Welcome to Bristol! It’s early October and the streets are teeming with fresh young student faces, itching to explore their new city. I could patronise you and pretend that the following Bristol-centric facts are for their benefit, but really this influx of newbies is just a great excuse to celebrate our beloved Bristol. Seriously though, we love being based in Bristol and not least for it’s pioneering spirit and openness to change. So, before ado is in any way furthered, here are some nuggets of Bristol brilliance that you might not know.
1. Bristol is regularly voted best city to live in UK
I lived in London for a while… it was okay.
www.bristol247.com
Dare move to Bristol
2. Bristol is the home of dub step and trip hop
Whether you like it or not Bristol makes pioneering music, but all the Beliebers out there shouldn’t get their hopes up.
Voted most musical city in March 2010
Mary Anne Hobbs on the “Bristol Sound”
3. Bristol is a world leader in Public and Street art
We are delighted to count the groundbreaking Situations as one of our clients. Now just to call Banksy…
See No Evil
Situations
Banksy
4. Bristol is the only city in the UK to have it’s own currency
And it’s just as elusive as the normal stuff! More money more problems…
The Design of the Bristol Pound
5. Bristol is the first city to have a democratically elected Mayor
Brave or stupid, we’ll find out soon enough!
6. Bristol was named Britain’s most environmentally sustainable city
See point seven.
www.telegraph.co.uk
7. Bristol is the UK’s first cycling city
And boy do we make the most of it – 66% of all Fiasco Design workers use bikes to get to work. That’s a total of two whole bikes!
news.bbc.co.uk
8. Bristol’s Gloucester Road is thought to have more independent shops than any other street in Europe
This is easier to believe when you’re walking it.
9. Bristol used to be known as the “birthplace of America” as John Cabot sailed from here to help “discover” America in 1497.
Not long after that the pirate Blackbeard terrorised their seas too, and hid out in a cave near St Mary Redcliffe Church. Americarrrr indeed.
10. Ribena was invented in Bristol by researchers looking for citrus alternatives in World War II
And eventually became Kanye West’s favourite drink.
Since we’re already talking about our fair city, we should mention that we’re putting on a series of events that unite and inspire the creative community of Bristol through talks and forums. You can find us here on Thread Events and sign up to keep in touch. More on that coming very soon my luver! Also, we’d love to hear your favourite Bristol facts on Twitter or in the comments below.
