Stokes Croft to become a World Heritage Site

Stokes Croft is to join some of the most famous places on the planet when it becomes the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are more than 1,200 sites on the international list, “forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value”.

Bath is recognised for its Roman and Georgian heritage, with other global locations including the island of Mozambique, the Great Wall of China and the Sydney Opera House.

Stokes Croft and a short section of Cheltenham Road will become a UNESCO World Heritage Site – photo: Martin Booth

Stokes Croft has benefitted from the delisting in 2021 of Liverpool’s ‘Maritime Mercantile City’ “due to the irreversible loss of attributes conveying the outstanding universal value of the property” which left a gap for a new UK entrant to be included.

Stokes Croft is currently a Conservation Area but its new designation will grant it increased protection from any new development that would detract from its internationally-renowned heritage.

Stokes Croft is already a Conservation Area but its condition is described as “very bad” by Historic England – photo: Martin Booth

In order to be included, Stokes Croft had to fulfil at least one out of ten of UNESCO’s selection criteria.

In the case of Stokes Croft, these are points iii and vi:

• “to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared”
• “to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance”

Stokes Croft’s street art is the principle reason for the accolade, with a new committee now due to be set up to decide on any graffiti that artists want to paint on the buildings along the road.

Artists must apply for a permit in order to paint a new work and appear in front of the cross-party committee of councillors at City Hall to justify why their mural or tag should be allowed to be added to the area.

Any new street art in Stokes Croft will need the approval of a new committee – photo: Martin Booth

Bristol24/7 understands that there have been some rigorous debates at the World Heritage Centre in Paris around the precise geographical delineation of Stokes Croft.

Is it a road or is it now more of an area?

For the official designation, the World Heritage site will extend a few hundred yards up Cheltenham Road as far as the Tesco Express, which UNESCO judges consider instrumental in the recent history of the area following the riots that took place there in 2011.

The bonfire on Turbo Island could be kept permanently lit like the Olympic flame – photo: Martin Booth

UNESCO spokesperson Guanajuato Salamanca told Bristol24/7 that Stokes Croft “is a truly worthy inclusion” in the list.

Salamanca said: “People across the world already know about Banksy but now street art lovers will also be able to appreciate the work of Kapes, Enzer, Onez, Wseki and Regs.

“These were just some of the incomparable tags we saw on a research visit to Stokes Croft, as well as being enticed by the sweet sweet smell coming from the oil drum barbecue outside Rice & Things.

“Stokes Croft and Cheltenham Road are the 21st century’s version of the Sistine Chapel.

“We also sat by the bonfire on Turbo Island and enjoyed a late-night kebab from Rita’s in order to fully immerse us in the culture of this special place.”

World Heritage Sites are overseen by UNESCO, the international cultural organisation of the United Nations – photo: Martin Booth

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

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• Turbo Island could become protected ‘village green’