In a week-long series of articles, Citiscope explores how Bristol's eccentric mayor aims to create “an exemplar medium-sized city.” With doses of fun, innovation and fearlessness, the former architect and businessman is changing the city's culture.
Eugene Byrne profiles George Ferguson, the first elected mayor of Bristol and the city's "innovator-in-chief." "Directly-elected mayors with executive powers are relatively new to Britain, " explains Byrne, and Ferguson aims to demonstrate how the position can be used to transform a city and transcend party politics.
"Bristol likes to think of itself as creative, intelligent and different," adds Byrne, and with his signature red pants and slightly unkempt appearance, "Ferguson fits Bristol’s sense of exceptionalism."
"He likes to talk about cities as places for people, about feeding the mind and soul as well as the body, about organising fun events that bring people together." But by taking on the city's entrenched car culture, Ferguson demonstrates that he doesn't see city governance as all fun and games.
Read the full story: In George Ferguson, Bristol’s first elected mayor is also its innovator-in-chief
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