Bristol Life – Issue 349

20 YEARS

Wow; the years have gone by in a flash. There I was one minute, sitting on Narrow Quay, nursing a rather lacklustre cup of coffee, as coffee tended to be in 2004. I had a dogeared A-Z of Bristol on my lap (again, 2004) along with an empty notebook, and I was trying to decide what to put in the very first issue of this magazine.

It was – and still is!

Back in March 2004 we had the bright idea of launching a magazine for Bristol. 20 years later, it still seems sound

PHOTO @ANDRÉ PATTENDEN

Yes, it was that random. We were mostly a property publication back then, filling the non-house bits with fairly obvious, touristy stuff; features on the Zoo, historic buildings and so on. Interesting enough, but hardly finger on the pulse. Even so, I clearly remember pinching myself over how much fun this job was turning out to be, and feeling amazed that people would actually pay me to do it.

And now, somehow, here we are today, celebrating the magazine’s 20th anniversary. Bristol has become a very different city – I don’t just mean in its insatiable appetite for sourdough – and we’ve changed, too. Today, it’s not a question of scouting around for things to pad out an issue, more a case of wondering how to cram it all in.

From Bedminster to Bishopston, Cotham to Clifton, Redland to Redcliffe and all the other alliterative ’hoods, every corner of Bristol has its own exciting stuff going on. Trying to keep on top of it all is like herding cats, and the only thing that makes it possible is the strong relationships we’ve forged across the city over the years. Luckily I have no room for teary Oscar-style gratitude speeches here, but to everyone who has ever contributed to this magazine, or supported us in any way, thank you – you know who you are.

For our anniversary issue we decided to press pause on most of our regular features to bring you a big, pictorial celebration of the city which you’ll hopefully hang on to for years. If you ever find yourself thinking of moving away from Bristol, just flick through its pages again; that should bring you to your senses.

Editing this magazine is a joy and a privilege. I just hope nobody ever figures out that I’d do it for nothing.

DERI ROBINS

Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

Issue 349 / April 2024

ON THE COVER

Big Bristol love to the legendary Inkie for creating our beautiful anniversary cover

BEST BRISTOL MEMORIES

8 YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS We asked 20 Bristolians, some past, mostly present, to share a favourite memory. Then we completely lost the run of ourselves and asked 16 more

20 REASONS WHY BRISTOL TOTALLY ROCKS

18 THIS BRILLIANT BRISTOL Our big, 26-page, keep-itforever pictorial celebration of the city

20 FOOD AND DRINK HEROES

76 EDIBLE BRISTOL Just a taster of the incredible local food and drink scene (this could have made a standalone issue)

20 COVER STARS

98 HOLD THE FRONT PAGE Some of our favourite covers from down the years

20 TOP OF THE SHOPS

104 RETAIL OF ONE CITY Let’s go shopping

20 BRISTOL BANGERS

146 THE BL 20TH ANNIVERSARY PLAYLIST! With a QR code and everything

AND THE REST...

58 ARTS The notorious I.N.K.I.E.

66 BRISTOL HEROES Wish you were here: Colin’s set of alternative postcards for the city

89 CAFÉ SOCIETY Stan revisits a former haunt

92 RESTAURANT Cacio e pepe and cannoli

MEMORIES THANKS FOR THE

“ST PAULS CARNIVAL returning after Covid... wow, nothing better!”

EVERYONE HAS A FAVOURITE BRISTOL MEMORY, RIGHT? BIG THANKS TO THIS LOVELY LOT FOR SHARING A FEW OF THEIR MAGIC MOMENTS

“One of my favourite recent memories in BRISTOL was my brother‘s birthday. In 2021 we went to KING STREET; it was just after Covid when all the bars had started to put outside seating. We were all so happy to see each other again, some other friends showed up, we drank, we played games, we made each other laugh. Later we walked through the Christmas market and ate from the food stalls, and then headed up to STOKES CROFT to dance – it was a perfect night”

Maisie Williams, actor

“Dancing in a crowd of 50,000 people in the middle of an astroturfed NELSON STREET to Fleetwood Mac remixed by Greg Wilson, surrounded by the biggest street art this city has and will ever see, during SEE NO EVIL in 2011… proper job”

Inkie, artist

“It was 10 years ago that we presented the waterslide on PARK STREET –great memories of multidisciplinary the day!“

BRISTOL MEMORIES

“Got to be PIPY, the special-shape piper balloon taking off at the 40th anniversary of the BALLOON FIESTA in 2018, while a Scotsman in a kilt played the bagpipes underneath and Colin Moody did a jig” Jess Siggers, photographer

Luke Jerram, artist

“WILD BUNCH at ST PAUL’S CARNIVAL in 1986. I was 15 at the time and still have vivid memories of the band who would later become MASSIVE ATTACK playing a set. It went on from noon until dawn, but I’ll always remember lots of early Chicago house, boogie tunes and a sea of whistles, air horns and smiling faces. It’s incredible to think of what Massive Attack has gone onto achieve since those early days”

“Seeing 12 BEAUTIFUL black girls with their fists raised standing in front of the SURGE OF POWER statue. This is what representation and empowerment looks like”

Jen

Reid,

author and educator

“Seeing CONCORDE’S last flight utterly by chance from the floor-to-ceiling windows of what is now The River Grille at the hotel. That was special” Jane Guy, The Bristol

Adam Tutton, Bristol Rovers

BRISTOL

“BRISTOL CITY beating Man U in the league cup quarter-final. Pitch invasion and then drinking on NORTH STREET ‘til they very literally ran out of CIDER”

“I REMEMBER a lot of late nights in RENATA’S after a play, back when I could drink red wine and not feel like I had the ‘flu the next day. And THE DUG OUT at the top of Park Street; that was wild, a really great sticky-floor nightclub that played amazing music” David Nicholls, author

Joe Sims, actor and presenter

BRISTOL MEMORIES

“The Colston fall. I’ll never forget the sound as they dragged that hollow statue past . Metal on stone. Sounded like

Colin Moody, photographer

“Watching a trickle of people become a rainbow river of tens of thousands of Bristolians descending into the centre for the first BRISTOL PRIDE FESTIVAL in 2010. The parade was led by a fire engine commandeered by drag queens. In true BRISTOL style, hundreds of people volunteered to make something massive happen, seemingly out of nowhere. We became a more inclusive city that day”

Anna Rutherford, Design West

“At a DANDY WARHOLS gig at the O2 in May 2003, I wondered why my V&T wasn’t going down well before it dawned on me that I could be (was) pregnant”

Hemali Modha, RWA

“We moved to Bristol in 1987. A neighbour on CORNWALLIS AVENUE called and said she would look after our one-year-old while we got on with unpacking. We immediately realised what a friendly city this is, and have never looked back since” Martin Parr, photojournalist

“My cousin Ben Harvey’s wedding to Josie. We filled our hipflasks with negroni and went to the registry office, then everyone walked down to WELSH BACK to board the BRISTOL PACKET. We floated over to the Buttery to pick up 200 bacon-and-egg sandwiches to eat during a short harbour cruise, then around 100 of us cycled up to ST WERBURGH’S, to Ben’s house, where the Indian side of our family did a surprise bhangra drum session; then friends hosted a lunch, before a huge party that went on until 5am” Dom Borel (shown right, with Ben left), Bianchis Group

“Slapstick’s 20th edition: the return after a long absence of our much-loved silent comedy film gala to BRISTOL BEACON, the place where it all began” Chris Daniels, Slapstick Festival

BEACON

“Visiting Bristol with a friend in 1981, and finding that boffins were unwrapping an Egyptian mummy at the CITY MUSEUM, live on closed-circuit TV. We decided there and then that Bristol would be a pretty cool place to live” Eugene Byrne, journalist

“In 2009 I was working on the main stage at BRISTOL HARBOUR FESTIVAL. Candi Staton was headlining and her performance was sensational – I will never forget it! I also couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved in recent years with BRISTOL LIGHT FESTIVAL” Vicky Lee, Bristol , City Centre BID

“WALLS ON FIRE, the event run by Banksy and Inkie, felt like a pivotal moment in the history of UK graffiti; as a newcomer to the city it was both welcoming to my belief system and inspiring to my trajectory as an artist. It’s crazy to think that the whole harbourside was quite industrial in comparison to today. It shows me that, as usual, artists play a guilty role in gentrification” Sickboy, artist

“It was the start of the pandemic, and the Bristol restaurant and food community all got together in a room in THE KENSINGTON ARMS. It had never happened before, getting all the independent food businesses in one place. We said, we’re not going to give up, we’re going to fight this, we’re going to survive, and we’re going to help as many people as possible. That’s a great memory” Josh Eggleton, chef

“ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL’s 200th Big Birthday Bash last summer. We threw open our doors for a free festival weekend, and filled our programme with local musicians, artists and poets. It was really special to celebrate with our friends and neighbours here on BRANDON HILL – the perfect mix of live music and pop-up performances”

“Discovering that CARY GRANT first fell in love with film – and learned to use a pastry fork – in the posh Bristol picture house on CLARE STREET he visited with his mum when he was still a boy named Archie Leach“ Charlotte Crofts, Cary Comes Home festival

Samir Savant, St George’s Bristol

“MONTPELIER PICTON STREET

MONTPELIER. Bedroom music hanging over like bunting in a Saturday morning

in May. At the junction is the constant slowmotion stop-frame animation of STREET ART, as you plunge into your favourite restaurant, serving delicious simple food in an atmosphere you’d want to come of age in” Tom Morris, former artistic director

STREET , of Bristol Old Vic

WHITELADIES ROAD at 6am; quiet, purposeful, a secret meeting of those who love mornings, runners, fishmongers and bakers”

Mitch Tonks, restaurateur

“In 1994, me rebel punk uncle Jerry introduced me to the Bristol sound. He gave me a rare MASSIVE ATTACK CD, which had the ATTACK removed because of the Gulf War at the time. He also introduced me to Jungle music, which was big in Bristol then. It was music I just connected with and still do today. Thinking about it gives me goosebumps”

Terry the Oddjob Man

“I first went to the ASHTON COURT FESTIVAL in the hot summer of 1976. Semi-naked hippies smoked joints as their children played around huddles of proto-punks and Rastafarians. The festival grew until 1980, was banned in 1981 and reappeared in 1983. By 1987 it was claiming to be the largest free festival in Europe. It provided a platform for thousands of local musicians, poets, actors, activists and more; Bristol City Council and the police didn’t like it, but against all odds it survived until it was washed out in July 2007, when the organisers declared bankruptcy“

Richard Jones, Tangent Books

“Years and years ago, when I was in a band, we played a gig in Bristol. Next day we got up and went off to find somewhere we could play a game of football. We found ourselves standing on the open edge of THE DOWNS, with what looked like miles and miles of rolling green gorgeousness spreading out before our eyes. Unfolding like the jolly green giant of parks. Think that was the moment I fell in love with the place and knew I wanted to come and live here”

Stan Cullimore, Housemartins guitarist turned writer

“I remember when they put a beach in Bristol, about 12 years ago. It was right by ST MARY REDCLIFFE church. They put a load of sand down right by the water, there were cocktails, and it was absolutely fabulous”

Jayde Adams, actor and comedian

“No-one told me Bristol was famous for hot air balloons when I moved here. I had, however, RENATO’S and was initially convinced I’d over-indulged there when I woke next morning and saw a huge whisky bottle floating past the window. Thankfully, it was soon followed by more novelty shapes, which explained what was going on, and seeing balloons above Bristol has remained a favourite ever since”

Pam

Beddard, PR

“My dad took me to Severn Beach to see the SEVERN BRIDGE being built when I was about nine. It was opened in 1966”

Doug Hobbs, hairdresser

“As a kid, I remember swimming in the River Frome at Snuff Mills. One summer there was a brilliant rope swing by the weir” Marvin Rees

BRISTOL MEMORIES

“I love the sight of cranes – old and new – on the city’s skyline, so getting to stay in the CANOPY AND STARS’ CRANE29 is an experience I’ll never forget. It happened to be a really rainy night, which meant hardly anyone was walking along the docks, so it felt like it was just us in a secret industrial landscape, a stone’s throw from the restaurant and just a short walk from home, but a million miles away at the same time.

