Broadmead regeneration

Sue Pomeroy
Cabot circus doesn't sound right. It would of sounded better if you called Brunel way or kept it Braodmead, or the name of the place it used to be called before Braodmead.

Naz
Cabot circus sounds like an amusement park or a circus show place, its a bizarre name to pick to rename a shopping centre. It's always going to be called Broadmead, it's a sensible name than Cabot Circus!

Jill - Bristolian born 11.5.31. Educated at Colsto
Good for you Charlie Big Potato, Paula Edwards needs to do her research properly. I abore the idea of slavery but we cannot deny our past history. P.C is getting out of hand and becoming ridiculous. I agree with everybody who says the name Broad Mead should stay. The council should be ashamed of thinking of spending money on changing the name when so many other more important social matters should be dealt with in Bristol, not to mention encouraging the cultural activities in Bristol I am so glad the historical Theatre Royal seems to have been rescued. What a nightmare the council made of the centre instead of restoring it to its former beauty when the ships came right up to it as I remember it. Poor Old Neptune has been moved,a recognised meeting place for everyone in my day aswell as under the Tramways clock. Cabot is remembered by the tower and the elegant Matthew and as most people have said, he was not a Bristolian. Brunel is celebrated by the beautiful suspension bridge and the S. S Great Britain and Temple Meads station and the railway. Broad Mead is historical and just fine and as most people have stated we shall still say we are going to Broad Mead. I did not mind Merchant's Quarter but think not a penny should be spent on changing the name. I hope the new shopping centre will be beautiful replacing the terrible buildings that were built after the blitzes which I remember well. Bristolians should start to be proud of our city but Bristol has become a second class city compared to what it was or Bath. Just look at Park Street once a beautiful Stree and now, a hotchpot of this and that. It is said that people get what they deserve and that is why Bristol has gone down hill because people do not care enough about our city. I have lived all over the world but I still care about Bristol where I was born and bred throughout the war years. I go back there as often as I can and love the developement along the waterfront and the fab. restaurants. STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN BRISTOLIANS AND THAT SEEM TO BE THAT BROAD MEAD SHOULD STAY.

Ad
Why bother rebranding? Broadmead is fine and everyone will continue to use it for years to come. Cabot Circus isn't exactly bad, but like others Merchant's Quarter says more about Bristol and Bristol's history.Let's face it the Council are totally out-of-touch with Bristol residents anyway. House of Fraser say their new building has "powerful visual interest", it's basically a ugly, horrible lump of 1960s style concrete and a complete eyesore. If it is the "gateway to the city from the M32" then we're giving an instant bad impression of Bristol - it's the most ugly and horrible building I've seen for ages. Really nasty, and tacky.

Carolyn
I don't see why it has to change at all.

Mary Cassell
Yes, I think Cabot is a good name. However, I would have liked Brunel in there somewhere, maybe for a section of the development or a street name.

Bob O'Neill
Why not call it the "Gurt Big". I can just hear the visitor asking for directions - "Excuse me , could you tell me the way to the Gurt Big Shopping Centre?" Seriously though - what's wrong with Broadmead? I thought Broadmead referred back to the time of the Black Friars, when they had their monastry where Quakers Friars now stands.

Jermaine
I think the name for broadmead should not have any association with the slave trade, its time to move forward

trudie riley
It needs something a bit more interesting like Cabot Plaza or Cabot Mall, Cabot Shopping Centre is unimaginative. Look at some of the american names for shopping centres they sound intriguing-it makes you want to go there.

Ben
There's a Merchants' Quarter in Southampton that doesn't seem to generate all this fuss...Apparently it's now going to be called 'Cabot Circus' - which just sounds daft. I quite liked All Saints - linking in with all the churches in Bristol/Broadmead area. But personally I think they should just call it Broadmead.

Sonya
It doesnt matter what they change it to everyone is just going to keep calling it broadmead anyway. Same as the galleries is still the galleries and not the mall that they have renamed it despite there being one in cribbs causeway.

Dave
Cabot circus? who's stupid suggestion was that? bristolians will always call it 'town' or 'broadmead', lets face its not gonna be the new bullring! so whats the point in renaming it?

