News / Stokes Croft
Latest plans revealed for historic Mickleburgh site on Stokes Croft
A family-owned shop which has been a feature of Stokes Croft for more than a century hopes to stay in its current location within a transformed store.
Mickleburgh piano showroom and shop will remain as part of revised plans for the corner site known as King Square Avenue which will see student accommodation above performance and event space, practice and tuition rooms, and recording studios.
The original plans first revealed in April 2023 have been scaled back, with the top four floors removed and the number of student bedrooms reduced from 192 to 126, with design changes including metal casement windows “to reflect the history of the existing building and the industrial aesthetic of the area”.
The latest plans for a mixed-use redevelopment of Mickleburgh’s current music shop at 1-9 Stokes Croft have been submitted to Bristol City Council – image: ECE Westworks
The original plans from April 2023 have been substantially scaled back – image: ECE Westworks
“Stokes Croft is a vibrant cultural quarter,” said Mickleburgh owner, Michael Barnfield.
“We love being a part of it and want to find a solution that will both enable us to stay in central Bristol and also provide much welcomed expanded state of the art space for live music performance.
“Our building is no longer fit for modern day retailing, the maze of corridors and rooms is not ideal for the shopper or us.
“We know we must adapt to survive in the high street. We want to keep our core business of retailing musical instruments, but by providing a small live event space and music hub, our customers will meet other musicians, form bands, orchestras, quartets, choirs etc.
“We hope also to be able to provide the practice space to satisfy increasing demand from the growing number of city centre resident musicians who may not easily be able to practice within their accommodation, due to space and noise constraints.
“Without the partnership with CoLico Living, we would not be able to invest in diversifying the business, and it is this which will enable us to survive for many more years to come.”
Mickleburgh hopes to become a “music hub” within the new development on the corner of Stokes Croft and King Square Avenue – image: ECE Westworks
Colico Living director, Jon Stewart, added: “We want to provide a high quality, sustainable building which will redevelop the existing tired site and contribute positively to the economy and social vibrancy of the area.
“We have heard what people have said about the height and believe that our new design sits well with its surrounding area.
“With the very close proximity of the new Bristol campus of BIMM University, Europe’s largest, most connected music college, as well as being right in the heart of the city with a wide range of public transport options, this is a sustainable and accessible location for students.”
Main image: ECE Westworks
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