Many things can come to mind when someone thinks of Bristol; the many tourist attractions and festivals that frequent the city, the culture and history behind several notable landmarks or perhaps the slang terms which have defined the accent of the region. But Bristol's nightlife is also well-known outside the region.
Whether it is live music or nightclubs, pubs and bars or things to do, Bristol has a great reputation for a fun night. Nightclubs, in particular, have had a big impact on the city and the many generations that have experienced one or more of the clubs throughout the decades.
Bristol has lost many gems when it comes to nightclubs, and as some new nightclubs have popped up in recent years, many look back fondly on their best years spent in clubs which have sadly faded away into the past. We look back at some of these clubs and find out what has happened since the closure.
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Tiffany’s
Starting off life as The Glen back in the 1950s and 1960s, Tiffany’s was regarded as one of Bristol’s very best between the 1960s and mid-1980s before closing for good. Known as a popular live music venue on the site of a former quarry, the Durdham Downs club at the top of Whiteladies Road hosted the likes of The Clash and Argent.
When it peaked in the 1970s, fake palm trees, a sticky dance floor and revolving stage made Tiffany’s well-known outside of its inner circle. Nowadays The Spire private hospital is where the now-demolished club used to sit.
Syndicate
The Nelson Street venue has gone by many different names over the years, including Papillons, The Works, Top Rank, Baileys, Romeo and Juliets and Odyssey. However the club was known as Syndicate for nine years.
It was once popular with students and closed in 2015, where it became SWX. The music venue has several rooms dedicated to different music and is still going today.
The Mandrake
Another nightclub that lives on in a different name, The Mandrake on Frogmore Street was one of Bristol’s longest-running clubs. It was open for 40 years until it closed in 2009.
Known for being an underground venue which could hold 300 people, it is now revived as Basem*nt 45. Basem*nt 45 continues to go strong today, meaning a new generation of Bristolians get to experience the underground venue like what their parents would have done.
The Granary
The legendary club has hosted the likes of Status Quo, Genesis, Slade and Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Billy Idol across its 20-year life span. Starting in 1968 as a jazz club, it would eventually become known for gigs and later the underground venue was the prime night-time spot for outgoing Bristolians.
After closing in 1988, it became a wine bar and then a fish restaurant which closed in 2020. It is now home to The Granary, a new restaurant specialising in comfort food with a bit of flair.
The Surrey Vaults
This St Pauls club was reportedly once the chosen drinking hole of Oscar Wilde and a popular venue for bands and DJs wanting an intimate audience. However, the club closed in 2017 due to noise complaints from newly-built flats.
Since the club closed, it was transformed into Mickey Zoggs in 2021, an artistic space which hosts an independent radio station, Noods Radio. The radio broadcaster recently set up a fundraiser to buy Mickey Zoggs and save it from being redeveloped.
Gravity
Gravity Nightclub in Clifton closed its doors in April after financial struggles. Opened in 2017 on Clifton Triangle, it was one of the largest nightclubs in Bristol and was known for special guests and foam parties.
In a post on Instagram, Gravity announced that the premises will be repurposed however little other detail is known. The team behind the nightclub paid a heartfelt tribute to their customers.
Dojo Nightclub
Gravity was not the only nightclub that was lost this year, Dojo also announced its closure in May. On May 8, former Gloucestershire and England cricketer David ‘Syd’ Lawrence announced the sudden closure of the nightclub after 25 years of operation.
Blaming “economic circ*mstances” for the closure, it generated comments from residents reminiscing about the house music that would once play at the underground venue. The Park Row venue now lies vacant.
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