Easton, Bristol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Easton is an inner city area of the city of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Informally the area is considered to stretch east of Bristol city centre and the M32 motorway, centred around Lawrence Hill. Its northern and eastern borders are less defined, merging into St Phillips Marsh and Eastville. The area includes the Lawrence Hill and Barton Hill estates.
In administrative terms, Easton comprises the electoral wards of Easton and part of Lawrence Hill. It is located within the Bristol East constituency.
Contents |
[edit] Demographics
The Census 2001 reports Easton has a younger average age than that of England and Wales, and that around 35% of the population is of Black or Asian origin. This figure rises towards Lawrence Hill.
Easton is one of the most deprived areas in the South West of England, with the Lawrence Hill ward the most deprived ward in the region and one of the most deprived in Britain. This has resulted in the area being granted European Union objective 2 status and 'New Deal for Communities' status by the UK government which is only granted to the most underprivileged urban wards.
British crime statistics do not go to ward level, but the general perception in Bristol is that Easton has a high crime rate, especially in relation to knife, violent crime and robberies.
Back in the early twentieth century people living outside the areas of Lawrence Hill and Easton were fearful of travelling to these areas as they were afraid of being robbed. Moving ahead in time however, Easton continues to be part of a thriving diverse multi-cultural community with many arts and political activities.
Despite these problems (or perhaps because of them), Easton is a vibrant community with many local community and pressure groups, local bands, political groups, housing and workers cooperatives and some anarchist communes. It also has three separate Mosques, a Synagogue, a Sikh Temple and several churches of different denominations. In the northern part of Easton, market research information also confirms perceptions of higher than average current affairs interests, high rates of those educated to degree level and higher rates than average of those working in the public sector.
St Marks Road in northern Easton includes one of Britain’s highest rated Vegetarian restaurants (by the British Vegetarian Society 2004), as well as Moroccan and Indian sub continent restaurants and shops specialising in organic and ethnic foods, further reinforcing the area's reputation as 'alternative'.
[edit] Transport
Easton has two local railway stations, Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road, which are served by trains on the Severn Beach Line plus occasional services to and from Gloucester or South Wales, but which lie on the main line to South Wales, the Midlands, Scotland and London. The M32 motorway marks the border of Easton to the north. The A4320 dual carriageway also cuts the area in two.
[edit] References
- ^ Easton. 2001 Census Ward Information Sheet. Retrieved on February 21, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Public Houses in Easton
- Office for National Statistics Census data
- First Great Western
- Bristol City Council Regeneration
- South West of England