Magic”

Tess Lidstone, Box-E

“MASSIVE ATTACK, Queen Square, 25 August 2003. I remember the anticipation behind this homecoming gig – everyone was there, scrambling to get in or peering through the barriers for the ticketless. 20k people in the square felt incredibly special, huge but intimate, grand but with an undercurrent of Bristol scuzz and grime. With spectacular visuals, it was their first Bristol show for five years so it felt like a real communal moment. An excellent beginning to my first year in the city”

Sarah Robertson, Bristol Beacon

“The year UPFEST collaborated with Bristol Women’s Voice, Nomad Clan and The Simpsons to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of suffrage. Bristol has always punched above its weight in making a stand against things that are wrong in this world, and the mural, along with many others over the years, reflected this”

“The first memory that sticks out is when I started ushering at BOV, in 2009, for Hansel and Gretel .You never forget your first KNEEHIGH show. I’d drive my husband crazy coming home to sing all the songs

each night.

CARNY-VILLE

Another great theatrical moment that could have only happened in Bristol was when Invisible Circus performed in the Old Firestation – I loved the ‘strumpets with crumpets’! And finally. sunny days, sat outside listening to music. I have a really fond memory of BRISTOL REFUGEE

an early FESTIVAL

“Walking out on stage for the finale of the first VILLE and seeing 1200 people looking up awestruck as the girls came tumbling down the walls in the red flare light”

Doug Francis, Invisible Circus

in the Bristol sunshine”

Bristol Old Vic

. I took my baby son along, and remember him sitting on a blanket in Queen Square, playing with Duplo bricks while I lived my best life, to great music and calm Nancy Medina, artistic director, I

CARNY-

Be More Lisa

Steve Hayles, Upfest

20 YEARS

BRISTOL! HOW DO WE LOVE YOU? LET US COUNT THE WAYS…

1IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE HARBOUR

It’s the centre of everything, and defines us as a city. While its historic seafaring trade will forever be tinged with an element of shame, today it’s Bristol’s undisputed glory: its recreational heart, the backdrop for festivals, a home for museums, galleries and buskers, with some of the best restaurants and swishest new apartments in the city, and straight-up the best place for lazing on a sunny afternoon. On occasion, the four Grade-II cranes which punctuate the skyline have been persuaded to dance to music; during the summer of 2017, one of them even hosted a treehouse.

IT’S A CITY OF CONTRASTS

You know those historic towns which all look beautiful but a bit, well, samey? Well, Bristol’s not like that. Its architecture is a heady mix of the old and the new, the posh and the shabby, the Brutalist and the bougie, and, with the exception of the direst of the new builds, all the better for the variety. “Elegant Georgian buildings on one side, hip hop graffiti on the other,” said an admiring Jamie Oliver when he paid a visit. He got it!

3 THERE’S THIS BRIDGE, YOU SEE…

In fact, there are 45 bridges in Bristol – some built from metal, some from stone, one painted yellow like a banana.

It’s fashionable to complain that too much attention is lavished on Clifton Suspension Bridge, which is admittedly often used as a lazy visual cliché for the city. This, of course, doesn’t prevent the complainers’ hearts from soaring whenever they spot it in the distance as they drive round Brunel’s Way. The view never gets old, and looks extra lush with fireworks.

4 WE HAVE WORLDCLASS STREET ART

We know that change is the name of the street art game, but we always feel a slight pang whenever our favourite pieces get painted over in a new rash of Upfest creations. The skill of these artists is off the scale. How do they take a small sketch and turn it into a giant mural? We’ll never understand it.

The choice of indoor art isn’t too shabby either; whether you visit revered institutions such as RWA, Bristol Museum, Arnolfini (hosting Grayson Perry, right) and Spike Island, or small independent galleries, there’s always something fascinating to see

Remember when we got our own Mr Man?

MAINPIC: In this 2017 photo by D7606, Jody’s giant hand drips down towards pieces by Dr Love (left) and Pahni

BELOW: Jody’s giant Sea Change mural on the side of the Tobacco Factory (usually just referred to as ‘Greta’) made global news

5 YOU NEVER QUITE KNOW WHAT YOU’LL SEE WHEN YOU LOOK UP AT THE SKY But yeah, it’s generally a balloon.

@COLINMOODYPHOTOGRAPHY

ARCHITECTS

Bristol on the telly – remember how thrilled we all were when Skins first screened? Now you can’t walk through Old City without bumping into a dolly grip or seeing David Tennant holding up the traffic. Then there’s all the studio work at Bottle Yard, bringing stars into our midst and a massive boost to the local economy.

7

THIS CITY IS A PHOTOGRAPHER’S DREAM

It’s no coincidence that the UK’s foremost photojournalist Martin Parr has made his home here. This image by Matt Stuart is from the St Paul’s Carnival Photo Lab Pop-Up exhibition Martin curated at Arnolfini in 2019; there’s always something tasty going on at his Foundation gallery at Paintworks, too.

8 WE’RE EVER SO GOOD AT FESTIVALS

We ace them, from balloons to boats to comedy; from the Light Fest to Craft Beer Fest; from dance music at Love Saves the Day to festivals on the Downs, big-name gig series at Harbourside, newmusic fests and family-friendly, foodie-loving Valley Fest. Also,with Worthy Farm just 27 miles down the A37, Bristol can righteously lay claim to Glastonbury. Kind of.

© MATT STUART

We get more than our fair share of the wet stuff, but never let rain stop play. If you’re going to an outdoor festival in Bristol, even in late July, you need to cultivate a pretty zen tolerance towards the weather; or just do as the singer from RSVP Bhangra did at the 2017 Harbour Festival, and just DANCE.

PHOTO @COLINRAYNERPHOTOGRAPHY

9 WE SENT A PLASTICINE SHEEP TO THE MOON

His name is Shaun, and his trip onboard the European Space Agency’s Artemis I space mission was just one of the amazing achievements of the incredible, multi-award-winning Aardman Animations. They’ve given us world-class feature films and shorts, and through the trails and merchandise of the Grand Appeal have helped to raise millions of pounds for Bristol Children's Hospital.

OH, AND PETER LORD MADE US THIS SPECIAL 20TH ANNIVERSARY MORPH!

OUR THEATRES AND CONCERT HALLS ARE WORLD-CLASS...

… especially now we’ve splashed the cash and given Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Beacon, Tobacco Factory Theatres and St George’s their multi-million glow-ups. No less crucial to the cultural heartbeat of the city are smaller music and theatre venues such as Thekla, the Louisiana and The Wardrobe – and whoever programmes the music at Trinity really knows what they’re doing, as it’s proved to be one of the best places to catch the big-name stars of tomorrow.

Could that be you in the Bristol Old Vic audience during Dead Dog in a Suitcase?

BRISTOL TOP 20

11 WE GAVE HOLLYWOOD ONE OF ITS ALL-TIME BIGGEST STARS

Is there anything new to say about Archie Leach, the Horfield boy who reinvented himself as Cary Grant? The biannual Cary Comes Home festival gamely has a go, delving into the life and mindset of the silver screen’s most enigmatic and elusive leading men, and trying to pin down his unique star quality.

BRISTOL TOP 20

12

THERE’S A VILLAGE WITHIN THE CITY

It’s called Clifton Village, and when we launched this magazine in 2004 it was the place to live, which is why, aspirational little monkeys that we were, we originally called this magazine Clifton Life

The origin of the area’s name dates back to 1970, when musician Ian Anderson (not the Jethro Tull one, the other one) created a poster for the Troubadour folk club. Ian wanted to invoke the cachet of New York’s beatnik Greenwich Village scene, so he printed the club’s address as ‘5 Waterloo Street, Clifton Village’. Estate agents were quick to adopt the name, which lent the area an air of bijou bohemianism; the rest is soaring-property-price history.

Since then, of course, numerous other Bristol ‘villages’ have comprehensively up-and-come, with the likes of Southville, Bishopston, Harbourside and Redland etc becoming more des res by the minute. This gentrification doesn’t please everybody, for understandable reasons.

But Clifton remains serenely unchanged, having nowhere to up-and-go to; it was, and is, an unimprovable little jewel of Georgian perfection clinging to the side of the Avon Gorge, with views for days and literally everything you need to get by. Indeed, we believe that some people have never bothered to set foot outside this delightful ‘hood in years. . .

BL ’S FAVOURITE STREET?

Is it fair to name a favourite? No? Oh well, never mind, it’s our anniversary issue.

Clifton appears positively arriviste next to King Street, with its cobbles, centuries-old wonky buildings and the venerable Bristol Old Vic. Visit on a warm evening and it feels as if half the city has turned out to sip a pint in front of the piratey, half-timbered Llandoger Trow, or to enjoy the live jazz emanating from The Old Duke.

We also love the rest of the old city, on the other side of Baldwin Street, so let’s include St Nick’s Market, the grand former Georgian banks and mediaeval churches in this section too, and gloss over the fact that after dark the area mostly turns into one big cocktail bar.

The moment you start to wonder whether your mates said to meet on King’s Road not King Street

14

WE FIND BEAUTY IN GRUNGE

OK, so the long and rambling thoroughfares of North Street, Stokes Croft, Cheltenham Road, Gloucester Road etc are unlikely to win any beauty prizes; this isn’t Bath. But take a second look and you’ll find bags of charm, thanks to a bunch of fiercely independent, community-minded shops, cafés and restaurants, some of the best street art in the city, and (in the Croft) locals who take a perverse pride in the fact that no matter what anyone says or does, a bonfire will burn on Turbo Island tonight.

THERE’S A FIRE IN THIS CITY THAT WON’T GO OUT

PHOTOS ©COLIN MOODY

15

WE HAVE WILD BEARS

Althought Bristol is still building its new world-class, conservation-minded zoo, you can still visit the safari-like Wild Place. If you’re as lucky as this photographer, you might even spot bears and wolves sharing the same drinking hole.

But in fact, you don’t need to visit a zoo to spot wildlife; thanks to the abundance of parks and green spaces in Bristol you’re rarely more than ten minutes away from a duck, swan, squirrel or goat.

© STEVEN WILSON

@COLINMOODYPHOTOGRAPHY

@AISHLING_JANA

16

WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF BEARS TOO

Rugby – that curious shotgun wedding between artistry, brute force and petty laws – has been around in Bristol for quite some time. Bristol Bears first headed out of the changing rooms in 1888 when they were, somewhat confusingly, called Bristol Football Club; it was another 130 years before the side was given its current ursine title.

Bristol played a significant role in the development of rugby in the South West during the sport’s formative years. Job done, the club then concentrated on developing an open, attacking playing style, collecting the odd trophy along the way; their latest piece of silverware was the European Challenge Cup (2019-2020).

Bristol Bears Women is a top-flight squad which competes in the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby. The team has a wealth of international stars, and will soon be wanting to park its trophies alongside the lads’ Challenge Cup.

BRISTOL TOP 20

WE’RE A LEAN MEAN GREEN MACHINE

Not for nothing was Bristol chosen in 2015 to be the UK’s first European Green Capital. Numerous innovative ideas came to the fore, designed to engage as many different groups as possible; here, Fujiko Nakayahe’s wildly instagrammable Fog Bridge for In between Time festival periodically shrouded Pero's Bridge in fog to inspire conversation about the changing climate. Luke Jerram’s fleet of washed-up fishing boats in Leigh Woods had a similar purpose.

Today, Bristol is regularly named as one of the most sustainablyminded cities in the UK, as well as being its vegan capital.

WE’RE REALLY BLOODY FUNNY

Bristol has spawned many of the UK’s top comedians, from Stephen Merchant and Russell Howard to Marks Watson and Olver, John Robins and Lee Evans, Jayde Adams and Joe Sims; that’s not even counting Matt Lucas, Chris Morris, Marcus Brigstocke and Simon Pegg, who all came to uni here. We’re also going to include John Cleese, even though he’s from Weston, Bill Bailey, although he’s from Keynsham, and every Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduate who has ever made us LOL: Phil Dunster in Ted Lasso, Olivia Colman in Peep Show, Miranda Richardson in Black Adder. Add in the wit of Banksy’s art, the gentle puntastic humour of Aardman, and it all adds up to a city whose bones are funnier than most.

19 IT’S A CARING CITY

From the chefs who give up their time, resources and skills to address food poverty, to charities helping the homeless, refugees, former prisoners and those battling addiction and mental health issues, this is a caring city. Here’s our girl Maisie Williams demonstrating her direwolf-handling skills as as she delivers a food box for the Mazi Project.

Jayde and Joe in RubySpeaking, set in South Bristol; don’t bother looking for the Suspension Bridge

20

THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING WEIRD AND WONDERFUL GOING ON

And it often has something to do with that Luke Jerram, the UWE research fellow and installation artist who blurs art and science to create extraordinary pieces at the heart of the community. His Bristol work has included inflatable scale models Gaia (the Earth) and the Museum of the Moon, seen here floating on the harbour; putting orchestras in hot-air balloons during a dawn ascent; street-piano installation Play Me, I’m Yours; Oil Fountain at Bristol Cathedral; permanent piece Palm Temple at Bristol University, and many more.

