At the start of 2020, Bristol and the West of England was often described as a diverse, thriving and dynamic city region with a young, growing population and internationally recognised strengths in innovative and high value industries, including advanced engineering, the low carbon sector, professional and financial services, and the digital and creative industries. However, the region was being constrained by historic deficiencies in public transport capacity, a housing crisis that risked shutting out many of our essential workers, and pernicious inequalities that left 15% of Bristol residents living in some of the most deprived areas in England. Our air quality was poor for many years, three out of the four worst performing areas in the country for young people going on to higher education were in South Bristol alone, and Bristol’s Black and Minority Ethnic communities faced among the country’s worst inequalities at work and in education.

The emergence of the pandemic has had a profound impact on the city region. Although a recent Avison Young study suggested Bristol is in a more resilient position than many other UK cities, the region has still seen large scale closure of retail, cultural and hospitality sectors, major reductions in economic output and, as of the end of July 2020, 30% of eligible employees furloughed. With several national support schemes ending in the autumn, we are braced for a rapid rise in unemployment that will hit our disadvantaged communities hardest.

Richard Bonner and Zara Nanu talk about the collaboration and partnership that has enabled a city region wide response and how this work will meet the immediate challenges over the winter as the outbreak grows as well as rebuilding a green and inclusive city region.