Bristol Neighbourhood Guide: Old Market

Bristol Neighbourhood Guide: Old Market

Posted on: 23 Feb 2023

We’re back with our guide to Bristol’s diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods – with some cherrypicked spots to showcase just how much is going on in each corner of the city.

 

This week, we’re taking a look at the traditionally bohemian Old Market and the surrounding area, with a plethora of iconic music venues, queer safe spaces and up-and-coming restaurants.

 

Read on for our guide to all the nightlife, food, shopping, cultural and historical highlights of Old Market...

 

Nightlife:

 

Old Market and the surrounding area is jam-packed with music venues and bars, catering for a diverse range of punters. We begin our roundup with a look at one of Bristol’s best-loved small venues. 

 

Exchange (pictured below) was opened in 2012 by the team who had previously run The Croft and has since hosted many top acts, including The 1975, Haim, George Ezra, (the) Melvins, Four Tet, Sleaford Mods and more. The venue has since expanded, now boasting a basement space (60 capacity) as well as the main area (250 capacity).

The next two venues may be just off Old Market, however, they are vital to the area’s general buzz and to Bristol’s vibrant cobweb of independent music venues.

 

Trinity Centre (pictured below) is renowned all over the UK as an arts venue with a strong community focus. The Grade II listed ex-church has been a vital part of the Bristol scene for over 40 years now with artists including Gorillaz, The Prodigy, U2, Peaches, Orbital, Eek a Mouse, Benjamin Zephaniah and The Fall all taking to the stage in that time.

Another brilliant arts venue in the local area is The Jam Jar on Little Ann Street. Known for open-ended jam sessions and one of the most eclectic programmes in the city, The Jam Jar is run by a dedicated team of volunteers who work tirelessly to bring musical talent from all over the world to the streets of Bristol.

 

If you’re looking for a spot to drink before seeing a show at The Jam Jar, why not drop in on The Swan With Two Necks? Located on the same street as the aforementioned venue, this one-room, dog-friendly backstreet boozer (pictured below) is a real hidden gem of BS2.

The Old Market Quarter has long been known as a home to Bristol’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene. One such venue is the Bristol Bear Bar, the first and currently only purpose-built bear bar in the UK. This is a friendly and inclusive bar with a great atmosphere at the heart of Bristol’s Gay Village.

 

With a quirky interior and top-quality food, The Ill Repute (pictured below) is another atmospheric Old Market watering hole. Perhaps best known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, the quirky pub features a record player, a small stage for live music, a snug basement and an Elvis shrine in the bathroom.

Food:

 

We’re beginning our rundown of Old Market-based fooderies with the beloved Cali-Mexican kitchen and bar, Chido Wey. Specialising in homemade tacos, burritos and quesadillas and much more besides, the restaurant opened in 2020 and is a proud part of one of Bristol’s oldest areas.

 

Another staple of the neighbourhood is Bagelicious (pictured below). A family-run business that opened on Old Market back in 2013, customers can always expect freshly prepared bagels and a friendly face. Bagelicious offers pre-orders over the phone, a delivery service and takeaways.

From two mainstays of this historic quarter to a highly regarded usurper. Having sprung up as a pop-up all over Bristol in recent years, Grano finally found a permanent home in December 2022. Famed for their three-meat lasagne but with much more besides, this is a new restaurant with a lot of promise. 

 

Another spot that began as a pop-up but settled on a permanent Old Market home last year is Tomo No Ramen (pictured below), or “friend’s ramen”. Praised throughout Bristol and further afield, the restaurant has gone from nothing to being nominated for national awards 

Culture:

 

First up on our list of Old Market’s cultural highlights is an establishment that could just as easily have been included in the nightlife rundown. Set over two floors, Old Market Assembly boasts a beautiful building, trendy bar, live music venue, pizza kitchen and a rooftop terrace.

 

Assembly is also home to The Wardrobe Theatre, a fringe studio venue and thriving arts hub showcasing the best theatre-makers, companies and artists from around the UK. The programme covers theatre, comedy, storytelling, live music, poetry, dance, puppetry, cabaret, drag and a whole lot more.

Skin Deep Tattoo Shop has been providing Bristol with top-quality skin ink since 1988. With appointments available throughout the week and walk-ins every Saturday, this West Street establishment is a proper local favourite.

 

Hidden away above Exchange is Specialist Subject Records. A bit of a hidden treasure for alternative/underground music fans, the record label and shop sell a range of punk rock, indie and hardcore vinyl, books, zines, CDs and cassette tapes.

 

Established by cannabis enthusiasts in 2003, Bristol Genuine Seed bank has become something of an Old Market Staple. The team prides itself “on supplying only the highest quality cannabis seeds (to their knowledge) in Bristol.” Their website also specifies that these seeds are supplied purely as souvenirs so make of that what you will!

History:

 

As well as being a hotpot of good venues, LGBTQ+ nightlife and good food, Old Market is a Conservation Area of national significance. The area boasts over 60 listed buildings and was once a bustling marketplace situated just outside the walls of Bristol Castle on the road to London.

 

Old Market was also home to the longest-lasting ‘Pie-Poudre Court’. Running from Norman times until 1870 on the site which is now the Stag and Hounds pub, it was a temporary court set up to deal with thieves and debtors caught at the market who were not from Bristol.

 

Another important aspect of Old Market history is its classification as Bristol’s ‘gay village’. The popular neighbourhood features heaps of LGBTQ+-friendly venues and ‘safe spaces’, that existed long before it was officially dubbed a 'gay village'.

So, there it is, 365Bristol’s guide to Old Market. It’s impossible to round up all the nightlife, food, shopping, cultural and historical highlights in 1,000 words but please get in contact with us here and let us know your favourite hangouts or locations.

 

Images: Patrick Bate

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Article by:

Stanley Gray

Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.