- Bristol
- (159)
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United Kingdom
This is a great place for either a few drinks in the bars downstairs (The Star bars) or an amazing dinner in the Italian-influenced restaurant upstairs (The Dove). I've done both (the bars several times!) and I love it there! Always have a good time. Really close to Victoria Park so it's the perfect place for a cheeky cider during a day in the sun. Get involved!
The Star & Dove, 75-78 St Luke's Road, Totterdown, Bristol BS3 4RY
0117 300 3712
It's the best idea I've seen in ages. A fully automated, no-nonsense hotel on the outskirts of the city. I mean 10 minutes' walk away. The single rooms cost just £29 per night but are very clean and tidy. Free broadband helps too.
They are a really nice group. I hired them once and would recommend them to everyone. It's really easy, I just emailed them and we set it up from there.
It's an alternative music show with a focus on local bands and gigs. It puts the local scene in context with the wider alternative music world, so it actually plays tracks by bands from all over the globe, not just Bristol.
You'll hear loads of new music and plenty of bands/artists getting their first radio play, interviews and sessions too, alongside the better known. It's presented by Richard Pitt and Gary Smith. They have two shows on at the weekend. There should be more local radio like this.
You can hear the show on line. You'll find links to the BBC i-Player from www.myspace.com/bristoluncovered or via www.bbc.co.uk/bristol just follow the entertainment and local music links.
A classic city centre park. Trees and paths take you from the park to the shops and general vibrancy of Gloucester Rd. Great all year round. And now with added coffee courtesy of some entrepreneurial soul - complete with table cloths and yummy snacks. A great place to while away an hour or two. Or the whole day.
Off Effingham Rd
tinyurl.com/28cxmj
Nearest station: Montpelier
Up and down Stokes Croft, near the centre of Bristol, there's an explosion of street art. On Jamaica Street there's an outdoor art gallery organised by the People's Republic of Stokes Croft. There are plenty of hoardings up and down Stokes Croft with interesting street-art and you can see the Banksy piece, The Mild Mild West. The shops and clubs are picking up the theme too. Don't forget to take your camera.
Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1
Jamaica St, Bristol, BS2 8JP
People's Republic of Stokes Croft www.prsc.org.uk/
You can see my article about Stokes Croft Graffiti on my blog
heatheronhertravels.blogspot.com/2008/03/graffiti-tourism-in-bristol.html
An oasis of a cafe on Gloucester Road. Relaxing and very friendly. Serving organic vegetarian food, delicious homemade cakes and the best hot chocolate. Includes vegan and gluten free options.
Old Vicarage, Gloucester Road, Bishopston (same building as Amitabha Meditation Centre)
0117 9745160
A club with lots of character, the Thekla is a boat and consists of two floors and a heated deck. Brilliant food is served all day and in the evening it turns into a live venue, which is often followed by a club night. Whether the performers are well-known or up and coming, the Thekla always seems to get it just right.
The Grove
East Mud Dock
Bristol BS1 4RB
0117 929 3301
www.theklabristol.co.uk
Clockwork is a big club with a warehouse feel and has played host to some of the best dub, hip-hop, electro, jungle and drum & bass artists around such as Foreign Beggars, Klaxons, Hot Chip, Congo Natty and Easy Star All-Stars.
Cheltenham Road
Stokes Croft
Bristol
BS1 3PR
www.clockworkclub.co.uk
Someone had a genius idea of making an old boat into a club. The acoustics are great - equipped for both DJs and bands who can pump out their tunes to a resonating effect within the boat's hull. It offers a triple decker sandwich of floors, the top being a bar and (lucky for smokers) a large outside deck complete with heaters! Straight down to the bottom, the hull becomes the main dance floor including a second bar. The selection of bands that play ranges from local to large, alternative to just plain awesome. Thursday is club night, Friday and Saturday if you want the next step up for music!
The Grove, East Mud Dock, BS1 4RB
next to River station restaurant.
www.theklabristol.co.uk
Cosies is a great little underground (both literally and figuratively!) bar. By day it's decent food and drinks suitable for the many office workers based nearby, by night it's more for the clubbing community who fancy some breakbeats, MCs, DJs, live acts.
