Blooming eyesore ripe for replanting

A GREENFINGERED community group in Portishead are pressing for improvements to be made to the main entrance to the town - claiming it looks an 'eyesore.'The Portishead In Bloom committee says the area of Wyndham Way by the Sheepway Roundabout, which was once an historic orchard, now looks a muddy mess.The group planted the area with a selection of endangered apple and pear trees around four years ago.But these had to be removed and replanted elsewhere 12 months ago to allow the area to be dug up to install a new water main for the town.Since the work was completed the area has been left to turn to mud and been taken over with weeds.This year, committee members purposely avoided the area when taking South West in Bloom judges on their annual tour of the town.Portishead in Bloom chairman Gordon Randall said: "The area looks a real mess."We were assured it was to be replanted as a wildflower meadow, but work has yet to start."Obviously we are very keen to get it planted so it can establish in time for next year's Portishead in Bloom judging and are putting pressure on North Somerset Council to get this work done."Mr Randall said other areas of Wyndham Way also needed attention.He added: "We are very concerned about the state of the fence at the rear of the Iceland store."It looks an awful mess and is just bits of wire hanging down."We are asking the store and the owners of the land in that area to put up a new fence and generally tidy the area."North Somerset Council spokesman Zoe Briffitt said the work to replant the orchard at Wyndham Way into a wildflower meadow was planned.Mrs Briffitt said: "Plans have been drawn up to plant the wildflower meadow and timescales of when the work will be carried out are being drawn up at the moment."We hope to do it as soon as possible.