What’s on in Bristol | Independent Magazine | Bristol24/7

News / Hospitality
Hospitality businesses back ten per cent VAT campaign
The food and drink sector has been struggling with rising costs
News / Crime
Four-year sentence for human trafficker and brothel keeper
The man's crimes were uncovered during a separate investigation into human trafficking
News / womad
World’s biggest global music festival spotlights Bristol
The festival was born in Bristol and, after 40 years, is now honouring that seminal relationship
News / Bristol
Daily Telegraph calls Bristol ‘most annoying city in Britain’
Their ire extends to include topography, Brutalist architecture, street art, bikes and bakeries

Highlights

Things To Do / Bristol
29 things to do in Bristol this week, June 15-21 2026
Highlights this week include Bristol Comedy Garden, Aurora Orchestra and more
Read more
Music / Reviews
Review: Aurora Orchestra, St George’s – ‘A mesmeric demystification of a master’
The unique rendition by the stellar ensemble unveiled the anatomy of a staple of symphonic canon
Read more
News / community spaces
‘There are so many spaces over time that have been lost – it’s a crisis’
Inside the campaign for community ownership of a popular neighbourhood building in east Bristol
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News / Crime
17-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder after hit-and-run
Three other people have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender
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Your say / Transport
‘A council-owned bus company would provide the efficient service Bristol deserves’
Tim Rippington says a Bristol bus company running services under the WECA umbrella should happen
Read more
News / Politics
Sudan-born councillor says tragedies ‘cannot be exploited to spread hatred’
Mohamed Makawi has responded to the recent events in Belfast which has seen two nights of rioting
Read more

News and Features

News / community spaces
‘There are so many spaces over time that have been lost – it’s a crisis’
Inside the campaign for community ownership of a popular neighbourhood building in east Bristol
Read more
News / Bristol
Daily Telegraph calls Bristol ‘most annoying city in Britain’
Their ire extends to include topography, Brutalist architecture, street art, bikes and bakeries
Read more
News / Crime
Four-year sentence for human trafficker and brothel keeper
The man's crimes were uncovered during a separate investigation into human trafficking
Read more
News / Crime
17-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder after hit-and-run
Three other people have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender
Read more
News / Bristol Dockyards
SS Great Britain site becomes Bristol Dockyards
It comes ahead of the opening of a new museum next to Brunel's world famous ship
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News / Crime
Man left in life-threatening condition after hit and run
Police are searching for the driver of a black Mini Cooper
Read more
News / Infrastructure
Residents in repair row over crumbling wall
There are fears mounting that, without a resolution, the centuries-old wall could collapse
Read more
News / Bristol Birdman
Hundreds gather for Bristol Birdman 2026
From Concorde to a can of Clear Head, pilots put inventive flying machines to the test
Read more
News / Aardman
Knighthoods for Aardman co-founders
Peter Lord and David Sproxton said the honour is “an extraordinary privilege”
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News / Festival of Chariots
Hindu chariot festival rolls through Bristol
"We want to celebrate in this era of so many difficulties"
Read more

Culture

Music / Reviews
Review: Aurora Orchestra, St George’s – ‘A mesmeric demystification of a master’
The unique rendition by the stellar ensemble unveiled the anatomy of a staple of symphonic canon
Read more
News / Wellness
Optometrist-turned wellness founder’s next chapter
The wellness founder has committed what she has learnt over the years into a book
Read more
Circus / Aylmers Circus
Aylmers Circus on the up and up with a brand-new tour that ends in Bristol
‘Making a Scene’ stars Nancy Trotter Landry as ‘a gloriously unhinged director’
Read more
Music / music tech
New app designed to bolster Bristol’s music community
It's designed to make the life of Bristol's musicians, bands, promoters and venues easier
Read more
Writing / Flash Fiction Festival
Return of the Flash Fiction Festival celebrates the ‘short-short story’
The event will take place at Trinity College in Stoke Bishop in July
Read more
Art / News
Mystery statues appear
The guerrilla installation depicts two figures wielding a weapon and a sign
Read more
Music / Reviews
Review: Hawkwind, Bristol Beacon – ‘The veteran space rockers’ best in years’
Veteran space rockers play their best local show in years
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Theatre / Reviews
Review: Island Town / Blackthorn, The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Brilliant examples of the pure magic that BOVTS can produce from young talent’
It’s the concluding double bill in the 2026 BOVTS Summer Festival
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Music / Reviews
Review: Voivod/Midnight, Thekla
Veterans deliver a masterclass in cyber-metal
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Theatre / Reviews
Review: An Ideal Husband, Bristol Old Vic – ‘This joyous production allows Wilde’s wit to sparkle once again’
Director Nicholai La Barrie gives Oscar Wilde’s classic play a stylish and contemporary twist
Read more

