‑way system, yet the summary claims the consultation was “receptive”. That isn’t accurate. Recent social media comments have also been overwhelmingly against the proposal.
4. Impact on businesses ignored
There’s no business impact assessment, no analysis of lost footfall, and no consideration of how reduced access will affect long‑standing High Street businesses. Less passing traffic is bad for High Street business - Waitrose customers will forced to go via Stockway South & North ignoring the High Street. Footfall is already down on our High St. At the very least, you should write to every business on the High Street to ensure they are fully informed about the proposed scheme and be able to voice any objection.
5. The current bus stop works
The shelter is fine, the pavement is wide enough, and there’s no justification for spending £330,000 to replace something that already works. What is the environmental damage to replacing this and all the road works?
Nailsea Link Road (hu)bus
​6. Better locations exist
A bus stop on Stockway North near the underpass - equally close to both Waitrose and Tesco supermarkets - makes far more sense. It also aligns better with the Clevedon‑bound stop, making it easier for passengers to understand where to catch buses. Crucially, this option doesn’t require turning Link Road one‑way and protects our High Street.
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7. Cycle hub & parcel lockers
New cycle facilities would be better placed on the High Street or in the very under‑used Station Road car park. The parcel lockers would also be more accessible in Station Road car park - the proposed single parking bay to serve the parcel lockers on the link rd is not suitable.
8. Cars will still turn left into the Link Road causing danger
Cars are still likely to turn left into the Link Road, creating a potential safety hazard. Additionally, some drivers may inadvertently ignore the “No Entry” restriction due to unfamiliarity with the changes, increasing the risk of danger to other road users
After 40+ years working on Nailsea High Street, I can say confidently that this scheme will do more harm than good.
Please rethink it.
I’m happy to discuss this properly if needed, please ring me at the shop to arrange a convenient time. A face to face will help clarify all these issues.
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Eirik Bird
Samuel Bird TV
118 High Street
Nailsea