People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Laurence Tuck
Laurence Tuck is one of the owners of Shambles Bookshop which is opening in St Nick’s Market on Saturday.
Laurence, who lives in Easton with his wife and co-owner Anna, is also a performer, improviser, actor and writer.
Shambles Bookshop will sell only new books, with ten per cent off their entire stock on opening day as well as plenty of sweet treats and alcohol-free bubbles.
These are Laurence’s top-five Bristol favourites:
Arnos Vale Cemetery
The Spielman Centre at Arnos Vale Cemetery promises “the perfect fusion of elegant Victorian architecture mixed with modern glass panelling” – photo: Martin Booth
“Arnos Vale Cemetery is where my wife Anna and I got married two years ago. And it was a gorgeous! Well, threats of rain actually but it was the most amazing ceremony and we had it outdoors among the trees up in the Underwood Centre. We then partied in the evening down in the Spielman Centre and the heavens opened but it was just perfect. And what makes it so brilliant is that we can visit Arnos Vale any time as well so we just go and take the dogs and walk around there on a sunny day now and then.”
Bristol Improv Theatre
Bristol Improv Theatre on St Paul’s Road in Clifton was previously the Polish Ex-Servicemens Club – photo: Bristol Improv Theatre
“I moved to Bristol in 2019 on my own from Sutton in west Oxfordshire. I had been living with my parents post-uni, had gotten into a bit of a slump and thought that I needed to move to somewhere exciting. I had always been involved in am-dram back in my village and was looking for something similar but different here, and the Improv Theatre in Clifton had Monday drop-ins. I performed my first improv show during lockdown on Zoom and now I’m in three different improv groups. Every other week I’m in a show there doing something and it continues to be a huge part of the supportive network I have in Bristol.”
The Old Stillage
The Old Stillage promises “great beer, friendly hospitality, top notch food and of course, a good party” – photo: Martin Booth
“I just love how unique the Old Stillage is. They have got glass tanks with dragon sculptures in them and a Canadian flag in the window. So much of the personality of the owners comes through and as well as that, it’s a cosy and historic pub with good cask ales on tap.”
St Nick’s Market
Within the winding corridors of St Nick’s Market is Bristol’s largest collection of independent retailers – photo: Martin Booth
“St Nick’s Market is such a great community and that was one of the things that attracted us to opening Shambles there. I’m a regular customer at Mike’s Comics, I have found out with great trepidation because it’s right next door to us that AngelaBaby‘s food is delicious and I have been trying to buy a different lunch from every trader while I have been working on the shop so I’ll check them all off eventually. Bon Clothing have also supplied and printed our tote bags. There is this community of other traders that we already feel that we’re a part of.”
BASE Social Centre
BASE is a base for anarchy and solidarity – photo: Martin Booth
“BASE Social Centre on Robertson Road in Easton is a fantastic anarchist space. We used it as a rehearsal space for the last play I was in and they also came to our shows with a little pop-up anarchict bookshop. It’s a really important place to have. I’m part of the gentrification of the area. I’m a middle-class guy and I’m very lucky to live in Easton, and having open community-focussed venues like BASE that provide everything from bike-fixing workshops to kitchens to resources available for everyone, is just invaluable. It’s a really cool space operated by really cool volunteers.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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