Food and Drink

News / Hospitality
Hospitality businesses back ten per cent VAT campaign
The food and drink sector has been struggling with rising costs
Read more
News / Cafes
New cafe on four wheels opens next to pub
The Volly Cafe was the Little Taquero in its former life
Read more
News / Restaurants
Barbecue restaurant team opens sister site
The Smokebox team have opened sister restaurant Fire Pit
Read more
News / Cafes
Is this Bristol’s most secluded cafe?
Embers is in the heart of a former animal sanctuary that is now a 13-acre woodland
Read more
News / EatDrink24/7
Bristol’s lesser known culinary gems
Each new edition of EatDrink24/7 brings the joy of discovering culinary gems across Bristol
Read more
News / coffee
New coffee range to support men’s mental health charity
Ten per cent of the sales of the new coffee range will go to Talk Club
Read more
News / The Union Arms
Pub reopens with new name following £400,000 refurbishment
The pub was closed for six weeks for the major refurbishment
Read more
News / Bakeries
Homeware shop to host bakery pop-ups
Three pop-ups will take place over the summer months
Read more
News / Cafes
Hospitality duo open first independent venture
The business is bringing Italian deli-inspired sandwiches to Wapping Wharf
Read more
News / coffee
Coffee van provides caffeination and brand awareness
Canons Wharf is the multimillion-pound redevelopment of the former Lloyds headquarters
Read more

Bristol Legends

News / Bristol Legends
Bristol business founder recognised in King’s Birthday Honours
The Bristol Legends Awards winner has been awarded an MBE for services to education and skills
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Books / Bristol Legends
‘Representation is so important in children’s books’
Bristol poet and writer, Stephen Lightbown, has written a children's book, My Dad Can
Read more
Features / Bristol Legends
If I Knew Then: Heather Frankham
Heather Frankham was the winner of the Bristol Legends Awards in the business leaders category
Read more
Features / Bristol Legends
Bristol Legends 2026 mini-documentaries: sustainability
Watch our panellists talk about Bristol's legendary environmental campaigners, companies and causes
Read more
Other Sport / Bristol Legends
‘The best sport you’ve never heard of’
Inside the Bristol korfball club which has elite players yet inclusivity at its heart
Read more
Features / Bristol Legends
Bristol Legends 2026 mini-documentaries: community
Watch our panellists talk about Bristol Legends' 2026 community shortlist
Read more
Features / Bristol Legends
Meet the man with the best job in Bristol
Bristol’s official Sustainability Legend Mark Leach gives an insight into his work
Read more
Film / Bristol Legends
Growing a movement of storytellers
Mafia Weekend’s James Broadley on community resilience and storytelling
Read more
News / Bristol Legends
Bristol Legends 2026 mini-documentaries: food & drink
Watch our esteemed panellists talk about Bristol Legends' 2026 food and drink shortlist
Read more
Dance / Bristol Legends
Divija Melally performs dance-theatre collaboration with Saili Katebe
‘One Foot In The Dark’ will appear as part of the festival programme for DIASPORA!
Read more