Go on a Friday or a Saturday night and someone will generally start making some noise from 10ish. Otherwise, Martin can sort you out with another drink while you wait.
www.cosies.co.uk
34 Portland Square
Bristol, BS2 8RG
0117 942 4110
The Thekla is a bar/club and a boat. It is moored on the river and hosts amazing gigs along with regular club nights. I reccommend it because of the intimate setting, unrivalled sound system and the quirkiness of raving away on a boat which manifests itself as unnerving swaying while dancing away. The bar staff are friendly and it attracts an eclectic mix of patrons.
Thekla, mud dock, Bristol....nearest station Bristol Temple Meads.
The Trinity Arts Centre is a beautiful old church that is now used as a gig venue and even holds a retro and flea market every few months. The combination of the lovely surroundings and the great artists who play there (including Public Enemy, Patrick Wolf, Devendra Banhart, Dreadzone and The Maccabees to name but a few) make it one of the most exciting live venues in Bristol.
Trinity Road, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, BS2 0NW
www.3ca.org.uk/
This is a great venue, it's a boat in the central Bristol docks, has a great booking policy, has a lot of secret gigs, there's various bars on the boat so I've never had to spend half the gig queueing up for a drink and it has a club after the bands so no rushing off afterwards. Relaxed and perfect, wish more venues were like it.
Thekla
The Grove
East Mud Dock
Bristol
Avon
BS1 4RB
www.myspace.com/theklabristol
The Old Duke is a music venue situated on the cobbled King Street in the heart of Bristol. Named after Duke Ellington, the pub has become world famous for its live traditional, New Orleans inspired jazz music.
More recently the pub has added blues and more modern jazz bands to its program and now has live music on every night of the week and on Sunday lunch times.
Good real ale, and outdoor seating makes for a cracking summer evening spot
The Old Duke
45 King Street
Bristol BS1 4ER
Tel: 0117 9277137
Email: info@TheOldDuke.com
www.theoldduke.com/
Newly refurbished Bar BS3 in Ashton, Bristol has a pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff, a good entertainment programme including karaoke, DJ music, live entertainment and a quiz night. There is a great menu of freshly prepared and charcoal-grilled steaks, burgers, chicken wings and vegetarian options at very affordable prices.
Ashton Road, opposite Greville Smyth Park and just along from the Bristol City Football ground
YourSushi gives sushi lessons in Bristol. They also do sushi parties where the chef will come in your kitchen with literally everything, entertain you and teach you how to make sushi with your friends.
We had a Sushi party (eight of us) and we spent a very nice, yummy and fun evening.
When the chef left the place was clean, we enjoyed our meal and tried to do some more with the sushi kit he left us. Very nice!
There is no hotel called Bristol in Bristol. But there must be about 200 of them around the world. Whether these are named after the West Country city, or after the gallivanting 4th Earl of Bristol, nobody seems to know. I have listed all the ones I can find on allbristolhotels.blogspot.com. Which ones have I missed? Does anyone know about any other Hotel Bristols?
If you are after a fun-filled yet educational trip for your children, this is the place to go. It's an inclusive science centre that caters to all age groups, including children under eight years old.
It refreshes exhibitions yearly and the most recent one, Fossils and Funny Bones, is specially designed for early years learners. By the end of this year, there will be even more on offer in the science centre with two new exhibitions, Inside DNA (all about human genome) and LoveSport.
The science centre is located right at the heart of Bristol harbourside, which provides the perfect setting for a great family day out!
Address: Anchor Road, Habourside, BS1 5DB
Info: 08453451235
URL: www.at-bristol.org.uk
Nearest station: Bristol Temple Meads
South of the river in Bristol is a bit of a nightlife black hole if you're not in Southville - but with the arrival of the S&D, the Windmill and the Bocabar, things are becoming slightly more exciting.
The S&D wins out over the other two though, because of its fantastic food, some of the best I've had in Bristol (better than many mediocre but far more expensive restaurants in town - Riverstation I'm looking at you).
It's not totally gastro though - downstairs is a more traditional pub, though wonky and trendy in that reclaimed-furniture style. And it's right by a big park. Lovely!
75-78 St Luke's Road, Totterdown
www.thestaranddove.co.uk
0117 300 3712
About 15 minutes' walk from the town centre.
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