Vandalised digital screens in Broadmead costing Bristol City Council £122k

Cash-strapped Bristol City Council is losing out on £122,000 this year because almost half of the money-spinning digital advertising screens in Broadmead have been vandalised and the operators are refusing to repair them, a committee heard. The authority expected to earn £372,0000 in 2024/25 from the 34 large electronic devices in the shopping area but 14 have been smashed and the forecast income is now just £250,000.

But because the current contractor that runs the screens is in the last year of the agreement, it is reluctant to fix them because it does not have the security of a long-term deal, councillors were told. The economy and skills policy committee agreed unanimously to put a new contract out to tender after hearing that the clauses would be tightened up so that the eventual successful bidder could not get out of carrying out repairs.

A report to the meeting on Monday, November 4, said that 14 of the screens, which are double-sided and are in 17 locations around Broadmead, had been vandalised since June 2023, costing the council vital advertising income. It said: “As we are within a one-year contract extension period, the operator has been unwilling to repair without the certainty of a longer-term contract.”

The report said the new deal was estimated to generate about £500,000 a year. Cllr Jenny Bartle (Green, Easton) said: “As the Greens we are against the proliferation of advertising across the city.” They said campaign group Adblock had published information which made clear that advertising had a detrimental effect on people’s health and wellbeing.

Cllr Bartle said: “I was a bit hesitant to just vote this through because it is a long-term contract. I will be voting for this specifically because of the funding difficulties the council is having but this is one of those where I feel quite challenged because my principles say it would be better if we did not do this.

“However, the use of this funding has been helpful for us in the past. I’m disappointed that I have to vote for it because that is the state of our funds.”

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A council officer said the new contract was an opportunity not just to raise money but to include more “social value”, such as promoting local businesses and the authority’s campaigns, including women’s safety and Thrive at Night which provides mental health support for Bristol’s nighttime economy workforce. She said that would make the new arrangements “more palatable”.

Cllr Kelvin Blake (Labour, Hillfields) said: “We could all do with less advertising in our lives. The more you add in social value, the less potential income generating there is.

“There’s a balance to be struck. If we can get some social value out of it then it’s worth doing.”

Asked by Cllr Blake whether the clauses in the contract could be tightened up so that the next operators could not avoid replacing the broken screens, an officer said: “Definitely, the new contract needs to be a lot stronger on that point.” Cllr Mark Weston (Conservative, Henbury & Brentry) said: “None of us particularly like the advertising but we are basically carrying mobile advertising boards in our pockets.

“We can’t get away from it, so this way, by generating income, it allows us to support some of the activities the council does, so I am in absolute favour of this. I might wish it wasn’t necessary but it absolutely is.

“It’s not going away, it’s a fact of life.” Cllr Don Alexander (Labour, Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston) said: “I’ve chaired many planning committees where councillors, particularly from the Green Party, have objected to any LED or advertising boards, particularly electronic ones.

“It’s all been very poorly disguised politics and I’m glad to see that’s fallen away now and they’ve recognised that we can’t afford to play those kinds of games, we actually have to fund this council. I’m glad to see that other councillors have realised that they’ve got their priorities right once they get into power.”