Opinion

Your say / Transport
‘A council-owned bus company would provide the efficient service Bristol deserves’
Tim Rippington says a Bristol bus company running services under the WECA umbrella should happen
Read more
Your say / Housing crisis
‘The cost of renting crisis isn’t going away unless we take decisive action’
Ruth Day argues that politicians must introduce rent controls
Read more
Your say / Housing
‘Co-living offers a solution to Bristol’s housing crisis’
Robin Gray from Alec French Architects says there are many attractions of the co-living model
Read more
Your say / young people
‘Young people are not short of ambition, they are short of opportunity’
Policymakers, employers and communities must act together, writes Poku Osei
Read more
Your say / Politics
‘Stuck in Bristol traffic? It’s the real-world consequence of playground politics’
A political falling out has led to road chaos, writes Steve Smith
Read more
Your say / Kashmir
‘While events may be taking place far away, worry and uncertainty are being felt every day in Bristol’
Councillor Abdul Malik highlights the deep distress felt by Bristol’s Kashmiri community
Read more
Your say / Hospitality
‘Every time you choose a chain over an independent, another small part of Bristol dies’
Bristol is lauded for our independent spirit but it is remarkable how swiftly that is being eroded
Read more
Your say / Transport
‘Voi would be proud to return to rejoin a community we know and care about’
Voi's Christina Moe Gjerde makes the case for bringing the familiar e-scooters back to Bristol
Read more
Your say / green space
‘Bristol’s green spaces are at risk – we need to speak up’
Bristol Tree Forum says our city's green spaces are under threat and we need to act now
Read more
Your say / walking
‘The history of walking is tied up with a history of exclusion’
Dr Eleanor Rycroft puts walking today into its historical context
Read more

Climate

Features / nature connection
The organisation asking ‘who gets to feel safe in nature?’
The Black-led CIC works to strengthen racial equity in nature
Read more
Features / nature connection
‘Stories, firelight, space to grow’ – Inside the Birch Collective’s summer celebration
The collective supports young people's mental health with nature connection
Read more
News / river avon
River rights could be recognised by first ever bioregional charter
A pilgrimage along the river will celebrate the hard efforts of campaigners over the last five years
Read more
News / art and science
Outdoor exhibition conjures ‘portals to different realities’
The exhibition explores the power and potential of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere
Read more
News / St Mary Redcliffe Church
Vicar scales historic church spire to support solar panel project
Dr Brutus Green coolly climbed to the weather vane at the top of St Mary Redcliffe Church
Read more
News / Felton Common
The ‘historic, much-loved’ green space threatened by airport expansion
Attendees can hear from an owl expert, an ecologist and a local farmer
Read more
News / carbon neutral
New interactive exhibit explores carbon-free Bristol
A new partnership hopes to increase awareness about low carbon energy infrastructure in Bristol
Read more
News / Nature
Urgent action needed to reverse nature decline
62 per cent of fish species and 44 per cent of birds are declining across the West of England
Read more
News / community radio
Community organisation secures lottery funding for radio show on climate change
The Bristol-based organisation, which amplifies South Asian voices, has secured the funding
Read more
News / Bristol airport
Airport’s expansion plans ‘show no consideration’ to residents
Bristol Airport is trying to get planning permission to expand to 100,000 flights per year
Read more

Lifestyle

Homes and Gardens / open gardens
In photos: Clifton & Hotwells Open Gardens 2026
Rob Browne explores Bristol's green havens hidden behind Georgian homes
Read more
Shops / News
New tarot shop opens for ‘spiritual guidance’
Altar & Arcana is hidden within a former 18th century coffee house
Read more
Health and Fitness / Easton Leisure Centre
What are women-only spaces really for?
A closer look inside one of Bristol’s newest women-only gyms
Read more
Shops / Shop of the Week
Shop of the Week: Lowlands, Colston Street
What began as a living room pop-up has grown into a destination for art and design enthusiasts
Read more
Shops / Shop of the Week
Shop of the Week: Avonmouth Paint & Supplies, Avonmouth
Meet the sustainable specialists that can supply “any paint you can imagine"
Read more
News / Advertising Feature
A Better Weekend in Bristol Does Not Have to Cost More
Advertising feature
Read more
Homes and Gardens / Advertising Feature
How Mattress Design Has Changed In The Last Decade
Advertising feature
Read more
Cycling / Social enterprise
How FixX Bikes is Changing Young Lives in Hartcliffe
Cycle business that started in a garage in Hartcliffe has grown into a thriving social enterprise
Read more
Shops / Shop of the Week
Shop of the Week: Paper Plane, Gloucester Road
The beloved gift shop has built a community around art and passion
Read more
Features / Advertising Feature
Festival of Nature is back this June – and bigger than ever
Everything from the hidden life of trees to the wonders of nature at night
Read more

