Bristol City fan founds new football magazine

A unique Father’s Day gift was the catalyst for one afficionadeo of the beautiful game to publish his own football magazine, with the third issue now for sale.

Escapismo has been a labour of love for Bristol City fan James Gamlin – who has taken on the job of founder, editor, designer, photographer and sales manager.

So many roles in fact that the business plan behind the magazine became James’ final year dissertation for his degree at UWE Bristol.

The first magazine featured a number of photos taken by James and his dad, looking at aspects and stories of football that they are both interested in.

“It took me forever but it was all worth it as he absolutely loved it,” said James, 23, who lives in Knowle.

A printing error meant that James ended ended up with more copies than originally planned, and after giving these to friends and family he was encouraged to carry on the endeavour.

James himself features on the front cover of the first issue of Escapismo alongside three friends all of who are wearing Messi shirts. Each magazine costs £10 to buy – photo: Escapismo

Further inspiration for James came from the book Startup London, full of stories of how people have started businesses in the capital, “and this helped me to think about some of the wider elements that would be involved in turning the magazine into a small business”.

He won some funding in enterprise and pitching competitions at UWE, which allowed him to build a website and launch the magazine for real, with the first issue going on sale in the summer of 2019.

“It was a great summer, and one that really forced me to move out of my comfort zone, pitching to shops across the country, running a market stall in the city centre and promoting the brand across social media.

“I’ve learnt so much from the experience and I feel that by creating a product once, you are able to consider all of the things that you can change and do differently to improve it. ”

He added: “Through Escapismo I’ve also been able to connect with other new start ups in Bristol – there are so many great networks sharing their experiences and advice, and it’s been lovely to see the independent businesses around the city looking to support each other during this difficult time.”

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James’ aim for Escapismo was to create a something that would fit alongside magazines on the shelves of specialists shops including Magalleria in Bath.

“I suppose one of my main aims has always been to create something that people want to keep and display, and something that would make a nice gift, rather than something that is read once and then recycled…

“I hope that with each issue, it will always improve slightly, and every time I hear that someone has enjoyed reading it, it really does mean the world.

“People really seem to like the fact that the magazine celebrates the positives and the beauty of football – I think we are all very much aware of the problems within the game, but the sense of belonging and togetherness that it provides, as well as the way it allows it to escape and take our minds away from anything that may be going on in our lives will always remain, and so I look to capture the emotions and excitement of it through the magazine.”

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The theme of issue three is ‘ending the wait’, where James has looked at the way certain sides have endured long periods between winning a title, a promotion or a victory over a key rival.

There are articles on Argentina’s ongoing wait for another World Cup win, Francesco Totti leading Roma to a first title in 18 years, the fascinating league that is the Championship as well as a piece on the recent success of Portishead Town Ladies, together with a range of other features, contributions and interviews with brands, artists and photographers.

“It’s amazing to now be in a position where a wide range of contributors are featured in each issue,” said James.

“And it’s an absolute pleasure to include some incredible illustrations and photos in the magazine, as well as to be able to speak to clothing brands and artists about the beautiful game and what it means to them.

“It’s great to know that you are helping people to reach new audiences through the magazine, and their content also brings amazing quality to it, so I really enjoy working with a range of different collaborators knowing that we both benefit.”

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Work on issue four is already in the very early stages, with James already planning a few special editions as well as podcasts and videos in the future.

He said: “It’s been a fantastic experience so far and running the magazine in my spare time is something I really love. Bristol is such a great city for starting a small business and I really encourage anyone looking to pursue an idea to go for it and if you are passionate about your idea and believe in it, other people will too!”

Main photo: Martin Booth

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