Oh and in 2014, perhaps most unforgettably of all, he put a waterslide down Park Street.

This is our Bristol.

opposite, top: Wet wet wet! What other city would turn its high street into a waterslide?

Bottom: One year later, Bristol Smile Instigation Collective organised a giant public waterfight in Millennium Square. Even the fire brigade joined in, turning their hoses on the crowd

ESCAPE TO ELEGANCE AT GARA ROCK

This year, make the choice to escape to elegance at GARA ROCK – a destination where every moment is an invitation to unwind, indulge, and savour some time just for you

In a world that constantly buzzes with urban life, there exists a tranquil haven waiting to embrace you, tucked away down winding rural lanes in South Devon. Where land meets sea, the hotel is perched majestically on the rugged cliffs overlooking the mesmerising waves. Gara invites you to swap the hustle and bustle of city life for a retreat of rural relaxation.

As you open the door to the hotel’s enviable accommodations, all of which have sea views, you’ll be greeted by an atmosphere of refined comfort. Take in the stretch of ocean from your balcony or garden as you catch a sunset and listen to the waves. The luxurious selection of Gara Rock rooms, suites and residences offer an exquisite blend of comfort, style, and impeccable attention to detail. Or go all out with the unique ‘Out of the Ordinary’ accommodation options.

“ DINE WITH THE BREATHTAKING BACKDROP OF THE SEA AS YOU INDULGE IN SEASONAL DISHES”

Enjoy your own slice of the clifftop, away from everyone in our Secret Suite. Take in the stunning seascape from the private sun terrace of the Signal House. Luxuriate in a bubble bath in front of floor to ceiling windows in the spectacular Penthouse. Which will you choose?

Taste the very best Devon has to offer in the award-winning restaurant. Dine with the breathtaking backdrop of the sea as you indulge in seasonal dishes featuring ingredients from local producers and the hotel’s kitchen garden. Hearty breakfasts. Leisurely lunches. Sunset suppers. This March, anticipation has been building as head chef, Paul Hegley and his talented team launch the exciting new food proposition, including menu developments showcasing the finest local ingredients, that promise to elevate the dining experience to even greater heights.

The allure of Gara Rock extends beyond a sumptuous meal. Venture into the cosy lounge, where you can sink into an armchair for a fireside nightcap or cocktail. Book onto the exceptional pudding bar experience and treat yourself to an array of delectable desserts in an intimate setting, the perfect after-dinner finisher to elevate your evening.

For those seeking relaxation of a different kind, the Wild Rock spa beckons

with a promise of rejuvenation. Pamper yourself with indulgent treatments or take a leisurely dip in the pool, allowing the stresses of everyday life to dissolve away.

If you’re in the mood for entertainment, Gara Rock has a unique offering—an intimate boutique cinema. Immerse yourself in cinematic magic with a selection of films, creating a cosy and enchanting experience that transcends the ordinary movie night.

As the day unfolds, explore the local area that surrounds the hotel. Discover pristine beaches, embark on scenic walks along coastal paths, and immerse yourself in the charm of the nearby attractions. Whether you seek the thrill of adventure or the serenity of nature, Gara Rock is your gateway to unforgettable experiences. n

SPRAY FOR BRISTOL

HE’S ONE OF BRISTOL’S MOST DISTINCTIVE ARTISTS, WHOSE STYLE IS KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE’S CREATED OUR NEW COVER: LET’S CELEBRATE THE LEGEND THAT IS INKIE WORDS BY DERI ROBINS MAIN PHOTOS @JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

If you’re able to name just one Bristol street artist other than Banksy, it’s going to be Inkie. Not merely a titan of the local scene, he’s known all over the world for his Ink ouveau’ style, typified by distinctive female profiles with flowing locks and rebellious little faces – Alphonse Mucha girls, if they happened to be in a punk band. Inkie likes drawing women. “The female form and hair can be worked into an intricate organic form,” he says. “It’s like drawing wildstyle.”

Today his work is hugely collectible, but it was a very different story back in the 0s when gra ti and street art were primarily regarded as vandalism. Arrested during Operation Anderson, the UK’s biggestever gra ti bust, he was often identified by the rather cool, prison-break nickname of ‘Kingpin’ – and yet Inkie – Ink to his friends, Tom to his mum, Mr Bingle to the police – grew up on the not-especially-mean streets of Clifton in a home filled with art. Both my parents were very creative,” he says. “My father was an architect and a member of the William Morris society, and he introduced me to various styles of art. I found the organic flow of Art Nouveau particularly captivating, and it matched my love of natural shapes and plant forms.

“As far back as I can remember I was always going to be an artist, taking inspiration from comics such as the

Beano

Photo by @joncraig_photos for Bristol Life. RIGHT: All You Need is Love currently adorns the Bristol Life home office wall

and Dandy, and then 2000 AD and Marvel comics, and eventually obscure European ones which I used to buy from a great shop called Forever People on Park Street.”

At , he picked up his first spray can. It was 4, at my friend’s house. We got hold of some CarPlan paint from Cathedral Accessories on Whiteladies Road, and painted boards in his garden.”

Like many Bristol street artists, Inkie’s style was formed by music and skate culture, though his work is arguably more blended than most. “Every music scene has its style of art, but I like to mix a few together – Two-Tone graphics with punk logos, then adding psychedelic rock images, and finally meeting ew York hip hop. I also try to mix in a bit of video game art” – like 3D from Massive Attack, Inkie has worked in the video game industry, including a stint as creative director for Sega – “and some graphics and fonts these days, to widen its appeal.”

He credits 3D as being one of the three main reasons Bristol became such a hotbed of street-art talent.

e was one of the ’s first protagonists in the gra ti scene, making and worldwide connections with people such as Goldie and Tats Cru.”

Secondly, there was John Nation, the youth worker at Barton Hill club who fostered the young talents of Inkie, 3D, Banksy, Jody and others. “John provided a library resource of photos he’d collected from artists across the globe before the internet was available, and provided a site for us to practice our gra ti unhindered.

“Thirdly, the Bristol music scene attracted a lot of young artists to college here, creating a hub for creativity which continues to this day. Local artists like Cheba set up Weapon Of Choice gallery, bringing major international artists to the city. We all still meet up and pool together, and it helps the city grow artistically.”

Presumably with the luxury, these days, of not having to flee from coppers through underpasses. Does he ever miss those edgy Operation Anderson days? “It was much more fun and exciting then,” he admits. “There was no CCTV or internet, so you had to go out and hunt down new gra ti – which I really miss, but also at my age you don’t want to be

looking over your shoulder all the time – and it’s actually nice to spend more time on paintings, being able to add more details.”

As it happens, the Operation Anderson arrests were a fluke; the cops couldn’t catch a cold until they lucked upon an address book. “I believe they spent around £1 million over a year with no results, and then got lucky and found a diary on someone who had copied all our names and numbers. Most people barely knew the guy.”

Later in 2011, when this most underground of art forms had emerged blinking into the daylight of at least semi-respectability, Inkie launched the See No Evil festival around Nelson Street.

“It took about a year of planning. I curated the artists, but there was a whole team who worked on it, from Upfest on production to Weapon of Choice on the gallery side and all the artists, musicians and club promoters who helped to make it the best event this city has ever seen. The second year, in 2012, we had a lot of Cultural Olympiad funding and we felt it couldn’t be matched for a third event, so we left it where it is, with its legendary place in Bristol history.

“Dean Lane in Bedminster has always been a hall of fame for gra ti, ever since we painted the first walls there

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Where does the name Inkie come from? Initially, from the amount of ink on my fingers and the fact I used to be a heavy video-game player; the blue ghost in Pac-Man is called Inky. It later became a joke when I got fingerprinted on arrest for criminal damage…

at the freestyle jam in 1988, so it’s only natural that the street art scene has since spread south into North Street with Upfest. It would be great if the council gave more support to the festival, as it brings a lot of attention, people and trade to Bristol. This city is marketed through its street art, and the scene deserves more support.”

Upfest now attracts street artists from all around the world to paint the walls of BS3 – but how about the gra ti scene which kicked the whole thing off

I think gra ti has been left to its own devices in the UK. When you’re in other European cities, the acceptance is more widestream. Places like STRAAT museum in Amsterdam, Urban Nation in Berlin and most galleries in Paris have a very balanced mix of ‘street art’ (most of which is made in studios, where the artists have never painted illegally) and traditional gra ti, the difference being that gra ti artist have earned their dues and should be shown the respect they deserve. The UK art market needs to recognise this more.”

“This city is marketed through its street art; the scene deserves more support”

Where can we see your work in Bristol?

Most of the main arteries into the city, particularly around Gloucester Road, Nelson Street, the city centre, Kingsdown, North Street and Hotwells, with new work going up monthly.

Recent favourite piece?

The Pump House mural on the docks; a great location on a long bending wall (and their cider is lovely).

Which other Bristol artists do you admire?

Cheo, Soker, Dibz, Feek, Jody, Phil Blake, Miss Hazard, FLX and all my ASK Crew comrades…

Tell us about some recent projects

The School of Beaux Arts in Nancy – a major mural in the home of Art Nouveau. Painting for DMC at the ADE event by STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam. A giant wall at Karbach Brewery for Up Art Studios in Houston. The world’s longest painting (250 m) across two countries on the Rhine. Wayout Arts School, a project dear to my heart with LNADJ Charity in Sierra Leone. Urban Nature street art festival at Bristol’s twin city of Hannover. Weston Wallz in Weston-super- Mare – painting huge ice creams near the beach is always fun. A public arts project with Pedro Amos Galerie in Miami.

Are you happiest spraying walls or in the studio? Painting wildstyle on the street with my friends, 100%.

What drew you back to Bristol?

A lady, family, friends and my love for the city. I’ve travelled to some of the most amazing places on the planet, but there’s nothing like coming home to Bristol. West is Best…

What’s in the diary for 2024? Japan, Amsterdam, Thailand, France, Ibiza, Germany, NYC, The Olympics, Miami, and a lot of events across UK, with some special projects coming to fruition here in Bristol. n www.theinkporium.bigcartel.com

CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: Inkie with his new work at The Pump House; doing it for the kids in Sierra Leone; his Parsons Bakery Born and Bred sign has now been painted over (look out for Use your Loaf, coming soon)

SPLASHINSETS: Early Ink: the Barton Hill days

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Don’t send a pretty postcard of the Suspension Bridge. Do send one that takes a more sideways look at the city . . .

Words and pics by

Colin Moody

“The daisies were up, and the sky was Constable-esque, and I thought to myself, that’s like a postcard, innit?”

Welcome to my Wish You Were Here postcards. Imagine if you will, a little stall down in the city centre. It’s probably raining, and there’s me giving away my alternative postcard collection on one of those creaky turnaroundy spinny displays. Because every now and then, when I take a photo it seems to me like it’s got something to say, that shows off our city – not the bricks and mortar but us; who we are.

That said, this, as you can probably tell, is an old photo from what we call Back in the Day. Might be as old as ten years ago! It was a simpler time. Then, when a road had holes in, burly people would come down early in the morning, the scent of dawn dew would mix with that heady pitch smell of asphalt, and before you could say “It’s outrageous, what’s being done about all these potholes? That last one nearly broke my suspension,” they were tools down, back to the caff for full English and everything was as good as new.

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Bristol Welcomes Considerate Motorists.

I mean, bravo mate. That’s the sort of antisocial behaviour that gets you two spaces, ’cos it’s a pain getting in the door with those big bags of Aldi shopping.

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No, I’m not gonna tell you why there’s an anti-aircraft installation on the south-west approach road into Weston –you’re just gonna have to go and check it out for yourself. With geopolitics changing faster than most jobs in the cabinet (it is assumed no snap election has occurred during the print time for this magazine) who knows how odd this postcard will seem soon?

There, a nice bit of political comment for you in among these funny little postcards. You won’t get kiss-me-quick ones from me, so if you are a little weary of reality, best stop page-turning now…

“It’s this magazine’s big 20th, and we’re celebrating, and what better way to do that than with a bit of a Bollywood boogie? ”

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I’ve seen some unique solutions to transport problems but can any be more valid than learning to master this carbon-neutral transport system? Did you know for the price of one underground train you can buy and train up 300,000 skateboard commuters?