CountessVampira
In my opinion, if we have to change the name at all (and quite frankly I cannot see the point), then 'Merchants' Quarter' was rather lovely. It made sense, seeing that things will (presumably) be sold in this shopping centre (hence, 'Merchants')and it does sound rather nautical. I agree with what other people have written here: it's a phenominal waste of money to change the name again, and furthermore, Bristol WAS part of the Slave Trade. This history cannot be hidden or written-out. Slavery was acceptable at the time and we cannot judge the past by today's standards. It's ludicrous to try and write-out history.

Lee
This demonstrates the general level of stupidity of the new marketing-led bureaucracy in local government. Broadmead is a perfectly good name making reference to its historic situation in a wide meadow, why change it? How much is being spent on this absurdity. If the council spend such effort in getting buses and trains to run, or schools to function properly it would be time better spent!!

Sarah
I think it's terrible. I see no need why we need to change the name. It is Broadmead and will always be Broadmead

dave richmond
i'm happy with cabot.Another choice might have involved brunel.or concorde,something with strong links to our city.but most bristolions will stillcall it broadmead

Nigel
Why not just call it "SHOPPING CENTRE"? Or "Brainwashed Quarter"? We will have no option soon when the Gods of PC, our politically correct betters have their way and everyone's the same, regardless to history

Amtrad
The question is "what do you think of the new name Cabot" not "How angry are you with the name Merchants Quarter being dropped". Talk about flogging a dead horse. "Merchants Quarter" has been dropped; it's now going to be called Cabot. There is absolutely no point in carping on about something that's in the past.....Remember!! Practice what ye preach!! I also noticed that someone referred to Cabot as a "foreigner" that's not a very nice attitude now is it!!

Carl (Bristol)
Cabot doesn't have any ring to it, doesn't instill any sort of enthusiasm and certainly with the bristolian accent it'll end up sounding like Cabut. Brunel Centre has an interesting ring to it and still shows Bristol's heritage.

pauline villanueva
We can't pretend it did not happen, so does changing the name make any difference. I would say we need to remind ourself of how we have treated our fellow man and hope we can make good the evil!

Paul
Perhaps members of the left would prefer Nelson Mandella again or something on those lines, they have their own madcap ideas, don't let them dictate, be proud of being a local and not be local.

Kelly
Why indeed do we need more shops? Has anyone heard of internet shopping? Far less damaging to the environment.

Chris
It will always be Broadmead as far as many old established Bristol residents are concerned. Its like the Post Office becoming Consignia and then changing back again. Why bother making change just for the sake of it?

Edmundo
Cabot sounds ok... it's not a brilliant name... but it's historic enough and less controversial to be adopted as the name of new big shopping centre... so let's go to Cabot then!....

Vicki
Is a national offence to remember the past? Merchants Quarter is the only option (other than Broadmead) that makes sense. Why would we want to celebrate a foreigner who sailed from Bristol? Does that make him a Bristolian?

Georgie
I'm fairly new to Bristol. I knew it had some history with the slave trade, but I never made the link between Slavery and Merchants Quarter. Merchants Quarter has a nice ring to it - but if it needs to be changed to keep the Council feeling safe a friendly, then I would go with a link to Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He has done much for the city - and the whole Country - so lets keep it simple and catchy. Isambard Center or Brunel Quarter. Both sound a whole lot more interesting than CaBoT < A word with no ring or flow whatsoever.

Pearl
Why do we need a new shopping centre? In this age of internet shopping and e-commerce, it seems daft to build new shops, especially as they won't be any different to the shops in every town and city throughout the land. However, since we're stuck with this latest waste of money, I think it should be called Broadmead. Meanwhile, I will continue to do all my shopping on the internet, and silently seethe at the traffic chaos caused by this silliness. Grrr.

Ruth Sparey
I think Merchants Quarters sounded really nice, Bristol is well known as a seafaring port so what the problem is I don't know, I understand the slavery issue but as long as it is remembered and doesn't ever happen again history moves on and so must we.

Paul R
Merchant's Quarter was a fine name. People should grow up and leave the past where it belongs - in the past.

