How many "Beacons" is that?

Since the "Bristol Pound" disappeared in 2020, we have not had a local unit of currency in Bristol.

I am proposing a new unit of currency for our city.

A "Bristol Beacon" represents £132 million pounds. This value is based on the estimated cost of the conversion and refurbishment of the "Colston Hall", which was renamed the "Bristol Beacon" in 2020. I will refer to this unit of currency as a "Beacon".

The £132 Million figure is disputed, with Councillor Jonathan Hucker (an Accountant) estimating that the actual cost would be more like £185 million if you take realistic future interest rates into account.

Some examples:

Bristol Energy cost us £44 Million or "1/3rd of a Beacon".

Between 2020 and June 2025 BCC Pensions cost £217 Million, or "1.6 Beacons".

Between 2020 and June 2025 Private Finance Initiative (PFI) payments were £170 Million, or "1.3 Beacons".

£296 million of business rates were collected last year, or "2.24 Beacons".

£338 million of Council Tax collected last year, or "2.6 Beacons".

Bristol City Council retains £282 million of Council Tax collected, or "2.1 Beacons".

BCC generated £1,118 million of fees, charges and grants last year, or "8.5 Beacons".

Barbie Colston

In 2020 "Colston Hall" was renamed to "Bristol Beacon".

On Wednesday 23 September 2020 we announced our new name – Bristol Beacon. Our former name, Colston Hall, acted as a memorial to the slave trader Edward Colston, and meant that not everyone felt welcome or that they belong in their city’s music venue.

The new name happens to be an anagram of "Barbie Colston".

I am sure this co-incidence was unintentional, but it is mildly amusing that they accidently produced a cuddly version of "Colston" hidden in their new name.

Perhaps we should use "Barbie" as the name for this new unit of currency, so that it links back (tenuously) to the original name of "Bristol Beacon".

Some other anagrams of "Bristol Beacon"

• Cabriolet Snob
• Boob Clarinets
• Crabbiest Loon
• Blob Creations
• Robin Obstacle
• Blot Carbonise
• Bloat Bicornes