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Welcome to Winterbourne.

I don’t know how it happened, but I must have been passing through this picturesque hamlet on my way somewhere when this little installation caught my eye.

The daisies were up, and the sky was Constableesque, and I thought to myself, that’s like a postcard, innit? The cyclist a nice added touch, I thought.

I then stopped by the little shop on the corner and saw they had old photos of their church and whatnots as real postcards, but I have always wanted to get a bunch of these and take them back.If you know people in Winterbourne who would like one, drop me a line from the deets at the end and let’s send them a postcard reminding them what a lovely little place it is.

PS I get the windmill, let’s call that the main feature here, but what are the other things? What is this?

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Welcome to Easton.

It’s this magazine’s big 20th, and we are celebrating, and what better way to do that than with a bit of a Bristol Bollywood boogie? If that’s your jam, head over to Easton. Look at it! That’s bloody fantastic, that is.

7

There are secret heroes in every city, so let’s give a bit of praise to those great people who leave their old fridge out in unusual places, brightening up our day. Not only is it a visually interesting monolithic art piece that they gift to the community, but its often clean white front offers the perfect notice board for things people want to say.

Special praise goes to the one shown bottom middle, where the council came that morning and strimmed all around it leaving a neat one-foot wild meadow border. So this fridge is now also a nature reserve, a haven for local wildlife, right up until the coolant system breaks and it leaks chemicals all over the shop. And that one bottom right has been in the city centre for eight years now!

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Bristol: City of Art.

Decades and decades of work building up to that big show, and then the private view. Hours and hours getting the walls just the right shade of red to offset and contrast with the meaning in the pieces, the Guardian journalist has already had their complimentary tote bag and postcard collection and looks keen, the delicate muscat whites and boutique nibbles have been laid out perfectly, the programmes are stacked by the entrance in neat rows, and you turn round to see this lady. As she takes it all in and decides… “Naaaaah…”

Colin Moody: content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin; Instagram @colinmoodyphotography colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com

KITCHENS WITH INDIVIDUALITY

New design features to NEPTUNE’S versatile kitchen collections mean you can bespoke your space to reflect your personal style.

The bones of most kitchens include a smattering of awkward angles or irregular features that make a cookie-cutter kitchen design all but impossible. Add to that the desire for a circular sink or a particular sized cooker hood, and many people find themselves needing cabinetry, fixtures or accessories that aren’t immediately available to order.

CABINETS FOR EVERY KITCHEN

As kitchen makers of nearly 20 years standing, Neptune has planned, designed and fitted kitchens in most styles and sizes of homes. Luckily, the three main collections offer a great degree of flexibility just by the nature of their designs. Henley focuses on deep drawer cabinets, Chichester has more cupboard options, and Suffolk is a combination of the two. And now, all the collections provide the option to include plain or fluted glass panes in wall cabinets, while different larder cupboards can be customised with interior lighting and marble or wooden work surfaces. Even freestanding furniture pieces like the Charlecote island can be adjusted to create an overhang for bar seating, or cabinets can be configured to create an extra-slim –or extra-wide – fitted island.

WORKTOPS AND HARDWARE CHOICES

From this May, worktops too can be specified to bring a sense of originality, be it the thickness of solid wood or an elegant ogeeedged finish on a marble surface to elevate a classic island design. Hardware is also a good way to add an individual touch, and Neptune offers a carefully edited choice of handles in six finishes – from chrome to matte black-bronze and flattened brass – alongside a new solid brass bar handle and knob, designed and made in the UK in collaboration with prestigious hardware brand Armac Martin, with the further option to order across the brand’s extensive range.

FINISHING DETAILS

But what about those finishing touches that can make all the difference to a design? Neptune’s UK workshops and in-store design teams are at hand to help with requests, from an original paint combination for the exterior and interior of cabinets to sourcing a specific brass kitchen tap. And they do it all with an eye to a customer’s budget – if a bespoke option proves too costly, then they can suggest an inventive combination using existing cabinetry, meaning you can be sure that no two Neptune kitchens will ever look the same. n

To book a free design consultation visit www.neptune.com/book or visit Neptune Bristol, 98B/C Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2QY Follow @neptunehomeofficial on Instagram.

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LIP-SMACKING, THIRSTQUENCHING, ACE-TASTING, MOTIVATING, GOODBUZZING, COOL-TALKING, HIGH-WALKING, FASTLIVIN’, EVER-GIVIN, COOLFIZZIN….. BRISTOL FOOD AND DRINK SCENE!

FOOD & DRINK

Look, we’d get into all kinds of trouble if we tried to compile a definitive food and drink Top 20 – imagine the righteous flak from those we left out! We’d have to fake our own deaths, change our name and move to Swindon. So here, instead, in no particular order, are just a few of our favourite things.

1World-class, proper Italianstyle pasta. We’re having the cacio e pepe at Bianchis, ravioli of beetroot and ricotta at Pasta Ripiena (left) and tagliatelle with mint, basil and pistachio pesto at Little Hollows. Yes, all three please; better safe than hungry.

2Sampling an unfamiliar new craft beer or six from a choice presented by over 30 breweries at Bristol Craft Beer Festival. Or how about taking a microbrewery tour of a taproom, at Lost & Grounded or Wiper & True, maybe?

More of a cider fan? No better place for a chilled glass of Old Bristolian than The Apple cider barge on Welsh Back.

3A double scoop of Swoon gelato to slurp on College Green on a hot sunny day. Or any kind of day, really. We’re having the Amarena cherry cheesecake, if you’re buying; we’re having it even if you’re not.

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PASTA RIPIENA PHOTO @ELLYDEAKIN

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The quasi-illicit thrill of entering speakeasy style-bar Hyde & Co, whose cocktail menus frankly get weirder by the year. The current one is called Paranormal Sciences: “A logbook of strange trials into abstract technology and the mysteries of those engaged”. And there was you thinking you’d only popped in for an espresso martini.

E ually arcane offerings are available at sister bar The Raven, which expresses its penchant for the dark side through cocktails with names such as Conference of Ravens and Death of Moths. Look out for their decadent parties, too – the recent Saltburn one made national news.

Also from the Hyde group is The Milk Thistle, a kind of gentleman’s club on acid where you can drink your way through the Dreadful Tea Party menu. Their newest venue, Death Disco, invites you to throw some ’70s-style Studio 54-style shapes, while Bambalan has DJs on the terrace at weekends; it’s just like Ibiza, if Ibiza was, you know, mostly cool and drizzly.

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The moment you realise that sherry takes on a whole new flavour when expertly paired with food – and there’s no better place for this monumental discovery than tapas restaurant Bar 44 on Regent Street.

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FOOD & DRINK

NELL’S TOP 10 CAFÉS

Chosen by Nell Robins –GM at Gambas and feast programmer at Valley Fest

1 Nook, North Street

2 1B Pitville Place, Cotham Hill

3 Mokoko, Wapping Wharf

4 Bristol Loaf, Bedminster Parade

5 Harts, Temple Meads

6 Sweven, North Street

7 Little Vics, Wapping Wharf

8 Albatross, North Street

9 Foliage, Regent Street

10 The Bristolian, Picton Street

6Visited Korea on your travels?

Searching for its authentic flavours in Bristol It either has to be Chef Wizzy’s Sky Kong Kong organic café, in between the bus station and The Bearpit, where you’ll never know in advance what you’ll be eating (it may not even be Korean!), or Bokman on ine ile ill, where Duncan Robertson and Kyu Jeon serve not just some of the best orean, but best full-stop, food in Bristol. And where else are you going to dine on velvet crab soup

7Discovering a new favourite sustainable, organic, vegan, sometimes biodynamic, sometimes natural, always mindblowing wine at ask – orth treet’s very own bodega.

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The first espresso hit of the day from Little Vics on Gaol Ferry teps. erch up in the beautiful café to drink it from one of their signature blue cups, or take it away to enjoy on the harbourside It’s a conundrum.

THE BRISTOL LIFE

“Hey, Rick’s Bar – fancy making us a special anniversary cocktail? Keep it simple though, we’re a bit busy. Oh, and we need to get our five-a-day, so better get plenty of fruit into it. Bascially, like a boozy smoothie”

35ml Psychopomp Wooden Gin

20ml Passoa

10ml Lemon juice

20ml Cranberry

75ml Orange juice

Pour OJ into an iced highball, then shake and strain the other ingredients over to layer. Garnish with a cherry and an orange wheel

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Shout out for Box-E. Not, as the uninitiated may assume, the name of a ixar film, but the restaurant within a tiny little shipping container at Cargo in Wapping Wharf where chef Elliott Lidstone serves his seasonal, modern English cuisine. It holds a Bib ourmand, along with a special place in the heart of every Bristol foodie. Top tip sit up at the chef’s table, and admire

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In fact, some of the best places to eat in Bristol can be found at Cargo. ambas is among them; formerly a ichelin late (the uide has since dropped that category) this restaurant from the eason Taste group serves some of the most authentic and wellpriced panish tapas in the city, and has recently launched its private dining room. The dish that draws us back like a boomerang is the oxua – a Bas ue inspired caramel sponge cake with almonds, drenched in sabayon, lemon cream and butterscotch sauce. Once bitten, forever smitten.

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A bowl of rice and dal, generously shared with the whole community at the annual Iftar feast on t ark’s Road in Easton.

NAT’S TOP PLACES FOR COCKTAILS

Chosen by Natalie Brereton –food blogger, Bristol’s burger queen and cocktail connoisseur

1 Filthy XIII, Cheltenham Road

2 Crying Wolf, Cotham Hill

3 Bar 44, Regent Street

4 HMSS, Whiteladies Road

5 Dirty Bird, King’s Road

6 Hyde & Co, Upper Byron Place

7 Rick’s Bar, Narrow Quay

8 London Cocktail Club, Corn Street

9 Cotto, St Stephen’s Street

10 The Bootlegger, Cheltenham Road

The laidback, neighbourhood, easylike Sunday-morning (or mostly any day really, just not Monday) vibe of Sonny Stores in Southville, where Pegs Quinn cooks a daily changing menu inspired by Italian food. Along with Mark Chapman’s editerranean-flavoured small plates at Cor on North Street, it’s enough to make any selfrespecting foodie want to relocate to BS3.

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The special lunchtime deal at Wilsons – the only Bristol restaurant to hold a Michelin Green star thanks to its strong connection to nature and the seasons. It has a passion for regenerative farming, with Jan Ostle’s menu being built around the produce from their own market garden. Go any time, of course, but the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtime menus are a steal at £30 a head.

FOOD

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The best plant-based restaurant in Bristol in our book isn’t exclusively veggie, just mostly so. You’ll typically find just one non-veg dish on Rob Howell’s menu at Root in Cargo, yet all the ’vores, whether carni-, pisci- or omni-, flock to this place, which holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its simple yet flavour-packed small plates, sometimes intriguing style, and inventive touches”.

100% vegan? Most good restaurants offer options, but for the full-on experience head to Pastan on Prince Street or Koocha on Cheltenham Road.

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Even if the wood-fired Mediterranean menu at Lido wasn’t enough of a lure, it’s the only place in town where you can dine right next to a listed Victorian open-air pool. Just watching the swimmers cancels out the calories of the pudding course*. (*Unsubstantiated)

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A taste of the Raj – that’s as in Raja Munuswamy, who has some of the city’s best Indian restaurants in his portfolio: Nutmeg in Clifton (right), specialising in regional Indian cooking; Sri Lankanflavoured adu in tokes Croft; South-Indian Kal Dosa on the Glos Road and Nutmeg Street Kitchen on St Augustine’s Parade. We also love the friendly folk at Urban Tandoor, along with their hilarious TikToks. For fine Indian dining it’s probably Clifton’s Mint Room; we’re also very fond of its little street-food sister Bandook in its tiny space in Cargo.

SI’S FAVOURITE PUBS

Chosen by Simon Boddy of Ambitious PR

1 The Old Duke, King Street

2 The Llandoger Trow, King Street

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 The Avon Packet, Coronation Road

10 … And a special shoutout for one that’s no longer there: The Hare on North Street. One of the OGs. 16

17The choice for Sunday lunch is wide and tempting, and while we wouldn’t risk our necks by selecting an all-out favourite, you’ll never be let down at The Pony Chew Magna or sister restaurant The Kensington Arms in Redland. The Bank Tavern’s is, of course, the stuff of legend, and we love the Spanish spin brought to proceedings by Bar 44 (chorizo roasties!). Meanwhile, our south-of-the-river pals swear down that Totterdown’s Star and Dove is quietly serving the best in Bristol.

