Old Bristol pubs and clubs

Bristol didn’t use to be full of secret underground bars, swanky cocktail joints and hipster cafes, well there were some but not as much. We remember those old bars and clubs you frequented back in the day.

1. Clockwork

Via Heather Cowper

This place has now been demolished but used to be found next to the Blue Mountain. If you wanted a grimy rave this was the place.

2. Panache

You’ll remember this place for the ridiculous light up dance floor. It was closed down in 2011 after the police and council provided over 4,300 pages of evidence against the club that didn’t have the best reputation:

“Footage from council CCTV cameras and Panache staff head cameras revealed door staff grabbing clubbers around the face and violently ejecting them from the premises, groups of bouncers assaulting cowering customers and apparently punching them on the ground, and staff chasing punters down the road.”

3. The Tube

The current location of Redlight. This place used to be owned by Massive Attack and sweat would drip of the ceiling but it was GREAT. There was a night on a Wednesday if you had a moustache (or wore one) you got in for free.

4. Arc Bar

This used to be next door to where The Strawberry Thief currently is. Massively grimy, you’d be offered so many drugs in there that it was like that sketch in Brass eye with the made up drug names.

5. The Junction

Via YouTube

Now no. 51 in Stokes Croft, this was a proper bare bones rock club. No locks on the toilets, lots of metal and punk bands and also bloody cheap.

6. Chicago Rock

Credit Bristol Pubs

Less said about this place the better.

7. Fellowship

Now a Tesco on Filton Avenue, this place was a rough as balls pub that served cheddar valley and let you dance on the table.

8.  Level

DJ Suv with MC at Full Cycle Level nightclub Bristol

Spread across three floors, it was bloody grimy. One of the original hosts of Propaganda, it shut down in 2006 it got turned into flats but it was next to the petrol station on Park Row

9. The Cooler

The Cooler on Park Street you’d find live music and the legendary DJ George doing indie disco during the week. Those that have been there will of course remember Klub Kute.

10. Romeo Browns

The current location of Pata Negra and it was the ultimate early 00’s RnB pretentiousness. Truly awful. Back in 2006 a load of Bristol City players were jailed after brawling outside of here.

11. Dug Out

Up on Park Row, The Dug Out survived until 1986 but is considered the home of Bristol’s music scene

12. The Studio

Formerly located on Frogmore street it saw The Clash, Iggy Pop, U2 and many others play here. It’s even got a facebook group dedicated to it’s memory. Now it’s sadly student flats.

13. Metropolis

Via Panoramio 

Previously Jesters Comedy Club it turned into Metropolis in 2008 before shutting its doors in 2012. Sadly still sitting derelict at the moment on Cheltenham Road.

14. The Croft

Via Paul Towsnend

A great place in the middle of Stokes Croft. Lasting for 11 years The Croft closed its doors in 2013 but never fear the Crofters Rights rose in its place.

15. Syndicate

Now SWX, most of Bristol’s 2000s clubbers would have visited here at least once with over 3.5 million people visits in its life time.

16. The Mandrake

One of Bristol’s longest running clubs, The Mandrake was open for over 40 years until it became Basement 45 in 2009. This photo says it all.

17. The Lokiel

Before Thekla there was Lokiel, the original club on a boat.

18. The Granary

Credit Bellevue 

Specialising in Jazz and blues. This was supposedly where Bristol’s Hells Angels frequented. 1968 to 1988. It’s even got a website that memorialises it.

19. Spaghetti Tree

You’d find this old place on Small Street. Legendary for drinking under age back in the day, this quote sums it up:

‘The place where I first got drunk “legally” – Spaghetti Tree, which is now Timbuk2. They’d let you drink at 15 as long as you bought a pizza – BOSH!!’

It has now been replaced by Timbuk2.

20. Oceana

Oh Oceana, the 00s staple for a student. This place is now Pryzm and… is pretty much the same as it was.

Got a favourite Bristol pub or club that we didn’t include? Then tell us below in the comments.

Old Photos of Bristol

1. Bristol Centre before the fountains

Via shipscompass

2. The Centre from the roof of the old Bristol Omnibus office in the 1960s

Via shipscompass

3.  In 1911 with the Frome river still running

Via Paul Townsend

4. The centre during the Queen’s coronation in 1953

Via Paul Townsend

5. Bristol bombed during WW2 in 1940 – Mary Le Port & Bridge Streets

Via. Paul Townsend

6. King Street in 1946 (way before the proliferation of craft beer pubs)

Via Paul Townsend

7. The Albion Dock before the coloured houses

Via shipscompass

8. St Nicks Market in the 1960s

Via shipscompass

9. Bristol Docks in the 1960s – The Grove

Via shipscompass

10. A demolition in Bedminster in 1988

Via shipscompass

11. Paddle Steamer heading below the Clifton Suspension Bridge

Via shipscompass

12. The old Bristol tram on Cheltenham Road in 1937

Via Paul Townsend

13. Stokes Croft back when the trams still ran

Via Paul Townsend

14. Welsh Back in 1931

Via shipscompass

15. Whiteladies Road in the 1980s

Via shipscompass

16. Bedminster during the 1968 Bristol floods

Via shipscompass

With great thanks to shipscompass and Paul Townsend on Flickr for these photos.