Mystery surrounds the reasons why the earth on an unofficial Bristol 'landmark' was turned over.
Stokes Croft institution Turbo Island was reportedly dug up in the middle of the night on Monday, September 10, with the land on the well-trodden patch of grass left broken up.
Bristol City Council, a community organisation based on Stokes Croft and the advertising company that own the site could not tell Bristol Live why the ground had been turned over.
Chris Chalkley, of the People's Republic of Stokes Croft in Jamaica Street, took to social media having witnessed the work going on late on September 10.
He wrote: "Last night around midnight I saw a crew of people on Turbo Island as I drove past.
"Not the usual Islanders. I thought I saw a spade. Got here this morning and Turbo Island was dug up.
"Can anybody shed any light on what is going on? Guerilla gardeners or people just making the space uninhabitable?"
A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said there was no record of any work being done there, and there is nothing on the local authority's 'planning portal', although the land is believed to belong to the advertising company who own the billboard on the site - Primesight.
However, a spokesperson for Primesight confirmed the company was not undertaking any work there.
"The lane is owned by the people who own the hoarding," Chris Chalkley told Bristol Live.
"It could be guerilla gardeners or it could equally be an attempt to make it so no one can walk on there.
"In the background we are working with the owners of the land to see what will happen next."
Turbo Island
The 'island' used to be the site of a shoe shop, until it was destroyed one night during the Bristol Blitz in 1940.
After the bombing, the council decided that a new building in that location would obstruct drivers’ views of other vehicles as they approached the Jamaica Street-Stokes Croft junction.
The stretch of land became what is known in town planning circles as a “sloap” - space left over after planning.
It is now thought the land belongs to the advertising company who own a billboard at the site.
Some say Turbo Island is part of the soul, even the very fabric, of the area . It has become an unofficial landmark, even recognised by Google Maps , with groups of street drinkers gathering there to pass the time of day.
The islanders rarely bother passers-by and have become a fixture in the area – over the years this patch of grass has seen campsites, impromptu gigs and even a full scale rave last year. That being said, things do get out of hand and the police are regular visitors to the area.
The balmy summer saw a particularly high level of activity on the space, with one couple complaining that more than 50 people had gathered there on one night, drinking, taking drugs and starting fires.
This week, two men and a woman have told how they were beaten up by a large group of people partying on Turbo Island after they stood up to racist abuse.
The two men were punched, kicked and attacked with bottles in a shocking attack on the Stokes Croft ‘landmark’ late one Friday night (September 14).
