Gallery 2017

send your photos to nailseapeople@gmail.com

Nailsea in the rain

December 2017

Nailsea in the snow

December 2017

Nailsea winter whiteout

Nailsea resident Ali Kuleli ventured out in the early hours to capture his wonderful wintry images.
Others poked their cameras out of their bedroom windows or waited until morning to take pictures of the snow.
Ali and his wife have been living in the town for just over two years and photography is his hobby.
He said: “We love the location and surroundings of Nailsea.
“On the night of the photos of the snowfall I was woken up by phone call at 1.30am.
“I looked out the window and knew this would be the perfect photo shoot.
“With my wife and our husky snow dog Tia we all went out to enjoy the quiet and stillness of Nailsea high street.”
For those who like the technical details Ali set his Nikon d7100 to manual mode and using a Sigma17-50mm lens he adjusted the shutter speed to suit the image.
You can ‘like’ Ali’s images on his Facebook page Cloud9photographer.

It is funny to think there are primary aged children in Nailsea who have never seen snow.
Some have new sledges bought four or five years ago stored in garden sheds waiting…
But I fear they will have to wait longer because the covering this year which arrived late one December night had nearly all gone by the next day.

There were some hairy stories of late night driving home and the road at Brockley Combe was closed for many hours by a fallen tree.

There were some delays at Bristol Airport while planes queued for de-icing and the National Trust property at Tyntesfield closed for safety reasons for a couple of days.

Although a few made snowmen the iced statues melted quicker than you could say Raymond Briggs.

Land Yeo Valley

December 2017

Nailsea Santa's Run

December 2017

Nailsea Community Christmas Fair

NCCF has its own page in the archives HERE

December 2017

Tithe Barn Nailsea Christmas fair

Nailsea market November 2017

TANGERINE DREAMER: Photographer Clare Garland was so excited by this sunrise that she rushed outside and stood in the middle of Shaftsbury Road to take the shot. It was 7.40am on Saturday, November 18, and the keen amateur was still dressed in her pyjamas! It is perfect shot and thank you Clare for sharing with Nailsea People

Remembrance Day November 11th

has a page of its own click HERE

Children in Need

Royal Oak garage a work in progress

Royal Oak garage

Progress from start to finish - perhaps. August 2017 most of the original walls came down. It was more than a year ago multi-million plans to develop the old garage next to the Royal Oak pub were unveiled to Nailsea Town Council. The slide show below is taken earlier this year. The garage is excluded from scheduling under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

Royal Oak garage

Progress during the summer holidays August 2017 although most of the original walls came down. It is all a work in progess but the final photograph in this slide show is of how it is going to look. It was more than a year ago multi-million plans to develop the old garage next to the Royal Oak pub were unveiled at a Nailsea Town Council. Scroll down to read more on the Breaking News page about the development...we will update as and when...wonder how much the properties will sell for?

Royal Oak garage

December Photo: Bob Deacon

Royal Oak garage

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2017 at Royal Oak garage site

Work began in earnest this year at Royal Oak garage site.

It was more than a year ago that multi-million plans to develop the old garage next to the Royal Oak pub were unveiled at a Nailsea Town Council meeting.

The plan was not to demolish the building but convert it into 10 two-storey three bed homes with studio and office units underneath using the old walls as the shell.

From a new garage with cone-shaped car sales showroom to an indoor market with cafe and museum many residential and commercial schemes, for the site dubbed ‘gateway to Nailsea’, have been put forward over the years.

In the 1860s more than 500 people attended village concerts in the building that once housed French kilns and gas-fired furnaces for the Glassworks and in the 1980s The Wurzels packed out the place for a 1st Nailsea Scouts fundraising gig.

Last year Hobbs Properties put the freehold of the huge disused stone built ‘shed’ and surrounding land up for sale with a price tag of £250,000.

North Somerset house builders Rollo Homes who are responsible for developing the old furniture shop Challicoms at Hill Road, Clevedon, decided to take on the ambitious project.

Rollo Homes directors Shaun Thomas, of Chelvey, and Paul O’Brien, of Wraxall, are the brains behind the development which will sit between the newly transformed Teletubbies-style park at the end of the High Street and the Royal Oak public house.

Planning and development consultant Kit Stokes, of Aspect360, told the council that the Royal Oak garage was ‘an important but not beautiful’ building which would be retained and act as a ‘sleeve’ for the new development.

The asbestos sheet roof would be replaced by a new slate roof and the project would include 20 car parking spaces, he said.