Business

News / Wellness
Optometrist-turned wellness founder’s next chapter
The wellness founder has committed what she has learnt over the years into a book
Read more
Better Business / Member profile
‘A Better Bristol means a more thoughtful, generous and sharing city’
Anna Perry is the chair of trustees and an active volunteer at Share Bristol
Read more
News / AI
AI startup to connect disadvantaged people with vital services
The IT graduate was inspired to develop the new app after working at a local charity
Read more
News / King's Honours
Bristol business founder recognised in King’s Birthday Honours
The Bristol Legends Awards winner has been awarded an MBE for services to education and skills
Read more
Better Business / Member profile
Bristol Rovers Community Trust joins the Bristol24/7 Better Business network
Bristol Rovers Community Trust uses the power of sport to inspire positive change
Read more
Better Business / Member profile
Tanuki joins the Bristol24/7 Better Business network
Tanuki produces creative marketing campaigns for purpose-led organisations
Read more
Television / television production
Netflix series producer launches TV production company in Bristol
The new production company joins a host of creative tenants at The Bottle Yard Studios
Read more
Better Business / Member news
Xero and Making Tax Digital masterclass for small business owners
Making Tax Digital is one of the biggest changes to affect small businesses
Read more
Features / Advertising Feature
Why Small Form Factor PCs Are Ideal for the UK’s Hybrid Workforce
Advertising feature
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News / Entrepreneurs
‘Marathon Man’ wins pitching competition at ‘Festival of Entrepreneurs’
The business founder of a fresh juice startup has won the pitch battle at FOUNDERS Playground
Read more

Sport

Cricket / Gloucestershire Cricket
Shire’s most decorated captain tells his story in new biography
Mark Alleyne brought seven trophies in six years during his tenure as captain of Glos
Read more
Cricket / guy bailey
Unbeaten innings of a civil rights pioneer
"Fighting inequality and injustice with bat and ball"
Read more
Cricket / T20
Two T20 Blast wins in Bristol in one weekend for Gloucestershire
Wins against Somerset and Worcestershire keep the Shire flying high
Read more
Other Sport / bowls
Residents reopen long-vacant bowls club
The space will now be run as a Community Interest Company offering bowls, events and a cafe
Read more
News / Superbike
Superbike racer launches fundraiser to help rider into sport
The motorsport is prohibitively expensive and many riders have to shoulder costs themselves
Read more
Rugby / Bristol Bears Community Foundation
Bristol Bears Foundation to support veterans through new initiative
Bristol Bears Foundation has been awarded a £30,000 grant by the Veterans’ Foundation
Read more
News / Access Sport
Inclusive sports festival ‘highlights the power of collaboration’
The event featured activities including climbing, wheelchair basketball, tennis and hockey
Read more
Football / Bristol City
Bristol City appoint Michael Skubula as new manager
The 43-year-old was previously manager of League One side Lincoln City
Read more
Rugby / Bristol Bears
Bears prevail against Bath
Bristol Bears 21-19 Bath
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News / Rugby
Fundraiser for injured Bears trainee
Max’s rugby hopes have been put on hold by a serious shoulder injury
Read more

