WET PAINT, PLEASE TOUCH - STOKES CROFT, BRISTOL

written and read by Katherine Nightingale

 

The iconic Stokes Croft graffiti comes to life – literally.

Carl the Camel at 109 Ashley Rd is the first to overhear the developers' plans to clean the neighbourhood of all graffiti, one wall at a time.  Working with his friends, Erik and the Ginger Bread Man and the barbecue Daleks, the graffiti call on the forces of Bristol's underground to mount a defence.

     Graffiti, Stokes Croft. Photo by William Datson

 

WET PAINT, PLEASE TOUCH

The Story  Listen now

Directions Listen now 

  

To download the story or walking directions, right-click on the respective link (or ctrl-click for a Mac) and save the .mp3 file.

 

STORY LOCATION & DIRECTIONS



View and print larger map 		 

Start at the corner of Ashley Road and Albert Park. Carl is on the wall of 109 Ashley Road.

Walk down Albert Park, away from Ashley Road. At the end, turn left into Albert Park Place.

Walk to the end where the road meets Norrisville Road. Erik and his buddies are on this corner.

Turn right into Norrisville Road and then left onto Banner Road. At the end, turn right into the passageway that is Woodman Road.

The passage emerges onto Shaftesbury Avenue. Turning immediately left and then right brings you to Herbert's bakery on the corner with Wellington Avenue.

Going right on Wellington Avenue to the end of the road, turn left onto York Road, that immediately becomes Picton Street, and walk down Picton Street all the way to the end. 'Fiti corner is on the left at the end.

At the end of Picton Street turn right onto Ashley Road and then immediately at the traffic lights turn left onto Stokes Croft.

Walking down Stokes Croft towards Bristol city centre, much of the graffiti is on your left. When you reach the traffic lights where Jamaica Street leads off to the right you have reached Turbo Island where the story concludes.

The additional graffiti that Mo and Al describe are further down Stokes Croft, on the right and the left. Then turn right into Kings Square, where you have the Panda Collector Lady and the Red Wave and then right again onto Jamaica Street, returning to Turbo Island. For the lady at The Bell, find the Bell pub just off Jamaica street and go right where the bins are kept. To see the skull and the crocodile at the top of Westmoreland House return to the traffic lights where Ashley Road meets Stokes Croft and climb up Nine Tree Hill and turn back to look at Stokes Croft.

 

Heads & Tales thanks Bristol City Council for their assistance with the creation of this story, which was recorded by Tony Chamberlain at the studios of Bristol Community FM.  Thanks also to The People's Republic of Stokes Croft. Photograph of Stokes Croft graffiti by William Datson.