People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Mel Bound
This Woman Runs founder Mel Bound was recently awarded an OBE in the king’s birthday honours list for services to women’s community sport.
What began in south Bristol in 2014 has grown into a nationwide behaviour change movement for women, with This Woman Runs now supporting tens of thousands of women across more than 35 cities through free weekly 30-minute walks and runs every Sunday morning.
These are Mel’s top-five Bristol favourites:
Greville Smyth Park
Greville Smyth Park was laid out in 1883 on land donated by Ashton Court Estate owners Greville and Lady Smyth – photo: Friends of Greville Smyth Park
“Greville Smyth Park will always be where the whole slightly bonkers This Woman Runs story began. In 2014, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone fancied meeting for an occasional run, half-expecting no one to come; and 75 women turned up outside the park. Since then, every week for the last 12 years, apart from during Covid, we’ve met outside Greville Smyth for free walk and run sessions for women, rain or shine.
“This park is also where my son first started playing football, where my daughter learned to ride her bike, where we first walked our dog, where my kids played in the playground and where we met friends after school. It’s been the backdrop to street get-togethers, end-of-term celebrations and the lovely bowls club doing its thing in the middle of it all. It’s not a fancy park, but it has everything you need and is one of those places that has been in the background of so much of my life in Bristol.”
Sonny Stores
The hatch at Sonny Stores is open from Wednesday to Saturday – photo: Sonny Stores
“Sonny Stores is one of my favourite places to eat in Bristol. The food is amazing but still really informal, with a menu that changes with the seasons, ingredients mostly sourced from local independent suppliers, and pasta that is always absolutely delicious. They’re also fantastic with allergies, which really matters to me. It feels special without being showy: super friendly service, food that’s inventive but still familiar, and no sense that you have to dress up and be on your best behaviour.
“I also love the hatch, literally a little hole in the side of the shop where they serve buns, doughnuts and ice cream. The kids love popping there on a Saturday, and it’s exactly the sort of thing that makes Sonny Stores feel like a proper neighbourhood place, not just somewhere you book for dinner. Dogs are welcome too, which is always a big win with me.”
Wapping Wharf
Wapping Wharf is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a party on July 3 – photo: Hey What
“Wapping Wharf is where I go when I want to feel like I’m on holiday without leaving Bristol. It didn’t exist like this when I first moved here, so watching it grow into this little pocket of independent food, coffee and shops has felt like such a treat. When I have a rare couple of hours free and fancy a bit of a mooch, Wapping Wharf is my go-to place. I usually start with coffee from Little Victories or Mokoko, where my kids are obsessed with their cinnamon buns. Then I’ll have a browse in Fig. 1, which is full of really unique pieces from independent brands and small producers. I almost always find a little present for someone whose birthday is coming up.
“I also love all the little independent foodie places tucked in together, from Greek street food and tacos to Japanese small plates, fish and chips and gelato. When the sun’s out and everyone is sitting by the water with something good to eat, the whole place is buzzing. It’s the kind of place where you can go with no real plan, watch the world go by, eat something delicious and accidentally lose a couple of hours. Still Bristol, but with a tiny holiday feeling.”
Upfest
This piece by Inkie on the side of Parsons Bakery is Mel’s favourite from Upfest 2026 – photo: Martin Booth
“One of my favourite things about south Bristol is the street art. Bedminster and Southville are full of it, and Upfest has played such a big part in making the area feel so creative and colourful. I love that it changes all the time. You can walk down North Street or along the side roads of BS3 and spot something new, from the massive murals on the side of Aldi to smaller pieces you only notice because you happened to look up at the right moment.
“There is something brilliant about having art woven into everyday life like that: on the school run, walking the dog, heading to the shops or going out for a run. You don’t have to go to a gallery to see it. It is just there, part of the place where we live. My current favourite is the new Inkie artwork at the end of our road on Parsons Bakery: ‘Bready or Not, Here I Crumb’. I am an unapologetic pun lover! The first pair of leggings we ever designed for This Woman Runs were based on some street art on North Street – so it has found its way into the TWR story too.”
Kinsi Run Hub
Kinsi Run Hub is Bristol’s newest independent specialty running shop – photo: Martin Booth
“Kinsi Run Hub on East Street is a fantastic local running shop – and what I love most is that it is totally unintimidating, even if you are literally buying your first pair of trainers. They genuinely want to help you find what is right for you. It’s family-run, really knowledgeable and has the sort of running heritage you can feel as soon as you walk in. Owners Jamie, Graham and Carol are all runners who really know their stuff, whether you are training for something big or just trying to get started. It’s also full of running brands you don’t always find elsewhere – which makes it slightly dangerous if, like me, you can convince yourself you need just one more pair of trainers.”
Main photo: This Woman Runs
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