It’s official. In last Saturday’s Daily Telegraph the city of Bristol enjoyed a lengthy feature, over two broadsheet pages, extolling its virtues. It enlightened readers as to some of the reasons why, according to a survey by MoneySuperMarket, Bristol “outperforms other cities in terms of economy and quality of life – it’s the wealthiest, happiest city in Britain”.
The feature article goes on to introduce its national readership to the drama of the Avon Gorge and Brunel’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, the city’s proximity to open countryside and magnificent travel links, the lively, historic harbourside, our two thriving universities (the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England), high employment rates and lots more in the pipeline. Soon to be added to Bristol’s long list of attractions is the super-high-speed link to London and the new, £90 million pound Bristol Arena.
A good time to visit Bristol for a short or longer stay
There’s never a bad time to visit Bristol but this summer is a very good time. Come for a few days, a week, a fortnight… however long you stay you’ll find there are things you wanted to do which you simply didn’t have time for – a great excuse to come back! (Bristol Short Stays can accommodate you and your party for as long as you wish, subject to availability.)
Shaun the Sheep
Children and adults alike will delight in following the Shaun the Sheep Trail as 70 huge, varyingly decorated models of this woolly icon adorn the city in parks, busy main roads and business foyers from 6 July to 31 August. Shaun’s creators, Aardman Animations, are of course Bristol born and bred. The charity Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal will later benefit from these decorated Shauns as they’re auctioned off to help sick children in hospitals including Bristol Children’s Hospital but also others around the UK.
Bristol Harbour Festival
From 17 to 19 July one of the country’s largest free festivals takes place in Bristol in the shape of the Bristol Harbour Festival. It takes over the entire harbourside area, including its jetties and wharves, plus various adjacent green spaces. It’s an eclectic medley of entertainment, music, dance, food and drink, ships, crafts, displays, magic and not a little Bristol quirkiness.
International Balloon Fiesta
The annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (6-9 August) is also a must-see event. Held in the glorious Ashton Court Estate (over 860 acres), the event explodes into life with a moving synchronised balloon glow to music followed by fireworks on the Thursday evening, repeated on the Saturday evening. At 6am and 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, up to 100 balloons at a time perform a mass ascent, floating off in whatever direction the wind takes them – maybe over city towards the Dundry Hills or sometimes over the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge. I remember once seeing a giant Rupert the Bear balloon ‘sitting’ on the Bridge with another, equally giant mobile phone balloon right by his ear! Priceless.
For more reasons to visit Bristol for social reasons I suggest you consult the Visit Bristol website.
Business in Bristol
In the meantime, let’s reflect on Bristol’s high employment levels as a contributory factor to its happiness.
For well over six centuries Bristol has been a magnet for business and enterprise and has thrived on securing and retaining some of the UK’s best employees, thanks to its economic and social attractiveness.
Today, we are proud of our diverse culture and opportunities which emanate from the largest corporates to the smallest micro-businesses. In aerospace and defense we are home to GKN, Airbus, Rolls Royce and the MoD while Bristol remains one of the UK’s financial hubs, with major employers including Lloyds Bank, AXA Friends’ Life, DAS Legal and Hargreaves Lansdown. Larger IT employers include Hewlett Packard, EE and Toshiba while in TV and film we have the BBC Natural History Unit, Aardman Animations and Films at 59, among others. Meanwhile, the inner city and its suburbs are simply teeming with innovative, creative and quick-on-their-toes entrepreneurial small businesses.
All these firms, by the way, are within an easy commute of Delvin House – many within walking distance or a short bus or car ride. So if you are visiting Bristol on business and need somewhere convenient, comfortable and homely to lay your head, give us a call.
We look forward to welcoming you to Bristol, whatever your reasons to visit.
Bernie
Bristol Short Stays
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