Helen
I think that Cabot is not a flowing name, it signifies nothing, we have Cabot Tower, Merchants Quarter was very nice and should not have been changed because of the small minded P>C. patrol,I am fed up with the likes of them having far too much to say and unfortunately winning. What has freedom become when such small minded people have a greater say. Broadmead is what most people wil call the new area, hopefully it will be a much better place to shop

Kathy
I did not like any of the choices offered and would like to have seen a free suggestion with a short list drawn up that people can vote on. my own suggestion would be to perhaps use the old name for Bristol and call it the Brigstowe Centre. Alternatively to call it the Brunel Centre after the engineer who bought wealth and fame to Bristol, or the Castle Quay/Centre or some other suffix. a reminder to the shopping centre prior to Broadmead. These are just names I've plucked from my mind and I'm sure that I could think more widely if I was trying to

Charlie-Big-Potato
I don't know what the problem is here... Cabot - an Italian - who established trade routes between Brizzle and mainland USA/Canada - He was a Merchant - so - I guess it will end up A merchants qtr rather than THE merchants qtr... I like the comment that someone made following the last time that this horse was publicly flogged with our tax cash - it should be called CHAVMEAD... far more in keeping with this city on a saturday afternoon... C-B-P

Rob B
To me, I'm still "go'in down town". Cabot, whatever next? Somethings are best left alone.

Terri (Bristol)
I think Marky (Glos) says it all, it echoes my thoughts exactly.

jean harcourt
I would say that it should remain as Broadmead as probably that is what people will, out of habit, continue to call it.

Dan
With regards to Rhiain's comment below, Whiteladies & Blackboy were actually a reference to pottery & coal in those areas, as I recall. As for the name, I agree with many people here - there's nothing wrong with Merchant's Quarter. If you *must* rename it, leave Cabotto alone, and go with Brunel, as Grego suggests.

hayley
i think the name should remain Broadmead. why alter it?

Chris W
To have changed the name from the Merchants Quarter as a result of some misquided belief that it was linked to slavery was madness and an indication of the weakness of popularity seeking of the city 'leaders. Sure, slavery is part of Bristols history and it will always be the case, shutting our collective eyes will not make it go away. Presumiably the people who objected to name because of its conatations with slavery will not be using the Downs, paid for by the Bristol Merchant Venturers. However Bristiol was built on more than slavery, and the merchants should be rightly remembered for the prosperity brought to the city by the trading in other goods. To name Broadmead after John Cabot is ludicrious especially as it was not his true name, It is boring, insipid and has no 'grab' to it.

John Doe
The name Merchants Quarter comes from the trading of small buisnesses in the late 17th and 18th centuries. There is no connection with the slave trade, its just a coincidence. As for Cabot he had little to do with Bristol until near the end of his life, no nothing to do with the Broadmead area. As opposed to people like Penn who not only started the building in the area but also became world players and helped to not only improve Bristol but the 'new world' as then was

Boris
"Cabot Shopping/Retail Centre" is neither short NOR distinctive. And the man's name was Giovanni Cabotto, not "John Cabot". I don't see how anglicising his name honours him. Otherwise I very much agree with Katie. I need another "retail centre" or hurrah for Hollywood multiscreen like I need another hole.

Jon
Cabot Shopping etc... just sounds like a concrete monstrasaty built in the 70's. oh dear....

Marky (Glos)
I have no problem with merchants quarter, a merchant is someone who is engaged in buying and selling (anything)and no obvious links to slavery. Will we have to change blackboy hill, whiteladies road. What about Edward Colston he had slavery links, should we thewfore change Colston Hall, Colston Tower, Colston Girls school the list goes on.

Joe
Renaming is probably fair enough when it is being built for the growth and prosperity of the city by attracting people from the greater area into our fair city. As well as commercialism as well of course. But my bet is the name Cabot means nothing to non Bristolians And his name was Giovanni Caboto from Genoa, Italy.

Katie
Who cares what its going to be called - at the end of the day, its still going to be a rubbish shopping centre; badly layed out as it is now, even more unconveniently located, with a bigger topshop and h&m that might just about take it up to the basic standard of pap towns like stoke on trent.

Jayne
Another poor choice!!! It will get abbreviated to "the Quarter" or "Cabo". If the council has money to burn on rebranding etc. then why don't they invest more into the transport system? It's getting expensive to travel on the buses and don't even get me started on the price of Taxi's. London's cheaper! What happened to the mono rail idea? It would solve so many problems! but be really careful naming that one!

