My Bristol Favourites: Luke Keen

Luke Keen fell in love with Bristol in the 1990s whilst visiting his old pal Patrick, and finally moved here in 2008 to try becoming a comedian. While regularly Blankety Quizzing and entertaining folks with arguably “the best multimedia comedy show/pub quiz with Luke Keen as a host in the world”, he has also been given the chance to create a community flowerbed in Bedminster’s Victoria Park.

Here are Luke’s top-five Bristol favourites:

Souk Kitchen

“To be honest, I’d have a struggle doing a list of my favourite places to eat in Bristol as there’s loads of places making absolutely Lush Food! But I think for consistency and flavour combinations that make me emit a low groan (which could be confused for a small stroke but is instead, absolute pleasure) I have to plump for Souk Kitchen in Southville. I’ve not had a bad meal there, and you have the added bonus of being able to order loads of different dishes to pick and choose from!”

Ashton Court

“My first experience of Ashton Court was at the Festival in 2001, when Patrick and myself put on a comedy show called The Johnny Skin Future Paranoia Sessions.  Despite our earnest certificate 18 warnings we ended up performing a sketch about The Pump Club (a bunch of Americans in leotards selling the Titanus 2000 penis pump extension system) in front of a tent full of screaming kids. These days I prefer to ride around the grounds on my bike, find a quiet spot in the long grass, have a picnic and watch the swallows and the dragonflies flitting about around the ponds. Good spot for a kite too.”

Hotwells

“Being the grumpy semi-agoraphobic pauper that I am, I don’t frequent pubs that often (apart from No. 51 and The Greenbank where I quiz the light fantastic, of course) but when my long-suffering partner does get me to go out, I do love a drink down the Hotwells end of the harbourside. Take a picnic blanket, sit on the steps by the water, watch the world glide by, see a few near misses with the kids learning to sail, chuckle as a dog sticks his nose into your bag of crisps and slowly develop sciatica on the concrete until the sun dips down fully blazing behind Leigh Woods over yonder. Perfect end/start to a summer’s eve.”

At-Bristol

“You’re never too old to lark about, learn a few things and revert back into the brain of your seven-year-old self, and when I’m not doing that professionally I like to take my niece and nephew to At-Bristol. It’s awesome! There are loads of levers to pull and buttons to press and water and lights and things to whack and bubbles and funny shaped rooms and parachutes and a real dead person’s brain! You can’t ask for more than that can you?”

Bristol folks

“And finally, as it’s probably not cool to put my garden as one of my five favourite things (*knock knock* “hello, is this Keeno’s garden? We’d like to enjoy its ‘unparalleled depth of colour and texture and its envious wealth of life and perfume and love’ please”), I’d like to nominate the people of Bristol for my last one. Not all of them, some of them are aren’t cool by a long shot, but generally compared to the cities I’ve lived in (Luton, Manchester and that there London) the vibe here is pretty damn good. Adventurous, positive, chilled, creative, funky and full of cider. Bingo bango! Let’s enjoy it before it floods.”

Read more: Bristol youth turn to gardening