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From our Editor,

Bristol Bites: Meanwhile: a word for the ages

“Meanwhile” is rapidly becoming one of Bristol’s favoured terms. 

It started with the City Council’s eviction of van dwellers from the Downs to “meanwhile sites”, complete with chemical toilets and, er, a few bins. Meanwhile, the council continues to fall significantly short of the number of “meanwhile” pitches it had pledged to provide the van dwellers. 

Now the University of Bristol (UoB) has jumped on the “meanwhile” bandwagon. UoB is embarking on an impressive campus expansion - the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC), no less.

The project involves the construction of a 20-storey accommodation block for up to 1,500 students. The good news is that this main building will, we are told, be ready in September - bringing joy to North London parents keen to kick their grumpy teenagers out of the door and down the M4. 

See you in three years, Hercules and Hortense. Dad and I will be spending the time and your inheritance on holidays in Tuscany and Provence. Just not the Cotswolds. Wouldn’t want to cramp your style. 

But what of the plans for two adjacent, smaller buildings, intended as office and administrative accommodation for staff? Apparently, there is concern over soaring construction costs (ie: they got their sums wrong). There is now doubt over whether these buildings will ever break ground. 

Fear not, though! The university has applied for a - wait for it - 15 year extension to its planning permission for the proposed site so it can ponder its options. Three years. Fair enough. Five years. Pushing it. Fifteen years? An audacious application. Certainly. An absurd application. Absolutely.

A little context. UoB currently accepts up to 8,000 freshers a year. Spread over 15 years, that’s 120,000 students. University bigwigs will have retired or, in a few cases, resigned in disgrace. Planning committee council members will have either died, retired or, again, resigned in disgrace.

UoB’s solution is simple. It wants to use the land to create its own version of the Blue Peter garden. Lots of seating and sensitive planting. There may even be a water feature. Who knows? It’s temporary, you understand. All under the banner of “meanwhile”. It will cost, of course, but it will be cheaper than constructing the buildings they planned to build. Expect to see geraniums and petunias, rather than bricks and mortar, for the foreseeable future.

An alternative solution screams out. Lease the land to the council so it can offer more “meantime” pitches to van dwellers! Two problems solved in one. 

Back to the bon mot of the moment. How long is “meanwhile”? And meanwhile, what exactly? Meanwhile, back at the ranch? Memories of black and white Westerns in which the Hanks and Dwaynes of this world battled courageously with scalping Apaches (native Americans) whose land they had stolen so they could build said ranch. In this case, fortunately, it appears to involve some flowers and benches so the land doesn’t need to be hoarded off with ugly barriers. 

The New Yorker magazine, famed for its witty cartoons, once ran a simple sketch of a Madison Avenue advertising executive trying to arrange a meeting. His right hand clamps the phone to his ear, the left flips through his diary. The caption? “How about never? Could you do never?”

Mad Men and their magnificent plans.

Rhidian Wynn Davies | Editor in Chief

This week, we focus on Bristol’s geography and topography, its high points and its low points.

42 sq miles (110 sq km). A decent size, but with a population pushing half a million people, the city is quite cosy in terms of density.

Disputed. Many consider it to be Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill. Others say it’s Cossham Memorial Hospital at its peak (369ft/112m) on Lodge Hill. It’s fair to say, Cabot Tower wins on both history and views.

Widely regarded to be Kings Weston Hill at around 109m. A very pleasant part of the world and well worth a visit.

Avonmouth/Severn Estuary. Sea level. It doesn’t get lower than that, unless you fancy getting seriously soggy.

Those of us of a certain age remember the Hovis bread advert from yesteryear and assumed the steepest street in England must be up north. It’s not. It’s in Bristol. Vale Street in Totterdown boasts a 1 in 4 incline - brutal on the thighs. Apparently, residents in their 20s use mobility scooters. From bottom to top the 100m stretch rises by 17m. Many motorists park sideways to avoid sliding down this tough track.

So, Bristol has its ups and downs. And it’s all the more beautiful for them. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Bristol City Council et al

Scroll down for the best of Instagram, sport, property news and more things to do in Bristol this weekend…

Bristol Bears

The Bears racked up another 50+ points victory last Friday night against Newcastle on their plastic pitch. Bit of a plastic club, too. They used to be called the Falcons, now they are the Red Bulls (money talks). Bristol’s 19-52 hammering proved that the Geordies really don’t have wings - be they those of a raptor or those promised by a fizzy drink. 

The win followed hot on the heels of a 53-12 demolition of Gloucester. That’s 15 tries in back-to-back triumphs.

And back to Newcastle. They should have been relegated years ago - they are easily the worst team in the history of the Prem. But they can’t be relegated because of frustrating ground capacity rules. Ealing Trailfinders are top of the Champ with a stonking 117 points, having won all 24 of their matches this season. Newcastle have managed to limp to the princely total of, er, seven points. But Ealing’s stadium is deemed too small. So no jeopardy for the Red Bulls. And as for rewarding merit? Forget it. 