The architect is O’Leary Goss came up with the mixed development idea.

But councillors voiced concern about chemical contamination of the land caused by its industrial past.

One said that substances including cyanide and asbestos had been removed from the parkland next door.

Mr Stokes told councillors: “The intention is to retain the floor slab and to have minimal excavation to protect the archaeological resources that are in the ground.

“There will need to be a remediation strategy to address any contamination which may mean capping the car park area.”Builders aren’t going to dig the dirt and plop homes on top, said Mr Stokes reassuringly at the time.

The garage is excluded from scheduling under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 but the ground beneath is included as 2008 excavations revealed remains from the glassworks and alkali chemical works.

Bonfire night at Nailsea 2017

Photos courtesy of Stuart Burgess and Sarah Marshall. Facebook video of firework finale courtesy of Richard Billows - thank you everyone

The annual fundraising bonfire night fireworks at Nailsea and Backwell Rugby Club were a great success with crowds braving the cold to watch a fantastic display.

However, for pet lovers the evening wasn't such a success.

The golden Labrador (or is it a retriever?) pictured was scared witless and was seen running about at the Grove.

The poor dog was eventually caught near Backwell Motors and found to be chipped when taken to Golden Valley vets.

There are reports of lots more frightened animals as fireworks all over the town were very loud this year.

Well done Backwell people who caught and looked after this dog prior to it being reunited with its owners.

M&Co open at Somerset Square

Strongest man @thegym Nailsea

Nailsea ladies in the pink October 2017

Now in its 10th year the annual Pink Ladies Day at Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club on Saturday was another sell-out.

This year it was a Bond-girls Live And Let Live theme for the £15 'tea' party in aid of BUST with an evening disco.

Since it was formed in 1991 by Frenchay Hospital patients to buy £20,000 an ultra-sound scanner BUST has raised more than £1 million.

In its first decade Nailsea Pink Ladies Day has raised approximately £20,000 towards this amount.

It was started by three pioneering Nailsea women - Annabel Kew, Sue Morris and Rachel Sullivan - who launched the first Pink Ladies dinner at Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club back in 2008.

Every year since nearly 100 ladies dressed in either outrageous or high end fashion outfits have marked the pink-themed occasion with a variety of stunts from a mass balloon launch to a schools challenge match with the boys wearing pink rugby shirts.

One year the All Pinks committee did a New Zealand traditional ancestral Haka and at other times ladies have arrived in style in a pink stretch Hummer limousine.

Drinking their pink cocktails and enjoying a pink buffet is par for the course while the 2017 entertainment was a Casino Royale drag queen.

Nailsea People is realible informed that 2017 was a raucous event with all the male waiters and bar staff going topless by the end of the evening.

The photos are not in chronlogical order and have come from numerous sources but mostly Jeanette Cook, Amanda Burgess, Vikki Jones and Hannah Waghorn for which we are very grateful.

From behind lens of talented Nailsea lady

Nailsea shop John Brown 60th anniversary

John Brown is a real diamond

In a few weeks’ time the legendary John Brown who is still working in his Nailsea High Street shop as a watch repairer will celebrate his 92nd birthday.

But before then family, friends and his customers joined to toast the 60th anniversary of the opening of hardware store and share a special celebration cake.

Mr Brown was born on October 26, 1925, in Clevedon and has spent most of his working life in the shop he opened with his late wife Alice in 1957.

This was on the eve of the then village becoming a 'new' town with massive housing developments and the population growing from 3,000 to nearly 20,000.

When Mr and Mrs Brown opened the builder’s merchants/ironmongers they moved into the flat above the shop with daughter Maggie, then aged seven.

Mrs Brown worked alongside her husband to build a business where people mattered and in her own quiet, kind way she made an indelible mark on Nailsea community.

Since then the shop, affectionately known as an Aladdin’s cave has expanded and developed, but the ethos which was begun by the John and Alice Brown to serve others continues to this day.

Alice, a former Sunday choir teacher and founder of the URC junior choir sadly died in January 2011 but Mr Brown carried on helped by Maggie and her husband Joe Fordham.

And Mr Brown's popularly was confirmed when he won a Local Legend poll on the original Nailsea People website and as part of his prize he won a professional photo-shoot to become a ’local pinup’.

And as a local celebrity he was chosen by Nailsea Town Council to declare open the new public park on the site of the old glassworks across the road from the shop.

These days it is son-in-law Joe in charge of the day-to-day running of the shop but most afternoons Mr Brown can be found at the back in the shop, chatting to the customers and 'doing' the watches.