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Around 91 languages are spoken in Bristol, so just imagine the diversity of its cuisine. One global flavour is Thai, and no better place to tuck in than Jean’s Bistro on the Gloucester Road; it’s not a bistro at all, but it is run by Jean and her family. “Don’t care how hard the weather has been, grey day after day drizzling into your aura; one bite here and you’ll smile,” says our Colin Moody.

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Yes, we know Bristol is the vegan capital of the world, but we also know that for some, a meal just isn’t a meal without a bit of meat.

At Pasture the chefs will reverently bring out cuts of impeccably raised beef for you to inspect and choose, rather as if you were picking out a handbag, before slinging them over charcoal and wild cherry wood for extra flavour. Or, head to the glamorous Ox, located in a sexily lowlit former bank vault in Old City, with frosted glass Murano chandeliers and frosted cocktails from the speakeasy-style bar to accompany your prime steaks.

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The Bristol food scene is always in-tents! Many chefs possess a festival soul and it doesn’t take much to persuade them to cook under canvas. Eat Drink Bristol Fashion introduced us to fine dining in tents, while Yurt Lush next to Temple Meads was a long-treasured dining option. During the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, when bricks-and-mortar restaurants were closed, the Pony and Bianchis groups together with Team Love opened a teepee village on the Downs; great for diners, suppliers and staff, though the organisers made a loss.

Today, the best place to enjoy the region’s top cooking under canvas is at the Tuck Inn at Valley Fest (which likes puns). It’s on 1-4 August this year, with a line-up including feasts by Thomasina Miers, Pegs Quinn and Jack Briggs-Horan, with demos from Mark Chapman, Romy Gill, Ali Pumfrey, Ben Harvey and many others.

Pasture: raising the steaks since 2018

FOOD

BEST FOR SMALL PLATES

Because sharing is caring SPANISH TAPAS

1 Gambas, Cargo

2 Paco Tapas, Lower Guinea St

3 Muino, Cotham Hill

4 Bar 44, Regent Street

5 Bravas, Cotham Hill

6 Bomba Tapas, Glos. Road

MEDITERRANEAN

7 Cor, North Street

8 Olive Shed, Princes Wharf ASIAN

9 Seven Lucky Gods, Cargo

10 The Coconut Tree, Glos Road, The Triangle

MOSTLY VEGGIE

11 Root, Cargo VEGAN

12 Koocha, Cheltenham Road

THE FAST SHOW

Because sometimes, all you want is something quick and delicious on a slice of sourdough, covered in pastry or in between a bun

1If Bristol was a pie, it would be Pieminister’s vegan Mooless Moo, made from jackfruit ‘steak’ and craft ale – that said, we’d devour anything in its range, served with a generous slug of gravy and creamy mash.

2Feel like chicken tonight? Wings Diner in Small Bar will sort you out. Their chicken is soaked in buttermilk for 24 hours for extra succulence, before being doublefried and tossed in a homemade Korean sauce.

3Often, late at night, when all other options are limited (and even when they’re not) – it has to be a kebab from Jason Donervan, are we right?

4A bacon butty at dawn on the launch ground at Bristol Balloon Fiesta, with hot black coffee. Sometimes context is everything.

5Vinegar-drenched chips and cod in crunchy batter from Salt and Malt, best eaten on Harbourside. Watch out for them gulls, mind.

6What do we want? A packed grilled aubergine and falafel pitta from Eat a Pitta, that’s what,

and it has the longest lunchtime queues of any stall in St Nick’s to prove it. Now also operating from its new corner site on Princess Victoria Street in Clifton.

7... also, a packed pitta topped with all four sauces from Falafel King, right on Harbourside – one of the best dining spots in the city.

8Authentic Japanese gyozas with seaweed, noodles and kimchi from Eatchu – check out their brand-new site on the Triangle.

9Banging burgers, baby! Three Brothers on Welsh Back, with

its riverside views; the bottomless burger club at Burger Theory; Asado’s smoky wood-grilled burgers, served in a lively party atmosphere; Squeezed at Cargo (Alex Hayes’s St Werburger should be on every Bristol bucket list) or Honest Burgers, who use meat from their own butchers. Filthy burgers, but make them vegan? It has to be Oowee Diner on Baldwin and Picton Streets.

10In the mood for something nice on a slice? Bristol’s pizza scene is without parallel, from Pizzarova with its customised toppings, to Bertha’s, Flour & Ash and Bosco. Each has its devoted fans, though some do murmur that Napolita up in St Werburgh’s serves the most authentic Italian pizza in town...

Jerez vibes at Paco’s

Actual Jason Donovan once had a kebab here, you know @GERTIE.PHOTOGRAPHY_

PACO AND PIZZAROVA PHOTOS @ELLYDEAKIN

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

The times they aren’t a-changing

Stan returns to a favourite former haunt, where thankfully only the coffee has changed

this one quickly became one of our faves. reat location, had a warm and cosy feeling inside and the fare was a bit better than the stuff on offer in other places. Bit like this magazine, basically.

Since every other page seems to be celebrating 20 years of this gorgeous, glossy mag, I thought it might be rather lovely to join in. To take a trip down my very own Caf ociety memory lane. o I popped on my strolling shoes and headed down ark treet to Woodes Cafe. Was really good to have an excuse to revisit an old haunt, and see what had changed.

You see, I moved to Bristol some decades ago. Around twenty years ago, when we were looking for a café to frequent,

“Back in those days, most d e ee from a spoonful of instant”

It may be hard to believe right now, but back in those days, when you went into most cafés and ordered a coffee, they would give you instant. onest. You know, a spoonful of powder from a jar. ounds crazy now, I know, but that was the reality of life in those days, kids. That sort of behaviour was par for the course way back when. Luckily, back in those distant days, Woodes was a cut above such stuff; they had filter coffee. Was worth the journey just for that fact alone.

They also had stacks of freshly made, slightly leftfield sandwiches on offer just inside the door as you walked in. One of my favourites featured slicedup olives along with goodness knows what else.

ood news is, they still have heaps of superb sandwiches on offer. idn’t find the one with the olives, but I did find a pastrami, emmenthal and gherkin ensemble that lit up my world. Again, bit like this magazine.

ave I kissed butt enough now, Ed? [No, keep going. Ed.]

Apart from that, not a lot has changed. The place had a timeless magic back then, and it’s still got it now. In fact, it

looks as if time has stood still inside, and all the better for it too; however, these days they do now have an enormous coffee machine which turns out fantastic coffees. I had an awesome Americano, while my companion had a mighty-fine flat white.

When we had finished our time-tripping, and enjoyed ourselves very much, we stepped outside to head back home. And noticed a newish looking caf right next door.

adn’t seen it on the way down. This newer place also looked very attractive. ad a window full of fab cakes, so we made ourselves a promise right there and then. At some point in the near future, we’re heading there for an o ce outing. On a coffee and cake mission. eriously, when you’re part of the Bristol Life Caf ociety set, the pleasure never ends. It’s heaven.

o, if you are looking to tiptoe back in time, while enjoying an up-to-date nip of tasty delight, I can thoroughly recommend this place. Remember. If you can’t see the Woodes for the trees, you’re probably not looking hard enough. n

Former The Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer; @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Grandad

© JON CRAIG

Bringing the world to your plate

BIANCHIS

Food writers shouldn’t have a favourite restaurant. This one does. Here’s why . . .

Words by Deri Robins

What makes a favourite restaurant? Firstly, obviously and literally, it’s a matter of taste: you need to love the food. Secondly, there’s the decor, although this doesn’t need to be posh. I still drool like a Pavlovian dog at the mere mention of Paradiso in Cork, which resembles an upmarket café but whose cooking is pure alchemy – well worth making a detour from, say, Bristol.

Great service is hugely important. Another Irish memory involves a waitress in Belfast’s Michelin-starred Muddler’s Club, who, on being asked for the best place to pick up a taxi, took off her apron and walked us down to the main drag of Donegall Street. We’d already tipped her; she didn’t have to. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Who has never visited some notorious dive in Chinatown to meekly crunch their way through a dish of chicken feet they didn’t order, purely for the comedy value of being abused by the world’s rudest waiters?

But to make the cut as an all-time, go-to, we’ve-actually-consideredmoving-home-to-be-near-you restaurant, all three of the above boxes need to be ticked, along with a few less easily definable ualities, and while there are plenty of Bristol places which fit the bill, for us it always has to be Bianchis.

We never catch sight of the green-and-cream restaurant on the corner on York Road without a little lift of the heart. All around lies boho, grungy Montpelier, but there’s Bianchis, looking smart as paint. On a wild and windy night, its steamed-up windows envelop the rooms in a cosy, fragrant fug, while an old-school soundtrack harmonises with the chatter of contented diners and the clatter of enthusiastically wielded cutlery.

inside the door ac uired funky new geometric tiling, and soon you couldn’t move for Aperol and Campari bottles at the bar, but otherwise it retained its timelessly elegant and romantic vibe. The main room is still dominated by a beautiful dark wood dresser, a souvenir from when the building was a grocer’s store; candlelit tables are laid with snow-white linen.

As for the service; well, nobody does it better. Since charisma-bomb Dom can’t be everywhere all at once, he’s ensured that every member of his staff is a charmer, and this is never truer than at Bianchis, which flourishes under the benign rule of the delightful agda ietrykowska.

DINING DETAILS

The kitchen has also been headed up by some superb chefs over the years. “The cook was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went,” once wrote Saki, and this also seems to be true for Bianchis, which seems to act as a holding pen for talent; their first head chef, egs uinn, for example, has gone on to open his own restaurant, Sonny Stores in Southville. Currently in charge is the reassuringly Italian-sounding Emilio Allegretti, formerly of Rosemarino, whose menu follows a classic antipasti-primi-secondi route; portions are generous and it’s a miracle anybody ever makes it to dessert.

Bianchis, 1-3 York Road, BS6 5QB; 0117 329 4100; www.bianchisrestaurant.co.uk

Opening hours Mon, Wed & Thurs: 5.3011pm; Fri & Sat midday-4pm, 5.30-11pm; Sun midday-5pm

Prices Starters £6.5-£11; primi £16-£18; secondi £16-£28; puds £6-£8

Drinks Wines old and new, high-end and affordable that range beyond Italy

Veggie? Great options

Service Impeccable, charming

It doesn’t hurt that the place is steeped in history. The legendary Chris Wicks first opened Bell’s iner here in ; a beacon of culinary excellence at a time when most of the local food scene was a wilderness. In 20 Chris announced he was selling up, but before we could sulkily declare it the end of an era and strap on a black armband, news broke that he’d be handing over the keys to Dom Borel and Ben Harvey, the Bristolian-Italian duo who head up the Bianchis group.

There may conceivably be those out there who are unfamiliar with these cookin’ cousins; if so, all you need to know is that they’ve been a byword for top-notch hospitality ever since they opened their first restaurant, asta Loco, in 20 , and that back in less nervous, pre-Covid days you needed to book months in advance to snag a table. Loco’s now closed; their current portfolio includes charming little Pasta Ripiena and Cotto in Old City, and Pazzo on Whiteladies; we’ve never had a less than brilliant time at any of them, but for us it’s classy little Bianchis, the trattoria that carries the family name, that’s the jewel in the crown.

When the team first took over Bell’s, they wisely refrained from messing too much with the mojo. There was a bit of reconfiguration, the wall

When arancini are good they make the perfect starter, and Emilio’s are crunchy-coated orbs of delight, stuffed with leeks, oozing with taleggio cheese and light on the rice, ie, as good as arancini get. Also excellent are the lamb spiedini, a grilled, kebab-like Italian street snack; the small bites of meat tender, nicely seasoned and smoky, served with a sun-like pool of paprika and lemon aioli for extra pi uancy.

Cacio e pepe is what the gods in Mount Olympus eat in place of mac’n’cheese. Emilio tangles thick, slippery pici in a buttery cheese sauce perked up with black garlic under melting blobs of stracciatella –simple enough to do, as long as you’re Emilio. We share this along with the juiciest imaginable plate of hake a ua pazza – translation, ‘crazy water’ – fun to say, even more fun to eat, the light, poached fish dotted with mussels, chickpeas, peppers and sweet little cherry tomatoes, the whole tasting like summertime in Napoli. I expect Italian fishermen throw this kind of thing together as casually as we make beans on toast.