Liam
The name Merchants Quarter has got no obvious link to slavery. It's name is indicative of the purpose of the area. I don't agree with the small group of people linking such an ambitious and prestigious retail leisure development with a shameful trade that existed 200 years ago. Will they be renaming the Wills Memorial Building next because of the family's trade with tobacco? Tobacco has caused more deaths than slavery ever did. I find the name Cabot an easy cop-out for Bristol. If the name had to change because of political correctness why not call it The P.C Centre. That way no one can be offended, and it is reflective of the age it was built.

lindsay bowen
cabot is a rubbish and forgettable name Broadmead is the way to go i know ill still call it broadmead anyway!

robert
to say 63% wanted cabot is untrue they should have included retaining the broadmead name in the survey as a fair pole not to give the public that option made the vote rigged

Grego
I think it's terrible that we have to live in a society that thrives on being right all the time. When I think of the name "Merchant's Quarter", I think of prosperity and trading, the foundations of Bristol as a city. Those who believe that this brings up images of slavery should, quite frankly, 'take a chill pill'. I believe that a name like Cabot just glorifies said merchant and isn't at all attractive. How many phrases does it take to find that our country is being overrun by political correctness. How much longer will we have to suffer with being accussed that everything is racist and sexist. It's the strong minority of the country which want to make "chairmen" into "chairpersons" and the majority doesn't care. If you want to give it a good name, why not call it "Brunel's Quarter", as he's made so much of an impact on Bristol and the surrounding area and because the name "Quarter" shows how diverse Bristol can really be.

Steve
What about "Massive Attack Quarter" to celebrate one of Bristol's fine musical outputs

Rex
Agree strongly with paul (see below). It should retain the name Merchants Quarter

Alan
There was nothing wrong with the original choice. We now live in a dictatorship – the minority dictate to the majority.

David Gwilliam
merchants quarter as a description for an area of shops ie merchants is entirely appropriate. Links to slavery are spurious ,troublesome and an attachment to a piece of history that still attracts victimhood from the unaffected.grow up.

Bill
The new name is simply rubbish and wholly unimaginative. Typical of Bristol. No-one wants anything called Quarter either. How much time and money has been spent on this nonsense? Do we no need to rename everything with Merchants in the name to Cabot? - Merchants Quay, Merchants Dock, Merchants House, Merchants Street, The Merchants (pub), the list goes on.

alison smith
I like the name Cabot, it is far more reflective of the area than "The Mall Galleries" which confuses the two shopping centres now! Why couldn't they leave well alone with the name everyone knew?

paul
Merchant's Quarter was fine. Why is it that some people have the right not to be offended and others dont? Changing the name offended me.

Rhiain
p.s. Where does it leave Whiteladies Road and Blackboy Hill??? Our society is getting ridiculous!

Rhiain
I think Cabot is a truly crap name, Cabot what? It sounds so dull. Merchants Quarter is by far the best name, the few who complained about it and (unbelievably) got an apology shouldn't shop there if they are against it so much. Why can't the majority be listened to for a change?!

Alan Robinson
'Cabot' completely lacks originality.Merchants Quarter was by far the most appropriate as thats exactly what the new center will be - a an area for merchants.The lily-livered council have cowed to a minority group of PC lobbyists when most of those who expressed an opinion thought Merchants Quarter was the most attractive name. 'The Castle Center' was a suggestion that didn't even make the short-list. Whatever! - local people will always refer to the are as Broadmead.

Sharon Poole
Broad Mead has a specific historical meaning - the wide meadow.I think it should have stayed the same. Cabot is meaningless in this context

TinaT.
When I go shopping in Bristol, I go to BROADMEAD. That's what I know it as, and that's what I will always know it as. Everyone else will also know the place I mean when I say BROADMEAD.

Steve
Let's face it someone will complain about Cabot soon, probaly used the wrong colour sails on his boat or something, so they may as well stick with the current Broadmead name.

Barb Drummond
Why aren't they commemmorating the Quakers whose meeting house is at its centre and who were so important in settlement in America and in abolition of slavery. Better leave it as Broadmead. It's what it is.

Stuart (Bristol)
P.S. The name Broadmead will stay; its only the new development site being renamed. Its going to be 'Cabot Slave Seekers Inc..' or somthing like that ;-)

Stuart (Bristol)
'Cabot Something', but wasn't Cabot financed by wealthy slave traders to do his famous trip? And wasn’t the result the growth of the slave trade! OH DEAR.. I have heard a good name which has strong historic links back to the time of the Castle. The Great Regional Abbey... (see the great floor plates outside Whitefriars) è People will walk from the redeveloped ‘Quakers Friars’ into the new shopping area of "Abbey Plaza"? Plaza because the whole development is so pedestrian friendly! Plaques could be added to say about the abbey complexes along with the castle and the Quaker influences. Bristol History.