Festivals

News / womad
World’s biggest global music festival spotlights Bristol
The festival was born in Bristol and, after 40 years, is now honouring that seminal relationship
Read more
Features / Street Art
In photos: Upfest 2026
Rob Browne explores the streets of BS3 to document Europe's largest street art festival
Read more
Reviews / Bristol festivals
Review: Good Times Live, Yate – ‘Not too polished – and that’s its charm’
The series of concerts near Yate were a relaxed, family-friendly affair
Read more
Reviews / Shindig
Review: Shindig 2026, Charlton Park: ‘a converted school bus, rave aerobics and a dancing fountain’
Bob Vylan triumphantly following the festival's brush with cancellation
Read more
Reviews / Reviews
Review: Love Saves the Day 2026, day 2 – ‘Suncream and serotonin’
As temperatures soared, Love Saves the Day brought heat of its own in its return to Ashton Court
Read more
News / Love Saves the Day
In photos: Love Saves the Day 2026, day 2
Thousands of revellers partied on a very hot May Bank Holiday
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Reviews / Reviews
Review: Dot to Dot 2026 – ‘Bristol itself became the headliner’
Dark, sweaty venues juxtaposed bright, sunny streets at this year's edition of the multi-venue event
Read more
News / Love Saves the Day
In photos: Love Saves the Day 2026, day 1
Luca Rosewell captured the action at Love Saves the Day at Ashton Court
Read more
News / live music
Improved food accessibility at two of Bristol’s biggest music festivals
The new measures include encouraging vendors to be nut-free and increasing gluten-free options
Read more
News / grassroots music
Music festival with a difference lands in Bristol
A national music takeover is coming to our city in June
Read more

Student

News / Film
Uni filmmakers challenge industry barriers with new accessible film
The film explores themes of communication, identity and belonging
Read more
News / live music
Improved food accessibility at two of Bristol’s biggest music festivals
The new measures include encouraging vendors to be nut-free and increasing gluten-free options
Read more
News / books
Bristol pupils co-author book on impact of microfibres
"Taking a Close Look at Microfibres" was officially launched on Earth Day at May Park Primary School
Read more
News / Tech
Uni researcher develops digital tool to help people with anxiety disorders
The app uses data from smartwatches to detect signs of anxiety in real time
Read more
News / reparative justice
Bristol Uni’s reparative justice programme marks milestone
"Reparative justice is about more than acknowledging historical wrongs"
Read more
News / Film
Student filmmaker wins top regional award for ‘heartfelt’ documentary
The documentary follows the UK’s only student-led lion dancing society
Read more
News / Research
Bristol academic to lead discussion on macabre Victorian phenomenon
The curious phenomenon gripped the 19th-century Britain
Read more
News / Entrepreneurship
New event to bring together businesses and student entrepreneurs
The new Business Expo is aimed at connecting students with entrepreneurs
Read more
News / Research
Funding secured for major study on crime and asset seizures
The 15-month project will assess how seizing criminal assets influences offender behaviour
Read more
News / University of Bristol
Former student returns to graduate after 30 years
Bee Costello-Bates returned to Bristol Uni more than three decades after finishing her studies
Read more

LGBTQ+

News / trans rights
Trans rights protest to ‘resist the EHRC’
One activist condemned the new guidance on single-sex spaces as "segregation"
Read more
News / Bristol Pride
Bristol Pride refuses sponsorship from UWE
Bristol Pride had faced growing pressure from the LGBT+ community to sever ties with the university
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Features / bristol film
Queer Film Festival Open for Submissions
The Queer Vision Film Festival highlights LGBT+ voices in the Southwest
Read more
Features / ShoutOutRadio
15 years of ShoutOut Radio
The positive platform for queer voices is listened to by 100,000 people every week
Read more
News / Trans in the City
Five Bristol individuals featured on 2026 ‘Trans Changemakers’ list
Five Bristolians have been named in list of influential trans people
Read more
News / Bristol Pride
Bristol Pride unveils full festival programme for 2026
From circus and ceilidh to Jodie Harsh
Read more
Features / Trans Pride
In photos: Trans Pride 2026
Flags, fishnets and the fight for trans equality
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News / Trans Pride
Trans Pride celebrates ‘achievement, survival and love’
Hundreds turned out for the both celebratory and defiant protest
Read more
Features / electronic music
The queer artist breaking barriers in electronic music
From Bristol to the world, The Yard Woman's stardom continues to rise
Read more
Features / watershed
Watershed brings brat summer to Bristol
A night of drag queen DJs, bright green cocktails and an ashtray cake
Read more

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