PHOTOS: © David Britton

Walking the dog by Pam Blower September

Autumnal Nailsea by Clare Garland

8th International Bike Show September '17

Bikes, bands and beer at Royal Oak, Nailsea

The Nailsea International Bike Show revved up for its eighth outing on Saturday and Sunday, September 16-17.

Back on home territory the two day event at the Royal Oak pub at High Street attracted bikers from near and far.

Chapters from all over the West Country came to marvel at the bikes on show.

The annual event is run by local volunteers in aid of the Children’s Hospice South West and featured many interesting motorcycles of all types both vintage and just off the production line along with many trade stands, great live music and other fun family activities.

Organiser John Colley said: "This event has a great atmosphere and every year gets bigger and better.

"Last year’s show raised more than £2,700 for the CHSW and we hope to do even better this year."

The High Street was kerb-to-kerb mean machines with a £20,000+ Harley Davidson parked next to the statue of the glass blower at the Tesco junction.

Polished to perfection body work with chrome exhausts and carburettors this was no dirt track line-up as the models gleamed in the sunshine and occasionally shower.

New author Jacqui Furneax who has travelled the globe on her motorcycle made the relatively short journey from her Bristol home to Nailsea for a book signing.

The former nurse and health visitor made the North Somerset pitstop to promote her first book Hit The Road Jac based on her travels mostly on the back of her Royal Enfield bike.

It took a middle age crisis following a divorce and her children leaving home for Jacqui to have the freedom to explore pastures new and in seven years she has visited 20 countries from the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan through Thailand, south east Asia and South America.

Another author with a travel tale to tell was Derek Mansfield who was promoting his book Notes From The Road.

The former navy sailor swapped his submarine for a large motorbike and black leathers and in the past few years has travelled across every country, bar three, on the European continent through to Russia, Siberia and Central Asia.

He only has another 129 countries to visit - well he can tick Nailsea off his places to visit after this weekend.

Philip Weston travelled more than 1,000 miles for a Guess The Mileage Challenge and his route was plotted by fellow bikers on a GM navigation app.

Rumour has it he made Scotland for breakfast!

The band line-up was amazing from rock to American Old Time with a bit of punk in between playing under the garage lean-to at the front of the pub.

Top images are from Saturday and those right from Sunday.

Well done everyone, smashing weekend.

And in the red team pictured from left Dave Moorcroft, Jez Parker, Martin Gliddon, author Jacqui, Peter Colley, John Colley, Shane Sawtell, Charilie Sutton and Matt Meekhums while below getting admiring glances is the £20K Harley Davidson - or it could have been left by someone popping into Tesco for a bit of shopping?
All photos in gallery below by David Britton - thanks fantastic.

Trendlewood Festival August 2017

Friendly fun with a little bit of faith, Trendlewood Community Festival at Golden Valley Primary School playing field on bank holiday Saturday, August 26 had something for everyone.

Stalls were set up on a lush green lawn and under a temporary tent city.

Young and young-at-heart enjoyed the family event from midday-6pm.
And God smiled on the church community as the sun came out for most of the afternoon and someone had the brainwave of bringing along a massive truck for children to climb on - now how brilliant was that?

Add-in a talk tent, games station, cocktail caravan, pottery pitch, tea tent, children's zone and live music from the main stage it was a heady mix of marvellous.

The line-up of classic cars and motorbikes were impressive as was the music on the main stage.

All profits will be going to the Hope For Life Katanga project supported by Nailsea couple Mark and Meg Walters, of Holy Trinity church.

To get involved with this bi-annual event email info@trendlewoodcommunityfestival.org.uk or go to the website by clicking HERE for even more photos!

Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2017

It began on Thursday but not everything went to plan and there was traffic chaos in Bristol and North Somerset due in some parts to the volume of vehicles heading for the Ashton Court free show. The night glow was amazing although on Saturday high winds affected flight plans. The final evenings and morning launch were more successful. Loved that some of the landings were in North Somerset including the back garden of retired Nailsea dance teacher Jennie Nelm, other only made it as far at the National Trust property at Tyntesfield and then there was the Cameron balloon which bumped down at Millennium Park at Nailsea. This photo was taken by Paul McCullough who said there were a lot of bystanders many dressed in their onesies(or should that be pyjamas) watching. A balloon fiesta spokeman said: "That's a wrap on 2017 folks, what a perfect note to end on as 87 balloons just flew up into the skies over Bristol. In totoal 234 took flight over the entire weekend. We've had maiden flights, engagements and brand new special shapes. We hope you enjoyed it all as much as we did... we're already counting down the days to our 40th Anniversary next year."

