Bristol tower block protests erupt after hundreds forced to evacuate homes

17 November 2023 , 17:13

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Angered residents of Barton House in Bristol are seen banging on the doors of the council office after rumours circulated about their belongings being removed without their permission (Image: Simon Chapman/LNP)

People evacuated from a Bristol tower block earlier this week stormed council offices in protest after rumours emerged about their belongings were being removed without their permission. Bristol City Council categorically denied that this had happened while confused residents returned to the area near their homes and tried to gain enty to the council office, which was locked with council staff inside.

The demonstrators chanted "justice for Barton House" and "we demand answers" as some banged their fists against the council office door. Shortly after 11am, police arrived on scene and spoke with the crowd, who refused to vacate the area until they were able to speak to councillors.

A group of councillors from the Green Party met with residents a little while later. In an email sent to Barton House residents, the council said: "We understand rumours are circulating that officers are removing possessions from flats. To clarify, we are speaking to three tenants about the need to empty their properties to conduct the new surveys on the building structure that we have talked about in previous updates.

Barton House had to be evacuated earlier this week (Simon Chapman/LNP)

"Those three households have kindly agreed to have their possessions put safely into storage and this will begin shortly. No possessions will be removed from other flats. If any further surveys are needed in other flats, we will contact the tenants and ask for permission.”

Hundreds were evacuated (Simon Chapman/LNP)

Hundreds of people were evacuated from Barton House tower block in Bristol on Tuesday, after a recent building survey of 3 of the 98 flats. The council said it was done as a “precautionary measure” but residents have been left distressed and fearing they might never return.

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They were told there was a "risk of building collapse" in the event of a fire, explosion or large impact. Alarmingly, this afternoon, during a press conference, one councillor said the problem in the building, built in 1958, was that there is "perhaps not as much concrete as there should be".

Shaban Ali is one of the around 400 people who lived there and now faces an uncertain future. The 36-year-old dad-of-two had picked his daughter up from school in the day yesterday as she’d been unwell - not knowing he was hours from having his life turned upside down.

Council officials refuted the rumours (Simon Chapman/LNP)

He described the “utter chaos” as their tower block was evacuated after the local council warned it could be potentially unsafe.

After he returned home a friend who lives there told him that they all had to leave their homes. "I said ‘what? What do you mean’" he told The Mirror, recalling the moments leading up to chaos breaking out across the tower. He continued: “I downplayed it and said it’s fine, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” But just a few minutes later he had to call her back and tell her she needed to come back and pack up her belongings and leave.

Bristol Police at the scene (Simon Chapman/LNP)

But Shaban hadn’t been notified by the council, who’s conduct he criticised throughout the process, but by learning from local media. The dad, who builds websites for charities and community groups and works as an Uber driver, described the "utter chaos" that followed as residents poured from their houses out into the streets with little clue what was happening. He said there were no signs or serious help for them all.

Ryan Fahey