Bradley Stoke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bradley Stoke |
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 Willow Brook Centre, the town centre |
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 Bradley Stoke
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| Population | 28,599 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | ST621813 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS32 |
| Dialling code | 0117 and 01454 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Bradley Stoke is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated 6 miles (10 kilometres) northeast of Bristol, It is near the Severn Estuary of the Bristol Channel, which is an extension of the North Atlantic Ocean, separating South Wales from South West England. Bradley Stoke is bordered by three motorways; the M5 to the north, the M4 to the east and the M32 to the south.
Planned in the 1970s, building works began in 1987. Bradley Stoke was Europe's largest new town built with private investment and was named after the local Bradley Brook and Stoke Brook streams. Bradley Stoke along with nearby Filton and suburbs form part of the North Bristol urban area. The town has become an overflow settlement for Bristol city.
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History
The area that is now Bradley Stoke was once a farmland north of the village of Stoke Gifford. The land was divided between the civil parishes of Stoke Gifford and Almondsbury. The area consisted of a number of farms, Bailey's Court and Watch Elm Farm in the south, Bowsland Farm and Manor Farm in the north and Webb's Farm in the middle. Some of the land was used as pasture. A number of woods also existed, Sherbourne's Brake, Webb's Wood and the large Savage's Wood have all been preserved. Fiddlers Wood, the name of which lives on in Fiddlers Wood Lane was all but obliterated by the M4 Motorway. Baileys Court Farmhouse is the only original building that exists and was used as offices by the towns developers before becoming the Bailey's Court Inn. Watch Elm Farm was named after a Watch Elm of legendary size that blew down in the mid 18th century. The Stoke Brook flows through the middle of Bradley Stoke.
During its development the new settlement faced some problems in the wake of a national recession. At the time, Bradley Stoke was reputed to be one of Europe's largest private housing developments and did struggle to develop at first to establish itself as an identifiable town unlike other earlier new towns which were supported by a New Town Development Corporation, as the settlement relied principally on private investment within a restricted statutory framework of the local authority Northavon District Council within the Avon County Council area. A combination of private house builder led development and with only limited input from commercial businesses and the consequent recession resulted in the new town gaining a reputation for being a soulless housing estate with only limited facilities and no town centre, with the exception of a Tesco supermarket. High interest rates during the early 1990s soon led to the collapse of the property market in the area with many new homes falling into negative equity. This led to the branding of the new town as 'Sadly Broke' until property values and the development market began to recover.
Facilities
Many of the facilities in the town were to be funded by the housing developers from housing sales, via 'Section 106' planning agreements. When house building and sales slowed for a time in the late 80s, there was a significant slowdown in facility completion. This included the late provision of the road joining the north and south sides of the town, and also completion of the doctors' surgery.
The town centre, Willow Brook Centre, opened on 13 October 2008 featuring around 18 units. Stores include: Tesco Extra, Costa Coffee, Aspirations Financial Advice Ltd, Phoenix Dental Surgery, Giant Bicycles, Pets at Home, Pitman Training, Domino's Pizza, KFC, Greggs and Specsavers. The new town centre was named by an anonymous resident as part of a competition run by Bradley Stoke Town Council in partnership with Tesco. The centre is situated on the original Tesco supermarket site, and the redevelopment was approved by South Gloucestershire Council on 13 November 2006.
To the north of the town (often referred to as Bradley Stoke North - because building in the town was originally in two locations, north and south, eventually working towards the centre: for many years the two sites were separated by an expanse of green fields) there are a number of other facilities on Pear Tree Road. Including a Tesco Express, Prime Time Recruitment, Coral, a beauty salon and a fast food take away. Between Pear Tree Road and the RAC tower, there is a Toby Carvery (formally the Orchard Pub).
The south of Bradley Stoke (referred to as Bradley Stoke South) has a number of facilities in Bailey’s Court, this include. A Tesco Express, a Solicitors, Ocean Homes, St Peter Hospice, a nursery and Bailey's Court Inn pub.