RED SKY: A series of sunsets taken by North Somerset people. The first is a red sky at night taken by Nailsea resident Robert Read from his home off Queens Road on an August evening - perhaps the promise of better weather ahead? The best sunsets in the world at reported to be at Ipanema Beach, Brazil; Key West, Florida; Queensland, Australia; El Porto, California; Santorini, Greece; The Maldives and The Grand Canyon, Arizona. Now I have seen the Santorini one (read blog by clicking HERE) and reckon our Clevedon and Nailsea ones are better. The last two photographs were taken mid-September are a sunset and rainbos end. Email your thoughts and/or photos of beautiful sunsets or sunrises to nailseapeople@gmail.com. Thanks everyone for contributing

Nailsea annual summer flower show

If I knew you were coming I would baked a cake...

Or picked a flower, painted a picture or chosen one of my favourite photographs for Nailsea & District Horticultural Society summer show.

But thanks to the monumental efforts of a gallant band of perennials the 2017 annual summer show was a great success.

In the preceding weeks society gardeners were busy sprucing up their pot plants, weeding vegetable patches, cultivating flowers and much more in readiness.

While the spring show is traditionally for daffodils and summer show is a profusion of colourful plants, produce and glorious chrysanthemums.

Saturday afternoon, August 5 at Nailsea School reflected the colours of the exhibition.

There were classes for flowers, vegetables, cookery, handicrafts and photography with special classes for children of all ages and as the visitors strolled along the atrium the sounds of Filton Brass Band filled the air.

Refreshments included cream teas and slices of homemade cakes.

Full report and results now on Flower Peeps page.

August evening walk up The Perrings

For those who are wondering where my Tough As Nails photographs are the answer is lost in the labyrinth between my iCloud and my iPhone 6.

One day I hope to will find them but in the meantime and talking about clouds here are some brilliant images captured by Nailsea photographer Clare Garland who wandering up The Perrings one lonely August evening took these shots of cloud formations for all to enjoy.

If you are out and about in Nailsea we are happy to share your photographs - please email nailseapeople@gmail.com or share on Nailsea People Facebook page thanks.

You can see more of Clare's haunting images by scrolling down this page.

Nailsea skate and showcase festival

Rain stops skateboard show for older teens

Rain did stop play but not before most of the competitors had shown of their skills at the 15th annual Nailsea Community Skatepark Festival and Showcase on Saturday.

But the intermittent drizzle played havoc with the schedule and the event finished much later than anticipated.

It was almost too much to asked that with fingers crossed it would be the third major event in a row to be lucky with the weather.

In previous weeks both Nailsea carnival and the beer & cider festival basked in beautiful sunshine.

The forecast had been favourable leading to the events at the Millennium Park programmed to run from 1-5pm at the new skatepark and field.

Local photographer Grete Howard said: "It was a shame it was rained off just as the skateboarders started, but there were some awesome displays from the scooters and BMX riders."

You can see Grete's photos in the slideshow top along with those taken by Josh Ham (also images with the showcase slideshow) and Nailsea People.

Organiser Phil Williams said beforehand: "We are praying for dry weather, a fantastic community spirit, and a safe day for the whole community, once again celebrating what the community built."

Afterwards he was forced to concede: "Reflecting on a day of mixed emotions - despite the weather we had an amazing turnout, yes we have to go again with the skateboard 16+ category, but that's another reason to bring the park community together one evening."

Mum Hannah Waghorn whose son Robert took the trophy said: "For the under 16s becuase of the rain they cancelled the second run for all of them and tallied the points from the first run."

Phil thanked the 100 plus volunteers who helped stage the youth event.
The festival has grown each year and provides a showcase for enthusiasts who use the park but as in previous years it is dependent on the weather.

The festival teamed up with Nailsea Showcase five years ago to enable organisations in the town to give people a taste of the activities on offer.

The showcase photos are in slideshow gallery right.

The community skate festival started just after the previous park was built and has run annually since then, and grown each year; a real showcase for the youngsters who use the park.

On Wednesday evening the young people had worked so hard to scrub, sweep and paint their park in readiness.

Good morning Nailsea on wet market day

Town centre shopping

Althought the forecast was for cloudy but dry weather it drizzled all morning at Nailsea on Saturday, July 15

Coates House and Waitrose suppermarket cafes were heaving as people tried to stay out of the rain.

