Features / Best of 2023
Bristol24/7’s most read stories of 2023
A devastating fire, a festival cancellation and the end of Voi’s reign were among the most-read stories of 2023.
The year also saw Bristol’s independent restaurants celebrated on the national stage and investment in a “neglected” high street.
Bristol24/7 readers also proved their love once again for the quirky stories in the city – from a Star Wars sculpture placed on the empty Colston plinth to the city’s “smallest house” being put on the market.
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Here are the most read stories on bristol247.com in 2023:
1. No more Vois in Bristol as contract ends
The familiar sight of coral-coloured Vois on the streets of Bristol came to an end in June.
Since its launch in October 2020, Bristol’s trial went on to become one of the Swedish firm’s most popular rental e-scooter services in Europe, with more than six million rides taken. But, three years on, the citywide scheme was taken over by a new company called TIER.
The familiar sight of coral-coloured Vois on the streets of Bristol came to an end in June – photo: Betty Woolerton
2. Sudden closure of one of Bristol’s most opulent restaurants
Klosterhaus opened in October 2020 within Quakers’ Friars, an 18th-century Friends’ meeting house attached to fragments of a medieval Dominican friary – but it closed its doors for good in early January this year.
The restaurant was part of D&D London, a hospitality group which owns dozens of restaurants, bars and a hotel, based predominantly in London.
Klosterhaus described itself as “a destination restaurant and bar with a modern take on a grand cafe”.
Klosterhaus opened in opened in October 2020 within Quakers’ Friars but closed in January, with the building since remaining empty – photo: Martin Booth
3. New signs appear to ban phones from Temple Quay
The contentious and confusing issue of pseudo public space once again raised its head in Bristol this year. Both cameras and phones appeared to have been banned according to new signs that were installed in Temple Quay in October.
On closer inspection, the signs banned photography and informed people to “switch off all camera phones”.
But the day after Bristol24/7 first revealed the existence of the new signs, they had been taken down. The signs had been erected by the area’s management company to identify that the land is privately owned and that no commercial filming is allowed without a formal licence; but incorrectly referred to the use of mobile phones.
Signs installed in Temple Quay in October banned photography and informed people to “switch off all camera phones” – photo: Martin Booth
4. Alex Lovell latest presenter to leave BBC for ITV
In October, Alex Lovell announced that she was leaving the BBC for ITV as the revolving door between the two broadcasters continues in Bristol.
Points West presenter Lovell be joining her former BBC colleague Seb Choudhury at the Beeb’s commercial rival in January.
Before joining the BBC in 2005, Lovell worked on a live shopping channel and was host of the quiz show Brainteaser on Channel Five.
Alex Lovell and Seb Choudhury will begin presenting together on ITV West Country in January – photo: ITV
5. Hundreds of people attend free party in Leigh Woods
The music was still playing at sunrise on August 6 as hundreds of ravers attended a free party in Leigh Woods.
Partygoers had to make their way along the Pill path to attend the event on Saturday night into Sunday morning.
The rave took place just off the path in an open area at the foot of the woods, with reports that the music could be heard from several miles away.
6. The Northern Soul club taking Bristol by storm
Northern Soul is having a renaissance in Bristol, with one club at its centre.
Levanna McLean and Eve Burgsoul are the co-founders of Bristol Northern Soul Club, a collective which celebrated its second birthday in December and hopes to preserve the historic subculture.
Levanna McLean (left) and Eve Burgsoul (right) are the co-founders of Bristol Northern Soul Club – photo: Sophia Stefelle
7. First ‘pods’ for homeless people open
Eight tiny homes for people experiencing homelessness opened in September.
The single-person homes in St George come equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, living area and bedroom, as well as storage amenities , a washing machine and bike locking shed.
It is hoped the units will provide temporary accommodation for people new to homelessness with support needs as a ‘stepping stone’.
The pods are the first of their kind to open in Bristol – photo: Mia Vines Booth
8. American-style diner to close
This was another early closure of last year. Nikki Jaine’s Light Bites closed its doors in Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle after just over two years in business.
Nikki told Bristol24/7 she had run out of money to keep the cafe and bakery running.
She said: “I’ve sunk every penny I’ve had and I got nothing left now so I’m going to have close the door unfortunately – and I’m gutted.”
Nikki Jaine’s Light Bites closed its doors in Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle after just over two years in business – photo: Charlie Watts
9. Gridlock at retail park traps drivers for ‘three hours’
The design of the car parks was blamed for gridlock that saw drivers trapped in traffic for up to three hours trying to leave an east Bristol car park in January.