For pudding we order crunchy, creamy cannoli, because it always makes us feel like Tony Soprano, along with a panna cotta which has the kind of bouncy jiggle that 20 years ago we’d have made a Carry On joke about, but don’t dare to any more. It comes with dark chocolate and cherries, which may just be my all-time favourite combination of sweet flavours.

We leave, as usual, with the utmost reluctance, practically the last out through the door, the waiters whistling as the bar closes, etc, wishing for the hundredth time that this was our local, though knowing perfectly well that if it was, we’d end up in here twice a week and our bank balance would shrink in reverse proportion to our waistbands. When we do make it over to York Road, though, there’s nowhere else we’d rather be.

Guest Chef Events at Whatley Manor

Executive Chef, Ricki Weston has launched a series of Guest Chef events with Michelin starred Maestros.

10th April 2024, 7pm - Amandine Chaignot

For more than 20 years, chef Amandine Chaignot has been unveiling her cuisine in the most beautiful places in the world. A er having worked with the greatest, she is now the chef of her two restaurants ‘Pouliche’ and ‘Café de Luce’ in Paris. Since September 2013, she has been a member of the jury in the fourth season of the French version of Masterchef. Sturia Caviar will be presenting the best of their Caviar which is produced in the most sustainably minded way. £145pp including a Sparkling wine reception, an exquisite six-course menu concluding with coffee.

Book online, call Events on 01666 834 026 or email events@whatleymanor.com

WELCOME TO RED DRAGONS MARTIAL ARTS!

Red Dragons Martial Arts is a Bristol-based Martial Arts school operating across four locations in Bishopston, Henleaze and Horfield and a brand new venue now in Yate. We are committed to delivering quality, engaging Kickboxing classes in Bristol and developing our members both physically and mentally. We deliver a brand of high energy and disciplined fun. Our mission is to deliver fun and engaging martial arts classes for children and adults to the communities in Bristol.

0777 974 0432

info@reddragonsmartialarts.com

www.reddragonsmartialarts.com

The story of Bristol Life in 20 covers

hen we first launched in 2004 we were essentially a property publication. We always had a house on the cover, and we called ourselves Clifton Life, because that’s where all the best homes were back then.

In 200 we transformed into a lifestyle magazine. We ditched the house on the front’ rule, choosing punchier designs and fresh new fonts which would have made an industrial business park in windon look sexy, never mind a nice view of arbourside. Finally, in 20 , we changed our name to Bristol Life to reflect our increasing focus on the city as a whole.

In all, we’ve produced nearly 0 front covers. Choosing just 20 wasn’t easy, but here are just some we love from the past decade.

1 tarring on the front of the newly named Bristol Life in une 20 was a teenage aisie Williams. he remains the only human to have appeared on a BL cover twice; even Cary rant has only received that honour once.

2Remember that cool hoarding across the river from Welsh Back in 20 The message seemed appropriate for our 200th issue in October, so we took its photo and popped it on the cover.

3 ome of the most striking BL covers have featured street art. This beautiful blue-and-white piece by emma Compton, for pfest in uly 20 , will always be an all-time favourite.

4 treet art again This time it’s an Inkie, adding a bit of Bristol edge to our February 20 alentine’s cover.

5And again We’ve often featured ody’s work on our front cover; Lustre was created in uly 20 , when he was pfest’s festival artist.

6 ometimes using big words and numbers with a bit of graphic whizzery makes for the most impactful cover of all. Another milestone issue, August 20 .

7An exuberant collage by Colin oody of his photos of tokes Croft ontpelier, to accompany his book of the same name, in the autumn of 20 .

8 tare at the left side and the young Archie Leach comes to the fore. tare at the right, and the adult Cary rant pops out. agic Early winter, 20 .

9 In 20 , ody’s epic reta Thunburg mural made international news. We guessed it might, which is why we released two separate collector’s versions of the cover that summer.

10When Yoko Ono came to town in eptember 20 , and wrote Bristol a letter, what else could we do other than put it on the front cover

11Bristol’s chefs were heroes during the lockdowns. ere’s the Breaking Bread gang on the owns in early autumn, 2020.

12Summer of 2021. Bedminster: surprisingly photogenic, at least from certain angles . . .

13Stephen Merchant came back home in autumn 2021 to launch The Outlaws at Watershed.

14We gave Bristol Zoo a proper send-off in une 2022, with a look back at its 185-year history.

15Maisie Williams checked in again in December 2022, this time to tell us about her work with the azi roject, helping to alleviate food poverty in Bristol.

16Interiors have always been key to BL, and some of our prettiest covers have used fabric and wallpaper designs; this was the April issue of 2023.

“Bedminster: surprisingly photogenic from certain angles...”

17This une Wrong Trousers cover was extra-special because Aardman designed it just for us.

18 ayde in Totterdown, August 2023. Bristol on a stick.

19Our Bristmas Banksy homage in 2023. So far he hasn’t sued us.

20What can we say A 20th anniversary cover designed for us this month by the mighty Inkie. ow can we ever beat this n

All covers designed by Trevor Gilham; @trevgilham

GREAT BRISTOL SHOPS

So, what’s your go-to for the perfect gift, home accessory or latest fashions? Every Bristol postcode has its favourite shops – here are just 20 which pose a monthly threat to our bank balance

1Diana Porter, 33 Park Street; dianaporter.co.uk

When elegant Bristol women converge at any event, you’re likely to spot at least one of them wearing Diana’s Sybl necklace; it’s like being part of an uno cial club. As well as Diana’s own contemporary designs, the studio collaborates with many other jewellers, too. Sibyl necklace with three pendants etched with your choice of words, on leather or silver chains. From £136

2Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall; graceandmabel.co.uk

Owned by three sisters, this delightful Clifton boutique stocks high-end fashion, accessories and homeware, from Weekend MaxMara to Stine oya, By alene Birger, etc. Stine Goya SGKiana Jacket, £270

3Fox + Feather, 41 Gloucester Road; foxandfeather.co.uk

Independent fashion store bridging the gap between boutiques and the high street; affordable, fun and offering a friendly, personalised service. Reversible padded leopard-print coat by Another Sunday, £79

4 2

4Pod, 24 The Mall; thepodcompany.co.uk Clifton’s jewel box of a gift store; if you’re looking for a present and emerge emptyhanded, then frankly you haven’t tried hard enough. i i

5Bristol Guild, 68 Park Street; bristolguild.com Founded in 1908, the Guild was inspired by the philosophy of William Morris, and originally offered a place for artists and craftsmen to come together and sell their wares. Today it still

The place to get your midcentury furniture cool on. Clean, 3 5

showcases artists, while also operating as a bijou department store. You’ll have to pop in to see what they have, though – as they proudly state on their home page, they’ve been offering o ine shopping since 0 ’. Lovely bags and furniture and food, a gallery on the top floor, and more offbeat, covetable objets such as this manne uin. ni d nne in

6Oskar Furniture, 47 Whiteladies Road; oskarfurniture.co.uk

8

contemporary Scandi design predominates; prices aren’t given on the website, so you need to pay a visit; it’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

Arne Jacobsen The Egg™ chair and footstool, by Fritz Hansen, £POA

7Bo Concept, 76-78 Whiteladies Road; boconcept.com

Danish design company selling furniture and homeware informed by contemporary, minimal Scandi style.

When we win the lottery, our home e i i e t i et for £6,003

8That Thing, 45-47 Stokes Croft; thatthing.co

As Bristol as it gets, That Thing sells affordable jewellery, homeware, clothing and gifts from around 50 independent designers, most of them local, along with vintage finds and eco-inspired lifestyle products. Bumbag, handmade to order by Bristol’s Butchi & Gosmos, £28

9Mon Pote, 217a North Street; monpote.co.uk

Mon Pote began as pop-ups at Bristol markets, finally opening

its bricks-and-mortar shop in 2016, selling top Bristol, UK and European homeware, furniture, jewellery and skincare as well as conscious toys and accessories for kids. i eden i e armchair, £499

10

Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street; harveynichols.com

Nowhere else in Bristol stocks such stratospherically high-end, elegant and aspirational fashion and beauty brands. Burberry shearling wrap coat, £4,690

11Frankly Store, Cargo; frankly.store

Even in sustainable, caring Bristol, Frankly stands out for its ethical selection; every product gives back and supports people, the planet and wildlife. Inti Wool Peruvian alpaca n et

12Longwell Records, 36 Temple Street, Keynsham; longwellrecords.com

A legend in his own vinyl-loving lifetime, Iain Aitchison sells new and used records along with T-shirts and merchandise.

Sadowski Hair Salon

CURLY HAIR AND COLOUR SPECIALIST

At Sadowski, we offer a wide range of hair services, from cutting-edge haircuts to luxurious hair treatments. We believe in providing more than just a service; we offer an experience that celebrates your individuality. Whether you’re here for a simple trim or a complete makeover, we ensure that your visit is relaxing, enjoyable, and leaves you feeling rejuvenated.

SERVICES

Stylish Haircuts | Professional Colouring | Bespoke Styling

Nourishing Hair Treatments | Special Occasion Hairdos | Men’s Grooming

Tomasz is a curly hair PRO and has changed the way I do my hair for good. I had my first ever curly cut with him and have never looked back. He will give honest feedback and advice, and always listens to what you want. The salon is quiet, comfortable and in a good location with parking. – Ellie

BRILLIANT BOOKSHOPS

When we launched this magazine, Bristol had hardly any independent bookshops – now there are loads! Here are five of the best, all of whom host regular talks and author signing events

1Storysmith, 236 North Street

Dan and Emily stock a tightly curated range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. “We’re very happy to provide (and receive) recommendations,” they say. They serve Triple Co Roast coffee, and encourage you to linger while browsing.

2Bookhaus, Unit 4, Rope Walk

From their large Wapping Wharf unit, Jayne Pascoe and Kevin Ramage sell every kind of book you could think of, with a strongly leftleaning political bent, “to reflect Bristol’s tradition as a centre of radicalism”.

3Max Minerva’s, 47 Henleaze Road

On the site previously owned by Durdham Downs Bookshop, where Sam Taylor and Jessica Paul sell a range of suitably “marvellous books” along with toys, games and stationery.

Much more than a shop, it’s very inclusive and supportive of the local arts and music scene, and has hosted performances from a long line of big-name and emerging musicians.

Two-Tone T-shirt, £22

13Prior Shop, Unit M10 Quakers Friars; priormade.store

Artist and maker Beck Prior began by selling her wares from a studio in Old Market, before taking on the big guns in the

4Gloucester Road Books, 184 Gloucester Road

Tom Robinson opened his shop in April 2021 – “one of a small number of bookshops in the UK quixotic enough to spring up in the midst of the pandemic.”

As well as mainstream books there’s a big focus on small independent presses, while the Time and Place section encompasses books on history, travel and geography.

“We want to encourage people to browse as broadly as possible, and hope that breaking down some of the ubiquitous subject distinctions will help with that,” says Tom. “The most important thing to us is that the shop is a fascinating place to explore.”

5The Small City Bookshop, 201 Church Road

A community bookshop in Redfield run by friends Christie Cluett and Sarah Balfour. “We’ve carefully curated our range of adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction, which represents our tastes and reflects our beliefs of inclusivity of voice, character and theme; we sincerely hope that everyone can see themselves represented in our bookshop,” say Sarah and Chrissie.

heart of Cabot Circus, where she now runs a superstore selling both her own pieces and work by other artisans. Look out for new arrival Mint Plants.

Efa Jacket, £80

14Room 212, 212 Gloucester Road; room212.co.uk

If you had to sum up the Gloucester Road in one shop it would be this one, where Sarah Thorp sells Bristol art and craft by local makers. Sarah is

also hugely active in the North Bristol Artists trails, and the driving force behind many other local initiatives.

The Bristol Blues Print by Jenny Urquhart, £40

15Peregrine Clothing, Ashley Hill Trading Estate; peregrineclothing.co.uk

A heritage fashion brand, similar to Toast but operating out of Montpelier. Expect to pay a bit more than at high-street shops,

but the timeless pieces, many of them handwoven in traditional mills, will last you a lifetime. Maybe several.

Wool Overshirt, £195

16SPARKS, 78 Broadmead; sparksbristol.co.uk

A very Bristol affair. Co-created last year by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace, SPARKS moved into the old M&S store in Broadmead –hence the name – but in place of

BL columnists Emily and Dan of Storysmith Books. They’re the ones at the back

El Comado. That’s George

FABULOUS FOOD AND DRINK SHOPS

As well as the tasty array of butchers, fishmongers, bakers and grocers lining Bristol’s main drags, there’s a plethora of shops selling incredible cakes, brews and other treats

1Ahh Toots, 17 Christmas Steps

Art-focused bakery specialising in supremely beautiful cakes.