Despite the inclement conditions the market was full of shoppers and passersby toasted the opening of a Simpson solicitors at 15 Crown Glass Place and signed-up for special offers.

Nailsea and Backwell Rotary Club with its pre-loved handbag sale and Nailsea Lions book stall were raising monies for its various good causes .

Golden Valley Primary School scarecrow hunt has begun and you can buy map at Coates House and Royal Mail delivery Centre.

And at the rectory garden Christ Church summer fair was in full swing - see slide show top.

Business women from Nailsea hosted a free Life & Style pop-up at The Blue Room with lots of fashion ideas from a mate of TV presenter Nicky Hambleton-Jones.

Then it was acroos the the Millenium Park to see if Nailsea Community Skate Park Festival and Nailsea Activities Showcase was going ahead - needn't have worried as the young people were made of tougher stuff and then the sun came out...more photos later...

Beer & cider festival July 2017

Nailsea summertime is about cider apple bobbing and musical beats

Nailsea and Backwell Rugby Football Club annual beer and cider festival 2017 basked in a mini b(h)eatwave for most of the long weekend.

But with the sun shining down on Saturday afternoon I fear a lot of Nailsea people would be waking on Sunday morning with the mother of all hangovers and possibility heat stroke.

That is judging by the auburn-haired, bare-chested males sitting drinking near me because as the hours progressed many a torso turned a bright red despite one or two of them sharing a sunblock spray begged from the mother with two toddlers also picnicking on a patch of scorched earth nearby.

The sound system this year was great as the music from the stage reverberated to the pulsating big band, punk and madness good vibrations.

Added to the fun was the pongo dancing of the dads who thought they were at a wedding party.

Missing this year was the fancy dress themes but the crowds despite lots of competition from city-based big sporting and musical events and clashes with infamous hen and birthday away days still came to our little bit of West End Glastonbury and it was glorious.

With 70 cast and keg beers, 90 different ciders and a Pimm’s tent which also served Prosecco this is a merry occasion on the Nailsea social calendar which has in its past 14 years raised more than £80,000 for charity.

The cider and white wine sold-out by mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Aided by a bevy of business and individual sponsors, Nailsea & Backwell Rotary Club, volunteeer crew, emergency services, stalls manned by Children’s Hospice of South West and many others too numerous to mention the main beneficiary for this year is The Grand Appeal for the Bristol Children’s Hospital.

Talk overheard on the pitch included ‘I wish they were serving more dark ales’ to ‘these burgers, hot dogs and pizza’s would have been treble the cost at a London gig’.

The youngest festival goers were four-week old twins who with big sister and parents caught the free coach home with us.

Sadly, I didn’t managed to get a photo of the amazing senior citizen whose limited ‘blue and purple’ locks he had fashioned in a Mohican hair style, I expected at any moment for him to start singing Still Crazy About All These Years.

It is a real family festival with lots for people of all ages to enjoy and plenty of Somerset locals.

I must thank all who agreed to having their photo taken for Nailsea People – there are almost 100 in this slidshow of those enjoying themselves on the field and beyond including long-standing patron North Somerset MP Liam Fox and his wife Jesme.

Carol Deacon

Nailsea Carnival Day July 2017

A pearl of a parade

There were 'sun' spots in front of my eyes as the colourful characters in Nailsea carnival paraded along the High Street.

It is difficult to pick out a favourite but I loved the horse-themed entries and the puppy dog children as 101 Dalmatians, the Great Bike Off was wheely good and the Glastonbury retrobates hilarious.

I never found Wally but within moment of arriving at the park found long queues for the hotdogs and joyous youngsters on the fairground attractions.

Well done Friends of First Nailsea Scout Group (FOFN) who on behalf of Nailsea Town Council put on a jolly good show - the blue skies and sunshine really helped.

The event began with the carnival procession from Clevedon Road car park and finished at Millennium Park next to the Scotch Horn Centre.

The afternoon fun included music and dance, children’s rides, stalls and bonaza car boot sale.

Top slideshow is the parade and right are photos from the fair.

Resutls:

Juniors schools and youth organisations; 1st Nailsea Beavers & Cubs with 25 years of Disney

Mixed age group: Adele Stitch School of Dance with The Grand National

Over 18 years group: Bedford Performers with Disney

Preschool group: Happy Hours Nursery with 101 Dalmations

Best overall: Adele Stitch School of Dance.

If you have any photos to add to the galleries email nailseapeople@gmail.com - thanks.