In addition the town is served by an Aldi store (on the former Somerfield site.) There are six primary schools, a leisure centre with a 25m swimming pool and public library, gym and beauty salon, an emerging district centre, and a secondary school. The comprehensive secondary school, Bradley Stoke Community School, opened in September 2005 and has the capacity for up to 1,080 students. A post-16 centre at the school was completed in Summer 2010.
Nature Reserve
The Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve is an area of about 60 hectares (150 acres) in the town including bluebell woods, rough grassland, brooks, ponds, and the man-made Three Brooks Lake. The lake is home to many common species of waterfowl. There are also a number of other walks and paths surrounded by small wooded areas.
Business
Employment is particularly found along the Great Park Road, at the Almondsbury Business Park, and at the Aztec West development. The further developments of the Willow Brook Centre and the addition of larger high street chains such as Boots, Burtons, Dorothy Perkins and the Harvester have increased the number of jobs available for local residents as well as boosting trade within Bradley Stoke. In previous years, Bradley Stoke attracted custom through passing trade from those exiting and joining the motorways and commuting, however since the expansion of the Willow Brook Centre both business owners and potential employees are attracted to this area.
Community Festival
The Bradley Stoke community festival has been running since 2002 and is held over a weekend in June. The purpose of the community festival is to bring the community together with different activities and events, such as live music and sports.
Twin cities
Bradley Stoke is twinned with 
Champs-sur-Marne, France located in the Paris suburbs.
Sport
Bowls
The Bradley Stoke Bowls Club was opened in May 2010 at the Baileys Court Activity Centre.
Cricket
Bradley Stoke Cricket Club was formed in September 1990 and became the founder users of the newly built pavilion in Baileys Court Road under the management of the Bradley Stoke Town Council (now part of the Baileys Court Activity Centre). The club joined the Bristol and District Cricket Association (B&D) in 1991 and played its first game in 1992.
In 2019 Bradley Stoke CC won the Tony Hitch T/20 Trophy - the first in their history.
In 2021 the club retained the Tony Hitch trophy after no competition in 2020. The first club to achieve this in over 20 years.
In August 2021 The club's 1st XI won promotion to the West of England Premier League for the 1st time in the club's history.
Football
The town's local football teams are Bradley Stoke Town FC and Bradley Stoke Youth FC.
Skate park
There is a well-lit modern concrete skate park located at the Bradley Stoke Active Leisure Centre, under the ownership and supervision of the Bradley Stoke Town Council.
Running
Bradley Stoke is popular with joggers and runners along the many pedestrian and cycle routes in the town as well as in the local woodland. The town hosts a 10 km event, with locals competing against each other to run a course across the length of the town.
Tennis
Tennis lessons, games and events are played at the Jubilee Centre on Savages Wood Road.
Martial arts
Numerous Martial arts and fitness clubs provide classes within the town teaching Judo, Taekwondo, Bushido , Kung-fu and kickboxing.
Education
Primary schools
- Saint Marys Catholic Primary School
- Bailey's Court Primary School
- Wheatfield Primary School
- Meadowbrook Primary School
- Holy Trinity Primary School
- Bowsland Green Primary School
- Bradley Stoke Community Primary School
Secondary schools
- Bradley Stoke Community School, the comprehensive secondary school, opened in September 2005 and has the capacity for up to 1,120 students. A post-16 centre at the school was completed in Summer 2010, and a primary school extension was completed in 2015.
Transport
Rail
Bradley Stoke is served by Bristol Parkway railway station to the south and Patchway railway station to the west, both operated by Great Western Railway.
Bus
Bus services are operated by First West of England and Stagecoach West offering transport links to Aztec West, Thornbury, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol Parkway railway Station, Bristol city centre and the University of the West of England, Bristol. A new MetroBus service was introduced by Bristol Community Transport under contract by FirstGroup.
Car
Bradley Stoke borders the M5 to the north, the M4 to the east and the M32 to the south. Main transport routes are via Aztec West and via the Stoke Gifford bypass to the south.
Images for kids
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Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre and library.
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Three Brooks Lake, part of the Frome Valley Relief Sewer adjacent to the M4 motorway.