2Better Food: Wapping Wharf, St Werburgh’s, Whiteladies Road and Gloucester Road

Phil Haughton’s organic, local and ethical grocery stores.

3El Comado, 153 Gloucester Road Spanish food and deli.

4Bristol Cheesemonger, Unit 8, Cargo Award-winning cheeses.

5Papadeli, 84 Alma Road

Fine deli foods, takeaway dishes and frozen meals.

middle-class essentials such as comfy knickers and inoffensive homeware, it’s a department store with a difference, housing dozens of little indie shops.

From fashion and food to nature and energy, each department is designed to help shoppers to take easy, and often money-saving, actions on climate, equality and wellbeing.

Queer AF hoops, £18 from the Ethical Gift Shop

6Sweet Mart, 71-82 St Mark’s Road

The biggest supplier of ethnic foods and spices in the South West, with over 9,000 products, fresh produce and a new deli selling home-style cooked curries and fresh snacks.

7Wilsons Bread Shop, 18A Chandos Road

Not just freshly baked bread, hokkaido rolls, cakes and pastries, but the famous kojicured bacon and surplus veg, herbs and cut flowers from Jan and Mary’s own farm.

8Bristol Cider Company, 3 Gas Lane

Proper West Country ciders made from local apples.

9Espensen Spirit, 86 Whitehall Road

Sam Espenson’s artisan-flavoured vodkas and gins.

10

Divino Deli, 1 Worral Road Family-run Italian delicatessen

17East Street Emporium, 127 East Street; eaststemporium.com

Not a dissimilar model to SPARKS: an independent artisan shop selling mostly handmade wares and vintage from over 00 creative, independent small businesses.

Holly Forester daisy chain necklace, £100

18Maze, 26-28 The Mall; mazeclothing.co.uk

A family-run business selling a thoughtfully curated

SHOPPING

YMC Malick shirt, £165

selection of high- uality, functional clothing for men and women along with irresistible homeware.

19U Studio, 115 Gloucester Road; ustudio.shop

A mini ‘concept department store’ with a focus on the beautiful simplicity and craftsmanship of candinavian and apanese design. ome of the most fun greetings cards and stationery in town, and our local

go-to for those cute li’l Balinese

T-Lab wooden animals.

T-Lab handmade chihuahua, £15

20Otomi, 4 Boyce’s Avenue; otomi.co.uk

Bristol’s specialist shop for all-things exican, from food to ay of the ead figurines, Lucha Libre wrestling masks and gadgets you never knew you wanted or needed, from tortilla makers to lime s ueezers for margaritas.

Small Lava Stone Molcajete, £18

THE CLANAGE: THE NEW OUTDOOR EVENT VENUE

This glorious greenfield space is more than just a venue…

Imagine hosting your wedding or corporate function against the backdrop of the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. The Clanage offers breathtaking views that will leave your guests in awe. As the sun sets over the Avon Gorge, your celebration will be bathed in golden hues, creating memories that last a lifetime.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

The Clanage is more than just a venue; it’s a blank canvas waiting for your creative touch. With absolute freedom to design and decorate, add marquees, festival tents, pop up bars and catering, wherever your imagination takes you, transform this green oasis into anything your heart desires. From elegant weddings to vibrant festivals, our space adapts to your vision. Let your ideas run wild as you create an event that reflects your unique style.

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING AND MORE

Beyond bespoke events, The Clanage offers exciting corporate team-building activities. From thrilling Knockout Events to mindbending City Mazes, we’ll infuse energy and camaraderie into your team. Strengthen bonds, boost morale, and create lasting memories –all against the stunning backdrop of Bristol.

EXPERT EVENT PLANNING TEAM

Planning an event can be daunting, but fear not! The Clanage boasts an in-house event planning team ready to assist you every step of the way. Whether you’re organising a corporate gala or a whimsical garden party, our experts will ensure flawless execution. From logistics to decor, we’ve got you covered.

This glorious greenfield area spans approximately 13,700 square metres (or 3.4 acres). n

“ THE CLANAGE IS MORE THAN JUST A VENUE; IT’S A BLANK CANVAS WAITING FOR YOUR CREATIVE TOUCH ”

WHY CHOOSE THE CLANAGE?

• Location: Conveniently close to the city centre, The Clanage welcomes your guests.

• Views: The Clifton Suspension Bridge frames your celebration with breathtaking vistas.

• Versatility: Adapt our space to your needs – no boundaries, no restrictions.

• Professional support: Our experts make planning stress-free.

• Free onsite parking: For your convenience, we offer complimentary onsite parking. No need to worry about finding a spot – your focus can remain on enjoying the celebration.

DEED OF VARIATION

Sarah Burgess of AMD SOLICITORS tells us how a deed of variation could be beneficial to you

Finding out you are a beneficiary of someone’s will can be a nice reminder of how important you were to them during their lifetime but sometimes you may wish that the estate had been left differently. Perhaps you already have sufficient assets of your own, and would have preferred your children inherit something, or perhaps there has been a change of circumstances since the will was written and it would be more beneficial for the money to be paid into a trust fund.

WHAT IS A DEED OF VARIATION AND WHEN IS IT USED?

If a beneficiary of a will wishes to change who will inherit the assets they were due to receive they can do so using a deed of variation. A variation is a document used to alter who inherits from a will and can be used to redirect assets including cash, land, shares etc. It is advisable to instruct a solicitor to draft the deed to ensure that it is valid and any available tax savings are made.

“ IT IS ADVISABLE TO INSTRUCT A SOLICITOR TO DRAFT THE DEED TO ENSURE THAT IT IS VALID AND ANY AVAILABLE TAX SAVINGS ARE MADE ”

A deed of variation may be useful if:

• A beneficiary wishes to redirect the assets to someone who has a greater financial need

• A different beneficiary (eg a spouse) would be exempt from paying inheritance tax

• A different beneficiary may qualify for a particular relief that would otherwise be wasted, for example redirecting the deceased’s property to their child so the residence nil rate band can be claimed

• It would be beneficial to gift money to charity to support a good cause and benefit from a lower rate of inheritance tax which becomes payable if enough funds pass to charity

• There are any ambiguities over the interpretation of the will

• A beneficiary was excluded from the will and may make a claim against the estate

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DOING A DEED OF VARIATION?

• The beneficiary can decide who will inherit the asset, unlike a disclaimer where the beneficiary has no control over who will receive the asset once it has been given up by the original beneficiary;

• It can be used to rectify errors distributing an estate if an executor has already given an asset to someone else, for example; cars are sometimes given to younger family members so they can learn to drive.

• If drafted to include certain provisions, the deed can actually save the estate inheritance tax and capital gains tax especially if the will was made a while ago and there are now additional tax reliefs available.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE:

To be effective for tax saving purposes, a deed of variation must be executed within two years of the date of death. It cannot be used to vary a minor’s share of the estate and if the variation results in additional inheritance tax becoming payable then the executors of an estate will need to be involved.

If you think that a deed of variation may be beneficial to you then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. n

For advice on wills, inheritance tax, lasting powers of attorney, administration of estates and all other private client issues, please contact Sarah Burgess or another member of our team on 0117 962 1205, email info@amdsolicitors. com or call into one of our four ristol offices

100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze, BS9 4JZ

15 The Mall, Clifton, BS8 4DS

139 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, BS8 2PL

2 Station Road, Shirehampton, BS11 9TT www.amdsolicitors.com

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

The Bristol Life Awards 2024 are almost upon us. Prepare to party...

When: The Bristol Life Awards 2024 take place on Wednesday 27 March

Where: Ashton Gate, with the afterparty downstairs in the Sports Bar

Categories: There are 20 award categories ready to be won

Tickets: Last ones available on our website now, and selling out fast with huge demand

The Awards are the absolute highlight of the Bristol business social calendar.

Every year, they celebrate the quality of both seasoned Bristol professionals and remarkable up-and-coming talent, from all sectors of our business eco-system, all the while forging deep new relationships. The calibre of the nominees and the inventiveness, originality, and perseverance of the companies, initiatives, and people who contribute to the vibrant and diverse city’s success invariably astound us.

The judging process is detailed and painstaking; with each nomination examined, analysed, and discussed until we are left with simply the best. The judges are newly chosen each year, selected by Bristol Life from a variety of local sectors; you can read more about this year’s panel over the page, while on page 125 you can find some of our finalists and sponsors, in celebratory mood at a special reception we held on 27 February at

Death Disco. Collectively, they present a microcosm of the best the city has to offer.

Glamour is the name of the game on the big night, when everyone is dressed up to the nines (sometimes even tens) and ready to party at Ashton Gate, where CL Prop Hire will be on hand to capture all those ‘Insta or it didn’t happen’ moments. After a champagne reception, Ashton Gate will be serving dinner at tables exquisitely decorated with centrepieces created by Giant Cards.

The bold and brilliant Straysparks create the physical Awards themselves, while 6 O’Clock Gin provide an extra treat for the winners.

After we’re all done For the o cial Awards afterparty, head downstairs to the Sports Bar.

You can follow the fun on social media if you don’t manage to get tickets. Everybody else? We’ll see you on 27 March.

For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

THE JUDGES WILL DECIDE…

ELEANOR THATCHER, cidermaker, Thatchers Cider

Eleanor is a fifth-generation cider-maker at family business Thatchers. Born and brought up at Myrtle Farm, where cider has been made since 1904, she has farming in her blood. Eleanor’s passion is protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of the business for future generations.

EMILY HILL, co-founder and CEO, Ghyston

Emily is co-founder and CEO of Bristol-based software house Ghyston. Over 10 years old, Ghyston is a South-West leader in creating transformational software with a conscience. It commits 10% of annual profits to doing good, actively measure and reduce its impact on the planet, and regularly contributes to conversations around EDI in tech.

ROB NYE, head of South West & Wales, Cazenove Capital

Robert heads up the Bristol office of Cazenove Capital, the wealthmanagement arm of Schroders in the UK. He advises entrepreneurs across the South West region on their personal financial affairs, and also has a keen interest in charity as a trustee of the Creative Youth Network.

NICK ROBERTS, senior associate in commercial dispute resolution, Michelmores Nick is a commercial dispute resolution solicitor at Michelmores in Bristol. He helps business clients assert contractual rights, understand their options, and achieve the best possible resolution to disputes. Nick has also advised on claims at all levels up to the court of appeal.

SAVITA WILLMOTT, chief executive, The Natural History Consortium

The Natural History Consortium charity brings the region’s nature organisations together to work on communications and events such as the annual Festival of Nature. Savita has lived in Bristol for 20 years and especially loves the city’s arts, food and drink scene.

ROB HINGSTON, head of Origin, Origin Workspace

Rob’s role is to manage the £8 million redevelopment project of Origin’s property in Berkeley Square, transforming it into Bristol’s most contemporary co-working space. His senior position at David Lloyd Health Clubs as group HR manager saw him revolutionise employee turnover and engagement.

DR TINA RADKA, co-founder and managing director, Airsat Real Estate

Tina has over 10 years of experience in senior management, from a scientific background to the property sector, and has been an active member of Association of Residential Letting Agents for the past four years, specialising in lettings and property management.

FINALISTS & SPONSORS RECEPTION 2024

PHOTOS BY @JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

D.I.S.C.O.

On 27 February, the 2024 Bristol Life Awards finalists and sponsors headed to Hyde & Co’s new club, Death Disco on St Stephen Street, to celebrate their selection and to meet up with fellow shortlisters. We’ll see them all again at Ashton Gate for the Awards on 27 March...

