People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Patrick Welsh
Patrick Welsh is a 35mm and digital projectionist at Watershed.
He grew up in Westbury Park and has been working since 2022 at Watershed, which is currently one of only a handful of cinemas across the UK showing select screenings of The Odyssey on 35mm print.
These are Patrick’s top-five Bristol favourites:
is needed now More than ever
Ruby Hue
Hot chocolate at Ruby Hue, Bristol’s first and only fully bean-to-bar chocolate makers – photo: Martin Booth
“Ruby Hue in Finzels Reach does the absolute best hot chocolate in Bristol bar none. I’m a big chocolate aficionado and everything they do from their bars to their ice cream sandwiches are as close to chocolate perfection as you can get.”
Beef Bristol
“While they mainly reside at Kit Form on Jamaica Street and have studios in Spike Island, Beef Bristol are always putting on fantastic art installations and events across Bristol (including my beloved Watershed). Genuinely exciting art with a huge emphasis on experimentation and tactile art forms, everything they do is worth your time and sparks a creativity in me like nothing else.”
The Split Tin Bakery
The Split Tin Bakery will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2028 – photo: Martin Booth
“I’ve eaten bread from the Split Tin Bakery on Coldharbour Road for the majority of my life and even had the pleasure of working here for a few years as a teen. The wholemeal three-seeded bread is unlike anything else and their gingerbread men are the best around. Run by a lovely family, they’re the most smiley and kind people I know, and I try and come here as much as possible.”
Alta Loma
Alta Loma is both a restaurant and a record shop – photo: Joanna Stopford
“Alta Loma on Upper Maudlin Street is my favourite lunch spot – which says a lot living in Bristol. So much choice on the menu and not a single bad one, tacos that aren’t just delicious but very reasonably priced. The queso birria is something I crave most days and as a devotee of Stolen Body records in my youth, the record shop downstairs is also a bit of a haven for vinyl fans.”
The Hare on the Hill
The Hare on the Hill in Kingsdown hosts live music and a weekly pub quiz – photo: Martin Booth
“A cheap pint is nothing to turn your nose up at and not only does the Hare on the Hill give you that but also such a gorgeous cosiness and friendliness. I’m generally relatively shy so bustling pubs can often be a bit much for me, so to have one that still has so much energy and atmosphere but also an inherent softness is a gem.”
Main photo: Watershed
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