Julian Hynam
Earlsmead .. the name of most of the land on which this new development is beiing built, and which is prominantly seen on the huge reproduction of Millerd's 17th century map on the wall of their publicity shop. Earlsmead.

Mikey
'CABOT'-Not very orginal or imaginative. It hardly symbolises a modern vibrant, new and imaginative centre piece. Is it really the best they could come up with? I like the suggestion relating to Wilberforce. Personally Merchants Quarter was OK. But as the car hating Bristol City Council have been involved it will most likely be called...PATHETIC!

Paulk
So they want to name it after a historical figure? Why not a local boy then instead of an Italian. The Blackbeard the Pirate Shopping Centre has a certain ring don't you think? We all sound like pirates anyway...

David
Bring Back Merchants Quarter !! Cabot just does not sound right, and yes it is only a name, but make it a good one. even Broadmead (as it is) would be a good idea..

Susan P
It's clear that the overwhelming majority of people who expressed a preference wanted Merchants Quarter. Britain was the first country in the world to abolish slavery and perhaps we should celebrate this instead? Whether the politically-correct nincompoops that run the council and who give Bristol such a bad name would consider such an option is doubtful. However, just in case there is someone at the Council House who can do what they're supposed to, ie respect the will of the voters, how about The William Wilberforce Centre in honour of the man responsible for slavery's abolition? After all, should we celebrate something British now and again?

paul
I cannot understand why the name 'Merchants Quarter' was changed due the protest of a few people, the vast majority had no issue with the name. Once again a tiny minority influencing decisions!!

Andy
Broadmead is Broadmead and always will be known that way, although being able to say "I'm going down to the 'Merchants Quarter' to buy some new slacks and shoes" would have been a real treat

Bob P
Why are we naming it after an Italian, where is our English Heritage

John
Cabot is a truly awful name for the new centre. I don't quite see what all the fuss about the 'Merchants Quarter' was anyway. It seems to be an ideal name as it sounds good and describes the area perfectly. But despite this I personnally still don't see why the name shouold be changed from Broadmead. It will always be Broadmead to me despite what the council decide to call it and I believe this will be the cas for many of Bristols residents

Karen
My 12 year old daughter did a school project all about the name change from Merchants Quarter. 80% of all the people she asked in Broadmead thought the name should stay as it is! Asking for suggestions about a new name, not one person suggested Cabot! In fact most people thought that it should be called Broadmead as it is now, and I tend to agree. It's only a shopping centre!

Mike F
Cabot - are you kidding? Can you imagine people saying to each other 'Im just popping down Cabot to do some shopping.' The correctness around 'Merchant's Quarter' was ludicrous anyway - you don't see people creating a public outcry over the term 'Merchant Banking' do you? If the council put such money, time and effort into the really important issues currently causing problems in the city i.e. the appalling service and ridiculous expense of public transport (which, if properly invested in would help ease the horrendous traffic), then Bristol would be a much better place to live for all.

jeb
What a waste of time and money- what does it matter what it is called, it will just be another shopping centre like any other in the UK with nothing to do with Bristol anyway....hang on....since Caboto was not a Bristol lad anyway maybe this IS appropriate!!

John Carter
Nothing wrong with Merchants Quarter (spices,silk etc)or even Broadmead. Waste of time/money on rebranding when not necessary. I shall shop in Bath from now on.

bristolian_dave
i hope its called the "cabot centre" or "cabot's quarter" anything else would sound awful such as "cabot's square" well it's not a square is it?! etc..

Viv
ITs like the galleries trying to rebrand as the mall galleries, it will never work the mall is at cribbs the galleries will always be the galleries! so let broadmead be broadmead! either that or pick a decent historical name, who ever suggested Brunel top choice, why wasn't it in the list?

Pat, Australia (Ex-Bristol)
Of course it will always be called Broadmead by Bristolians. It is completely immoral that these nincompoops are wasting so much money on such a futile occupation.