For more: www.bristollfeawards.co.uk

Mylvaganum Kulendran, Fidel Meraz , Beccy Evans, Thilini Jothimuni and Emma Harvey

Becky Preece and Karys Bouher

Tom Bangham, Jessy Edgar, Sarah Pugh and Carita Middleton

Richard Freke, George Devane and Sam Clark

Nick Collins of headline sponsor CleverChefs

Krystal McNamara, Deborah Wilder, Alexander Savva and Sophia Savva

Ric Hill, Emma Downer and Jack Thomson

Verity Rogers, Meg Clifford, Jade Page and Louise Mills

Latoya Mcallister Jones, Emma Harvey and Fidel Meraz

Bethany Morton. Ruth Scanlon and Tom Hughes

Matt Pulton, Steph Dodd, Nick Collins and Ben Peacock

Kim Ingleby, Alice Harrington and Chris Kay

Benjamin Salguero, Ed Sargent and David Penson

Jenny Hollis, Ben Smith and Rebecca Sheehy

Bristol Life Awards 2024 Finalists

ARTS & CREATIVE

Sponsored by SLX

• Blow Creative

• Bristol Beacon

• Fable Studios

• Imagineerium

• Little Monster Media

• Rhombus Studio

• Trinity Community Arts

• Wake The Tiger

• The Wardrobe Theatre

• Wot Pots

BAR

Sponsored by Thatchers

• 6 O’clock Gin at The Glassboat

• Alma Tavern & Theatre

• The Bootlegger

• The Eastfield Pub

• Golden Crane

• The Greenbank Pub

BUSINESS SERVICES

Sponsored by EntreConf

• Admire PR

• AMBITIOUS

• Beautynet

• Changing Social

• DeskLodge

• Huboo Technologies

• Marlin Communications

• One25

• SARSAS

• Unseen UK

• Young Bristol

CIVIC

Sponsored by Hawkins Insolvency

• All About The Cooks

• Bristol Memorial Woodlands

• Core3

• Future Stars Coaching

• Lexia Education Services

• Loom Digital

• Made for Impact

• Nextgen Circle

• Noble Performs

• Progressive Sports Bristol & South Gloucestershire

EMPLOYER

• Admire PR

• AMBITIOUS

• Baltimore Consulting

• Beautynet

• Cogito Talent

• DeskLodge

• Flagship Consulting

• IDS Refrigeration

• Loom Digital

• Proctor & Stevenson

• Ridge and Partners

Services

• Integrity365

• Ovation Finance

HAIR & BEAUTY

• Allure Lash Lounge

• GlamSquad Bristol

• Lori Lori

• Nuala Morey Salon

HEALTH & WELLBEING

• Bristol Physiotherapy Sports Injury Clinic

• Comfort Health

• Energised Performance UK

• Nailsea Physio

• Orchard Sauna

• Progressive Sports Bristol & South Gloucestershire

• Ripples Wellbeing

• Sensate Spa and Studios

• So Divine

• Soccer Shooters

HOMES & INTERIORS

• Chaunceys Timber Flooring

• Clifton Outdoor Kitchens

• Cotswold Design

• Ashton Gate Stadium

• Bristol Beacon

• Bristol Rovers Football Club

• Brunel’s SS Great Britain

• First Table

• The Mount Without

• Quarter

• Wake The Tiger

NEW BUSINESS

Sponsored by JAS Building Services

• Be The Change – HR Consultancy

• Capsule Properties

• Clifton Outdoor Kitchens

• COR Restaurant

• DIY With Emma

• Edgie Eats

• The Granary

• Noah’s

• Ruby Hue Chocolate Makers

• Silver & Steel

• Sparks Bristol

PEOPLE SERVICES

• ActionCOACH Bristol

• Baltimore Consulting

• Capio Recruitment

• Cleverchefs

• Cogito Talent

Hampton

• Missiato Design & Build

• Ridge and Partners

• SBS Design & Build

RESTAURANT

• BANK

• COR Restaurant

• De Vere Tortworth Court

• The Eastfield Pub

• The Granary

• Harbour House

• The Hideaway

• KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar

• The Knowle Pub

• The Rose & Crown

• Westbury Park Pub & Kitchen

RETAIL

Sponsored by

So Divine

• 6 O’clock Gin

• Chaunceys Timber Flooring

• Huboo Technologies

• Ruby Hue Chocolate Makers

• Sprouts of Bristol

SUSTAINABILITY

• N3 Display Graphics

• Noble Performs

• PGI – Protection Group International

• SLX

• ZiaBia Events Consultancy

CHARITY

• BillyChip

• Bristol After Stroke

• Bristol Animal Rescue Centre

• Bristol Autism Support

• Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity

• Great Western Air Ambulance Charity

• Shakespeare Martineau

EVENT

Sponsored by Bristol Life

• EJ Studio

• Core3

Sponsored by Lexus Bristol

• Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home

• The MAZI Project

• Migrateful

Platinum sponsor:

• Bristol Light Festival

• Bristol Northern Soul Club

• Bristol Pride

• Circus City by Handstand Arts

• Great Weston Ride

• St Pauls Carnival

FINANCIAL

• Beewise FS

• C&C Commercial Finance

• Evans Entwistle Chartered Accountants & Tax Advisors

• Hartsfield Financial

• Ivywell Interiors

• JAS Building Services

• Kitchens By Nolte

• Kutchenhaus Kitchens Bristol

• Marta Rossato Interiors

• Vyoo Windows

LEGAL

Sponsored by ZiaBia Events Consultancy

• AMD Solicitors

• Bevan Brittan

• Rubric Law

• Shakespeare Martineau

LEISURE & TOURISM

Sponsored by Alliance

Wales & West

• Adventure Bristol

Sponsors:

• Flagship Consulting

• Freelance Mum

• H2R Selection

• Matthew Olivers

• Safehands Recruitment

Bristol

• Workwell PCS

PROPERTY

Sponsored by Bristol Property Awards

• 299 Lighting

• The Build Bristol Group

• Burston Cook

• The Former Bank of England by Mint Stays – by Vertex Investments

• JAS Building Services

• KPA – Property Management Bristol

• Lambert Smith

• The Assemblies

• Chaunceys Timber Flooring

• Couture to Your Door

– Wear My Wardrobe Out

• Ghyston

• SLX

• Sparks Bristol

• Sustainable Construction Services

TECHNOLOGY

• CL Electrical Controls

• DATA³

• Dial A Geek

• First Table

• Ghyston

• Huboo Technologies

• Signable

• TVNET

• WestSpring IT

“We are so proud of all our achievements so far...”

- Andrew Sperring, CEO

URBANE ECO LTD A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN 20 YEARS!

In 2004, URBANE was a long-standing, Bristol-based, family-run building company based in Redland.... we’ve come a long way since then.

Urbane has evolved into an awardwinning sustainable building company with a focus on energy efficiency, insulation, and airtightness using natural and breathable materials, with a unit in St Anne’s where we sell natural insulation materials and run trainings.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST 20 YEARS

n , we were winners in the Bristol Evening Post Business Awards in the Contribution to the Community category with our free Holistic Building Forum open evenings, featuring pioneers in the sustainable building field such as the late Neil ay E, who lead the way in recognising the importance of breathability in the building fabric and the benefits it gives to both the health of the building and the occupants. Neil greatly inspired our founder, Nick loyd, and his work is a mainstay of our ethos.

We retrofitted the Bristol City Council show home in Easton for their Energy Upgrade Scheme and were one of the few local companies to gain PAS2030 accreditation allowing us to participate as contractors in the scheme, successfully completing many energyefficiency upgrades for homeowners in Bristol. he ssessor stated that Nick loyd’s work is an example of best practice .

We moved to our unit in St Anne’s in 2015 and in 2017 we were voted one of the West

of England TOP 50 Green Companies by the public. n , we were highly commended in the Sunday Telegraph magazine homebuilding competition for our innovative new build eco house in Bristol and were finalists in the Green Initiative Category of the Bristol Life Awards!

ut most importantly, Urbane Eco has retrofitted and upgraded 100s of homes in ristol, using an innovative mix of traditional building materials and methods, and a scientific understanding of building biology and building physics. Nick continues to be on the steering committee of the prestigious, locally based Green Register of Building rofessionals, started by another green pioneer, architect ucy edlar, and we are dedicated to improving the beautiful heritage building stock of our city.

SO.... WHAT’S NEXT?

e now want to pass on our knowledge, techniques and systems to local builders who may wish to move into the energy-efficiency market, and in order to achieve this, we are delighted to announce that we have won a grant from YTKO-BrisBes to create an Urbane Eco handbook outlining our ethos, methods,

and systems. ou see, of the en uiries for our services that we get every week, we only have the capacity to take on , but by putting a small franchise-type system in place, underpinned by a fully comprehensive handbook and supportive but rigorous uality control measures, we hope we can expand our reach and thereby continue to support the people of Bristol and the surrounding area to upgrade their homes healthily, naturally, and efficiently – the Urbane Way. n

15,

www.urbane-eco.co.uk

Metro Mayor Dan Norris talking to two of the experienced Urbane Eco team, Tom and Kyle, who were retrofitting four homes on Philip Street in Bristol

Urbane Eco – For Healthy Homes

M DE

PROJECT MANAGERS AND QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF A LARGE CORPORATE IN A SMALLER SME.

“Mode added value to the project team. I think it’s important to have a professional consultant that’s interested in the vision, as well as the total cost”

- James Pomphrey, 299 Lighting

-

WINNING EXCELLENCE -

Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

St Barts Parish Hall FOR SALE - POA

2,700 sq ft (250.83 sq m)

A unique opportunity to purchase a church hall in the excellent sought after area of St Andrews to suit a variety of uses. Adjacent parcel of land (0.09 acres) potentially available by way of separate negotiation.

Springfield House, BS1

TO LET - POA

From 1,445 – 8,444 sq ft (134 – 784 sq m)

A modern office providing bright accommodation with dual aspect outlook over Welsh Back. Secure on site car parking and bike storage. Due to be refurbished throughout.

Lower Park Row, Bristol

TO LET - POA, 406 sq ft – 2,429 (38 - 225 sq m)

A charming building with a large car park to the rear. Available floor by floor or as a whole. Class E. The property also benefits from a glazed shop frontage which would be suitable for various retail uses.

Portwall Lane, BS1

TO LET – POA

Floors from 1,366 – 9,500 sq ft (126.90 sq m – 882.57sq m)

A Grade A office building which has been sympathetically refurbished to the highest standard, with strong ESG credentials.

St.Thomas Street, BS1

TO LET - POA

10,907 – 26,945 sq ft (1,013 – 2,503 sq ft)

HQ office building with secure parking for 21 cars. To lease as a whole or floor by floor. Would suit other commercial uses. Highly competitive quoting rent.

Barley House, Oakfield Grove, BS8

TO LET – POA

16,640 sq ft (1,546 sq m)

Offices to let with 23 car parking spaces. Available as a whole or on a floor-by-floor basis and suitable for a wide variety of alternative commercial uses (STP).

Gloucester Road, BS7

TO LET - POA

2,318 sq ft (215.35 sq m)

A ground floor “Class E” unit available to let of approx. 2,318 sq. ft (215.34 sq. m). Could suit many uses, available from the end of March 2024.

Henleaze Road, Henleaze

TO LET

607 sq ft (56.93 sq m)

A ground floor “Class E” unit available on Henleaze Road. Configured as multiple office rooms at present, the property could suit a variety of uses.

Queen Square, BS1

TO LET 480 – 1,730 sq ft (44.5 – 160.7 sq m)

An impressive office which is due to be extensively refurbished throughout and could suit a range of uses (STC). Available as a whole or on a floor by floor basis.

Hill Street, BS1

OFFICE TO LET - POA

5,621 sq ft (522.20 sq m)

A Fantastic example of 1970’s brutalist architecture. The suite provides modern open plan accommodation which has been extensively refurbished. Benefits from 6 car parking spaces & bike storage.

Julian Cook

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Vicki

Charlie

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20 BRISTOL TRACKS –ONE FOR EACH YEAR OF CELEBRATING THE CITY

If you’re celebrating an anniversary you need a party, right? And what you need for a party are some proper homegrown bangers

1. Teardrop, Massive Attack

2. LastRockers, Vice Squad

We asked RICHARD JONES of Tangent Books – publishing curator of all that’s great about Bristol culture – to choose a top 20 playlist for our anniversary. Just scan the code, then dance like nobody’s watching

11. Aftermath, Tricky, Martina Topley-Bird

12. WalkOn, Smith & Mighty

3. JacketHangs, Blue Aeroplanes

4. DelilahSands, Brilliant Corners

5. DoleAge, Talisman

6. Papa’sGotaBrandNewPigbag, Pigbag

7. WishingonaStar , Fresh 4 Featuring Lizz E

8. WellDone, Idles

9. BrownPaperBag, Roni Size and Reprazent

10. GloryBox, Portishead

13. TwoThievesand aLiar , Gary Clail

14. SheisBeyondGoodandEvil, The Pop Group

15. FascistDictator , The Cortinas

16. MoveOn, Black Roots

17. SunisintheSky , The Seers

18. WhatILike, The Lovely Basement

19. Sway, Strangelove

20. FriendsandCountrymen, Wild Bunch

Trip-hop pioneer Tricky: from Massive Attack to Maxinquaye, making Bristol proud for almost four decades