Downend is a suburb of Bristol in South Gloucestershire, England. Downend is located to the North East of Bristol and is bordered by the Bristol City suburb of Fishponds to its south west and the South Gloucestershire suburbs of Staple Hill to the south and Frenchay to the west. Bristol is a port city in south-western England, on the River Avon. ... South Gloucestershire is a local government area in South West England. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... Staple Hill is a suburb of Bristol, England, situated in the north-east of the city near Fishponds. ...

The outward expansion of Downend dating from the 1980s has been contained by the presence of the M4 motorway which swings around the northern side of Bristol. Downend has little industry within its boundaries consisting mainly of domestic housing and local shopping facilities. A very welcome addition since 2003 is the opening of several restaurants in Downend village itself which has allowed locals to eat out and have drinks without the need to drive or arrange a taxi. Unfortunately, most of the local pubs leave a lot to be desired with scruffy interiors and very smokey atmospheres which discourages many local residents from being "regulars." Some of this may change if and when the proposed anti-smoking legislation comes into force in the next couple of years. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... The M4 motorway is also a motorway in the Republic of Ireland, on the route from Dublin to Sligo. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The road transport system within the boundaries has been left almost intact with fairly free flowing traffic at most times of the day other than on the ring road where traffic lights have been introduced on most junctions in an attempt to improve flow. This has made what was originally intended to be a rapid means to travel from the north of the city to the south into another "stop/start" experience which does little to minimise vehicle exhaust emmisions in the area. Outside Downend, South Gloucestershire council transport policy has resulted in dual carriageways being reduced in width to single lanes and bus stops placed to block following traffic in an attempt to encourage drivers to walk, cycle or ride a donkey to get around so Downend is still well off, for now!

The cricketer W.G. Grace lived in the village. [1] (http://freespace.virgin.net/jill.hewett/wggrace.htm) William Gilbert Grace (July 18, 1848–October 23, 1915) was an English cricketer who, by his extraordinary skills, made cricket perhaps the first modern spectator sport, and who developed most of the techniques of modern batting. ...