Your say / Regeneration
‘Bristol’s high streets may be changing but they remain full of life’
Bristol is a city of creativity, resilience and reinvention.
Our high streets may be changing – just like cities across the UK – but they remain full of life, with independent traders, global brands, street markets, public art and a community that refuses to stand still.
That’s why overly bleak portrayals of Bristol’s city centre deserve a fuller perspective.
is needed now More than ever
Yes, there are challenges. But the suggestion that the city is in decline misses the far more important truth: Bristol is evolving – fast.
Like every major city, we’re facing shifting shopping habits, economic pressure and visible social care challenges.
But Bristol isn’t passive in the face of change. What sets this city apart is how it’s responding – with creativity, investment and collective ambition.
Major regeneration is well underway.
The redevelopment of The Galleries has secured planning approval, unlocking the potential of a key central site.
The Temple Quarter – one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects – is delivering new homes, jobs and infrastructure at pace.
Meanwhile, Cabot Circus is welcoming a flagship Marks & Spencer and Joe & the Juice joining the mix is a clear signal of national confidence.
But Bristol’s progress isn’t just measured in big-name developments. The city is finding smart, imaginative new uses for old spaces – and in doing so, is writing a different story of urban transformation.
Take Shredenhams – a once-vacant former Debenhams, now home to a skate park.
Shredenhams has hosted many inclusive events since its opening – photo: Rob Browne
Or the Harbour Market, which has secured a permanent home and adds culture and footfall to the city centre.
New businesses like La Mart, a growing Asian supermarket chain on The Horsefair, are contributing to a diverse commercial landscape that reflects modern Bristol.
And Sparks Bristol, housed in the old M&S building, is thriving as a community-led department store that champions sustainable retail while offering space for local groups, events and initiatives.
Elsewhere in Broadmead, we’re seeing a forward-thinking, mixed-use approach take shape – blending retail, student living, cultural infrastructure and public space.
It’s a pragmatic, people-first response to how we live and shop today.
Once a place that emptied out after 5.00pm, Broadmead has evolved into a vibrant hub offering a broad range of social and leisure experiences.
The Climbing Hangar opening near Roxy Lanes on Union Street early in September will expand the offering ever further.
We’re also seeing more green, more pause, more reflection.
Broad Meadow, a long-term temporary installation, brings a pocket of green space to Broadmead.
Broadmeadow at Mayfest 2024 – photo: Paul Blakemore
With areas on Broadmead West and Merchant Street, it invites people to step away from the expectations of a retail street and experience something different – an overlap of public life and ecological presence that reimagines our high streets.
The built environment here is being reshaped with creativity.
A soon-to-be-unveiled landmark artwork on the Centre Promenade will be a bold, visual celebration of the shared spaces and values that define Bristol.
Behind the scenes, better coordination is powering this shift.
The forthcoming unification of the three city centre BIDs – Broadmead, Redcliffe & Temple and Bristol City Centre – into a single Bristol BID from November 1 reflects a growing consensus that collaboration is key.
Over the next five years, more than £20m will be invested – from safety and business support to culture and sustainability – with a focus on practical solutions rooted in the city’s needs.
This joined-up approach is already shaping the daily experience.
Community-led initiatives like TAP for Bristol have raised over £150,000 for homelessness prevention, while new lighting schemes and targeted on-the-ground support are making the centre safer and more welcoming.
The city is also drawing people in through shared moments.
The Bristol Light Festival has been bringing people the Bristol for five years running – photo: Rob Browne
The Bristol Light Festival attracted hundreds of thousands this year, generating over £11m in economic impact.
These are signs of a city that still brings people together – and still delivers.
Importantly, the data supports what we see on the ground: large city centres like Bristol report lower vacancy rates than many other parts of the UK.
Our fundamentals remain strong.
So yes – like every city, Bristol has work to do. But it’s doing it, and meeting today’s challenges with urgency, creativity and collaboration.
This is an opinion piece by Vivienne Kennedy, director of Broadmead Business Improvement District
If you would like to write an opinion piece to be featured on the website, please send an email to ed-team@bristol247.com with your opinion piece idea and we will get back to you with instructions on the next steps.
Main photo: Hannah Massoudi
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