Shoppers trying to exit Eastgate Retail Park said they were confined to their cars for hours in huge queues.
One motorist went to Adsa Living on his way home from dropping his daughter off at an activity in Keynsham. Tom Stubbs, a filmmaker who lives in Eastville, told Bristol24/7 he spent two hours trying to escape the gridlock for what is normally a five minute drive.
Drivers were trapped in traffic for up to three hours trying to leave an east Bristol car park in January – photo: Tom Stubbs
10. Two of Bristol’s newest restaurants both named in UK’s top-100
They may have only been open for a combined total of five months at the time, but two new Bristol restaurants were both been named among the UK’s 100 best.
Casa and COR joined Paco Tapas, Wilsons and Bulrush in Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurant Awards 2023 voted for by diners in January.
Casa and COR joined Paco Tapas, Wilsons and Bulrush in Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurant Awards 2023 voted for by diners in January – photo: Martin Booth
11. Long-running music festival cancelled with ‘heavy hearts and deep regret’
One of the city’s biggest music festivals announced in June that it would no longer go ahead for 2023.
Tokyo World ran for nine years in Eastville Park, and hosted huge names in techno, drum and bass, hip hop, dance and grime music. Pendulum, Rudimental and Faithless were set to perform at 2023’s weekend-long event on September 16 and 17.
Announcing the cancellation, the team said: “It is with heavy hearts and deep regret that we cannot go ahead with this year’s Tokyo World Festival at Eastville Park, Bristol.”
They added: “We may be back next year, in a new location, but there are too many growing challenges with using Eastville Park this year that cannot be overcome.”
One of the city’s biggest music festivals announced in June that it would no longer go ahead for 2023 – photo: Tokyo World
12. Serious fire breaks out at Underfall Yard
In early May, a devastating fire ripped through Underfall Yard.
Residents living in nearby houses, including some which back onto Underfall Yard were all safely evacuated as fire crews from across Bristol fought to control the serious blaze.
A serial arsonist was jailed for life in November after admitting that he deliberately started the fire, which caused damage expected to cost millions of pounds to repair. Police said that “on another day, Robert Boyd-Stevenson could have seriously injured or killed someone”.
13. Star Wars sculpture placed on Colston plinth
A battle droid from Star Wars appeared on top of the empty Colston plinth early on a Friday morning in April.
The sculpture was the work of Simon Francis Thomas, an artist and designer from Bristol. The droid on the plinth appeared to be reading something, on the back of which is written ‘Star Wars celebration’ and a QR code that links to Thomas’ Instagram page.
A battle droid from Star Wars appeared on top of the empty Colston plinth early on a Friday morning in April – photo: Martin Booth
14. Bristol’s ‘smallest’ house put up for sale
In April, a property that some were calling the “smallest house in Bristol” was put up for sale.
Described as a “truly unique one-bedroom town house”, the property is sandwiched between two commercial properties on Nine Tree Hill in Kingsdown, just off Stokes Croft. It was put on the market for £300,000 with Maggs & Allen.
In April, a property that some were calling the “smallest house in Bristol” was put up for sale – photo: Charlie Watts
15. ‘Neglected’ high street to undergo major redesign
The news came in February that a “neglected” high street in south Bristol would undergo a major redesign after council chiefs approved funding for the project.
Bristol City Council’s cabinet approved the use of £1.7m to go towards transforming the public realm of Filwood Broadway in Knowle West.
In a cabinet report, the street was described as “unattractive, in disrepair and greatly underutilised” but it is hoped that the changes will make it a “welcoming place to visit, shop and spend time”.
Bristol City Council’s cabinet approved the use of £1.7m to go towards transforming the public realm of Filwood Broadway in Knowle West – photo: Charlie Watts
16. Five Bristol restaurants named in UK’s top-100
The top-100 best local restaurants from The Good Food Guide saw eateries in Redland, Southville, Stokes Croft, Totterdown and Westbury Park make the list in July.
Drawn from more than 37,000 nominations from diners, the 2023 list “celebrates the places that are the beating heart of communities around Britain”.
The Bristol restaurants featured were:
- Bank, Wells Road, Totterdown
- Caper & Cure, Stokes Croft
- Little French, North View, Westbury Park
- Little Hollows, Chandos Road, Redland
- Sonny Stores, Raleigh Road, Southville
Little French in Westbury Park was one of five Bristol restaurants named in The top-100 best local restaurants from The Good Food Guide – photo: Little French
Main photo: Martin Booth
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