News / Sober spaces
Bristol’s first sober bar opening soon
Bristol’s sober scene is growing.
Bristol Sober Spaces, with their sober open-mics and substance-free raves, have already proven that alcohol and drugs are a superfluous ingredient of Bristol nightlife.
And now Arc, Bristol’s first completely sober bar, is joining the movement.
is needed now More than ever
Located where a nightclub of the same name operated over ten years ago, Broad Street’s Arc is a cultural venue and sober bar described by the team as “a love letter to Bristol’s club culture – minus the hangover.”
“No late-night chaos, just good music, safe vibes, a clear 11pm curfew and a focus on inclusion, access and wellbeing.”
Arc is already an events space, a base for their own community radio and a meeting space for activist groups like Queers for Palestine and the Bristol Palestine Alliance, also sharing the building with the Palestine Museum.
While other spaces offer occasional alcohol-free nights here and there, Arc offers the only entirely sober bar in Bristol, with a carefully curated menu of exclusively non-alcoholic drinks.
“What we offer on the bar, there’s nothing like this in Bristol,” artist, producer and Arc owner Javi Tanke tells Bristol24/7. “We look to responsible, local sources. If it’s not local or 100 per cent ethical, we won’t have it.”
Arc owner Javi Tanke says that his bar offers something “completely different” – photo: Javi Tanke
Javi ensures every decision puts the sober community first.
An entirely alcohol-free space creates a safer, more inclusive environment for sober patrons and those in recovery, he says. This is supported by a strict door policy that will not admit anyone who appears intoxicated.
The Arc team also have plans to work with the Bristol Drugs Project and Bristol Sober Spaces to support what they do across the city.
“People who are sober, sober-curious or in recovery will find a space which is designed and protected for them. It’s a respectful, safe and easy environment, which I don’t think you find anywhere else,” Javi explains.
“They will also find sober DJs and DJs in recovery, so people will find their own community, and in a very open way”.
Dropping the booze doesn’t mean compromising on an authentic, memorable experience, the owner promises.
Javi says: “We’re offering Bristol culture, as it is. We’re not subdued. We will have gigs with DJs who do techno, house, and drum n bass.”
“Because we are Bristol people, I think we all like clubbing… So we want to keep that club in essence, but without the late-night alcohol problems.”
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Opening Bristol’s first sober bar has not been without obstacles. Just before the deadline, an objection was submitted by an Airbnb owner raising concerns about noise.
However, in a meeting on Thursday morning, Bristol City Council granted Arc its premises license, with Javi now estimating that Bristol’s first entirely sober bar will be able to officially open in November with “a lot more solid programming.”
The license allows the bar to stay open until 11pm every night, with live music permitted four nights a week.
“The main issue is that we need some time in advance to be able to book DJs, so we are a bit on the back foot in that regard,” Javi says.
“But, before we decided to cancel, we had a really good roster of DJs. When I had to cancel them, they said: ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be back’.”
With Bristol’s club culture often dominated by alcohol, the hope is that Arc’s sober alternative appeals to those seeking something different, of whom Javi says there are plenty.
Main photo: Javi Tanke
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