Mark
Always Broadmead

G JAMES
Why not call it CHAV-MEAD, i do and will continue to do so. As for apologies about the slave trade my suggestion is to form two groups of people, one on each side of Perot's bridge, a group who want an apology and a group who feel they have something to apologise for. These people can then walk towards each other accross the bridge in a line, meeting in the middle and apologising as they pass. PROBLEM SOLVED !

J mellings
Merchants Quarter was a good name. Cabot Quarter will be ok. Perhaps we should call it Bullimore Quarter as a contemporary version of our sea faring esacapdes - only joking!

Andrew Diamond
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet - it doesn't matter what it's called surely?!? Those who wish to still call it "Broadmead" can do, most people will know where they mean. Re-naming is, hopefully, an attempt to entise people back into the centre, and let's hope it works.

Nick and Claire
What a complete waste of time and money! It'll always be Broadmad - a historic name in itself. No amount of marketing will ever change that. Why were the developers so scared to offer Broadmead as a choice?

Terry
Now that the masses have chosen the dreary name of CABOT can i suggest that we now add one of two subtitles so that we can have either CABOTS CORNER or CABOTS CABIN.

Tracey Hancock
A complete waste of time and money - its Broadmead and will always be known as Broadmead - however much councillors (who have better things to do) and PR people (who have nothing better to do) work to change it. I already feel sorry for all the non-English speaking bus drivers of this City who will have yet another destination they are unsure of to cope with!

Michael
If the name won't catch on maybe a slogan would help "Cabot - the place for poor parking, heavy traffic and terrible (and ridiculously expensive) public transport".

Emma
Seed merchant. Fruit & veg merchant. I don't think we ever had Slave merchants. Slave traders, yes. Anyway, Cabot was Italian and didn't invent America just for fun, he wanted money. Others followed him and started importing a large labour force. It is now history, a sad bit of history but then, most history has been killings, murders and all sorts of nasty goings on. I am still waiting for that German bomber pilot who destroyed my house to say sorry. Maybe in 200 years time he will.

Jordan Bailey
Didn't Cabot help in some way with the slavary trade in Bristol?

Ian Thompson
Cabot - my, how original, we might as well have just called it 'The Mall, not the one on Cribbs or the one they re-named to confuse everyone but the new one, with the glass roof and derivative choice of shops' It's a bit of a mouthful but it gets the point across.

Beth
You have to think how the general public are going to use the name. "I'm going down to Broadmead." or "Where did you get those boots?" "I got them in Broadmesd." Work fine, but if you substitute Cabot for Broadmead it doesn't sound right - Cabot is the name of a person not a place. And anything longer than one word would be too clumsy to use.

George Lupton
Why Cabot, surely both John and Sebastian were Spanish and spent more time there than in Bristol

adrian wilkins
So we are going to have the very English-sounding John Cabot Shopping Centre. Unfortunately he wasn't English. He was born in Italy. And his real name wan't John Cabot either. It was Giovanni Caboto. The Giovanni Caboto Centre ? Perhaps not.

jacqui f bristol
I cannot see what was wrong with Merchants Quarter in the first place. We are denying the history of Bristol and what about the people who live on Merchants Quay down by the docks are the PC crew gonna change the names there. Stick with Broadmead and maybe have a section or sections named after our famous people ie Cabots Place, Brunel Arcade etc

Jo
There was nothing wrong with Broadmead, or Merchants Quarter. But if it has to be Cabot, can somebody please clarify exactly how you pronounce Cabot? It is CaboT with the 'T' or Cabot, with a soft 'T'? I have lived in Bristol all my life and can never remember - how do visitors stand a chance!?

David Hughes
Don't care what the new name is... it'll always be Merchant's Quarter to me. But seriously, if as much effort was put into building it and getting the roads in the area running smoothly as has gone into naming it'd be finished now!

Khalil
I'm not sure if Cabot "best represents links to Bristol's heritage" etc... Based on that, I'd have opted for the "Brunel Centre".

Val
The people who thought up the names in the first place should get a life (or hobby). Broadmead it is and Broadmead it should have stayed. With the schools like they are at the moment who will have heard of Cabot in 20 years time (let alone spell it 'Kabo'!)?

giovanni
I think It should be called Chattertons, after our long lost forgotten and beloved local poet.

