Features / Bristicles
14 places you won’t believe the council owns
This week mayor George Ferguson unveiled the purchase of the derelict former Royal Mail sorting offices behind Temple Meads. But research by the Taxpayers’ Alliance shows the council owns hundreds of interesting buildings around Bristol. Here are 14 that might surprise you.
1. Castlemead Tower
Castlemead Tower in Bond Street, where in 2011 a disgruntled employee threw furniture and fire extinguishers from a 10th floor window.
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2. Odeon Cinema
The Odeon Cinema on Union Street. Once the scene of a still-unsolved murder.
3. Novotel Hotel
Novotel Hotel on Victoria Street is one of nine hotels the city council owns.
4. Mud Dock
The Mud Dock, converted from a former dockside warehouse, is one of 25 restaurants the council owns.
5. Marriot Hotel
The Marriot Hotel in Lower Castle Street is one of the largest conference centres in the South West.
6.Colston Tower
Colston Tower in Colston street is named after Edward Colston whose wealth derived from the trade and exploitation of slaves.
7. Bobby’s Fish Bar
Bobby’s Fish Bar at the foot of Christmas Steps, is situated near the site of the Bristol’s original Grammar School which started in St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
8. Tano’s
Wine merchant, Jonathan Blackwell, funded the construction of the steep-slanted Christmas Steps in September 1669, where Tano’s is now situated.
9. Little Gem
For a short time during the 17th century, what is now called the Christmas Steps was renamed Lonsford’s Stairs to honour an officer who was shot though the heart at the top of the stairs during the siege of Bristol in the civil war of 1634.
10. Christmas Steps pub
This pub is owned by the team behind Crack magazine.
11.Red Light
Unlike most bars, Red Light on Unity Street will only allow entry if they like the sound of your voice when calling from a public phone at the graffiti-strewn front door.
12.The Old England
Oddly, the council just owns the basement at The Old England Pub in Montpelier. The pub has two full-size cricket nets in its garden that were once used by WG Grace.
13. Cattle Market Tavern
The city council now owns the 2.1 hectare site behind Temple Meads, which includes the Cattle Market Tavern and Bristol Wood Recycling Project.
14. Former Royal Mail sorting office
A £5.425 million grant from the Department of Communities and Local Government was used to buy the former Royal Mail sorting office.