Woodsy
Broadmead is just a collective name for the shops that make up Bristols main shopping centre so since the old buildings are being bulldozed to make way for the new, its right to call the new shops something new and contemporary. Cabot is a fine historical name but it isn't very exciting or modern. Its time we looked forward for a new name, not backwards.

Chris
Gionvanni Caboto the Venetian citizen who "discovered" America on his second atempt, was then lost at sea, presumed drowned who with the help of his sons helped to set a slave trade with native Americans....Way to go Bristol City council!

Sea Dog
Why not call it Slavery Quarter in honour of all those construction workers slaving away building it?

Paulo
With all the stuff Bristol is known for now, its culture, music art and stuff and they choose some stuffy old 'seafaring lets all plunder the high seas' name.. I'm sure the 'proud bristolians' brigade will like it though.. I'm off to London I think, this city is backwards!

Neil Byrom
Why does the name have to change at all, I mean is there something wrong with the name Broadmead. Has any of the tax payers money gone to this ridiculous project of renaming it ?

Sarah (Stoke Bishop)
Most Bristolians will still call it Broadmead because that's what we are used to.

Charlie Big Potato
A message for the ignorant (this means you Sausa Edwards)... Blackboy Hill is named after the Blackboy Inn, one of several in Bristol and is thought to be named after Charles II who was of a dark complexion. Whiteladies Road was once bordered by a convent and is a name similar to the popular 'Greyfriars'. So perhaps we should look at history before we leap? Incidently - Cabot - I don't like it - change it (seemed to work for those against the merchants name).

Pressure Drop
Surely Cabot's mission was financed by the Merchant's Venturers anyway? Just wait until the PC brigade have worked that out - d'oh!

Sally W-E.
Wonderful! It gets more like New England every day. May I suggest "Cabot Cove" which is the site of the "Murder She Wrote" T.V. series..... Personally, I feel it is a pity we are whitewashing history: when are the French going to apologise for shooting our King Harold in the eye?

Jo
So, 'Cabot' it is then. I really can't believe all the fuss about re-naming it, plus we already have 'Cabot Tower' It's a shopping center for goodness sake; that's all people care about. I'll never be able to call it anything else but Broadmead, or 'Down town!'

Chris
This has all been political correctness being taken too far.

Snoo
What about 'Concrete Corner' or 'Smog Central'? I looked much nicer when they flattened the area. Now the concrete and steel stretching towards the sky makes you feel very claustrophobic...

V Watts
the arguement against Merchants Quaters leave Merchants Passage in bath where exactly? Utterly daft! Honestly leave it as broadmead and stop paying people to think up poor ideas!

sausa edwards
I think its very good that Merchants Quaters was taken out of the running as it is linked with slavery. It shows that diversity is king here, and most people feel the same way. I also think that the names 'Whiteladies rd' & Blackboy Hill' should be promptly be changed. \we need to be educated about the real accounts of what happend in the past.

Dave
I hope it’s called “Cabot quarter” or “Cabot’s broadmead” if any of the three names must be included into a new shopping centre name, preferably just keep it broadmead

Terry
It was wrong to get rid of the original name. The name Merchant has been associated with this seafaring city for centuries and not all past trade dealt with slavery. The word Merchant has been associated with some of our road names for the past 50 years or so. I don't remember anyone protesting against these road names. Let's all move on and leave the past where it belongs.

Ian jones
Once again a collection of non names, it is Broadmead, always has been Broadmead, just let it remain Broadmead.

Jo
Stupid to even think of changing the name. People will always call it Broadmead.

Joseph Hampton
Please not 'Great West'! Its easily the least appealing. I think Cabot will be chosen although I personally I would choose something different. I know its difficult for the public to get used to new ideas, but these three really could have been a better choice. We should be debating on which one we love, not which ones we hate more!

Trunky
Birmingham happily kept the Bullring name despite far more extensive development than is ongoing in Bristol. As has been discussed and generally agreed, it will allways be Broadmead. Pointless to debate alternative names really.

Helen Mertan
..Broadmead.

A Graves
It will not mater what they call the new shopping centre. to us people that live in Bristol, will they try to change the name, of where are you going, me down town. So what ever name they give the new shopping centre. To us in Bristol it will all ways be down town.

Anthony Blacker
Just call it Broadmead. That will, or should end any confusion.

Gary Lake
It will always be Broadmead to me!