Next up for The Bears? Saracens at The Gate (Saturday 9 May, 5.30pm). Another 50 pointer would be great. But a win, four tries and a bonus point will suffice in Bristol’s battle against Exeter for that precious fourth playoff place.

Glorious Gloucester did The Bears a massive favour by beating The Chiefs 34-31 at Kingsholm on Sunday. Exeter secured two bonus points - one for losing narrowly, one for tries scored. It pushes Bristol down to fifth place - but only by a single point.

Here’s the run in:

Bristol Bears (48 pts)

Exeter Chiefs (49 pts)

The run ins look equally tough, although Bristol have two home games left and Exeter just one. And The Chiefs have to squeeze in a European Challenge Cup semi-final away to Ulster.

Game on, Bears. 

Women’s Six Nations

Ashton Gate is rapidly becoming hallowed turf for England’s women. They breezed past Wales with a comprehensive 62-24 victory at the weekend. England crossed the whitewash 10 times, but the Welsh women made a fist of it, scoring four tries of their own.

The Gate was the perfect venue for last Saturday’s clash. A citadel for England’s West Country rugby fanatics and convenient for the travelling Welsh support. 

The only downside to report is that England look utterly invincible. They are on course for a record eighth straight championship title. Impressive. But also concerning for the international women’s game. England are now unbeaten in 36 consecutive Tests.

The contrast with the men’s game is stark. In the decade since 2016, the honours have been fairly evenly shared in terms of titles: France (2022, 2025, 2026), Ireland (2018, 2023, 2024), Wales (2019, 2021), England (2016, 2017, 2020). 

The women’s game is nowhere near that level of competitiveness. England can’t be blamed for winning. But, if the same team wins every year, sport becomes boring.

Bristol City

City’s season meanders towards its mundane conclusion. A 2-1 defeat away to Birmingham last Saturday summed up a campaign that promised much but failed to deliver.

They are 13th in the Championship table and, if they beat Stoke at Ashton Gate on the final day of the season (Saturday 2 May, 12.30pm), they could reach the giddy heights of 11th. But only if Swansea and Preston both slip up. The Gate faithful will doubtless give The Robins a decent send off. In truth, they don’t deserve one. 

Bristol Rovers

This is getting ridiculous. A 4-0 thrashing of Cheltenham last Saturday at The Mem took Rovers’ winning streak to EIGHT League Two victories on the bounce. If The Pirates had matched that form earlier in the season, we could have been talking about the playoffs, perhaps even automatic promotion.

Rovers have been brilliant over the last two months. Their final match of the season is away to Notts County (Saturday 2 May, 3pm). It’s a tough mission. But the swashbuckling Pirates will look to go out with a flourish.

Bristol Folk Festival
Date: Friday 1–Sunday 3 May
A strong bank holiday pick for music lovers: three days of folk, roots and acoustic performances, listed by Visit Bristol as one of the weekend’s top events.
Website: https://visitbristol.co.uk/event/bristol-folk-festival/264136301/

DIASPORA! 26
Date: Friday 1–Sunday 10 May
A city-wide celebration of cultural diversity across Bristol and the South West, with more than 100 events including performance, workshops, talks, exhibitions and family-friendly sessions.
Website: https://www.diverseartistsnetwork.com/2026-festival/

Spike Island Open Studios 2026
Date: Friday 1–Sunday 3 May
A rare chance to wander through Spike Island’s 80,000 sq ft arts space, meet artists, see works in progress and mark 50 years since the organisation began as Artspace Bristol. Free entry, with donations welcome.
Website: https://www.spikeisland.org.uk/programme/events/open-studios-2026/

A Love Letter to Broadmead
Date: Friday 1–Monday 4 May
A free city-centre takeover across Broadmead and The Galleries, with street-party energy, creative pop-ups, performances and music bringing new life to empty units and shop windows.
Website: https://visitbristol.co.uk/event/a-love-letter-to-broadmead/395029301/

The Greatest Showman: The Musical — Bristol Hippodrome
Date: Friday 1–Sunday 10 May
A big-stage musical option for the long weekend, with the Bristol Hippodrome run starting on Friday 1 May.
Website: https://visitbristol.co.uk/event/the-greatest-showman%3A-the-musical-at-the-bristol-hippodrome/383242301/

Bristol Walk Fest
Date: Friday 1–Sunday 31 May
The city’s month-long walking festival begins on bank holiday Friday, with walks and outdoor events across Bristol throughout May.
Website: https://visitbristol.co.uk/event/bristol-walk-fest/241285301/

Ocean Photographer of the Year — Brunel’s SS Great Britain
Date: Friday 1 May–Sunday 28 June
A visually striking exhibition for anyone after a quieter culture slot: ocean photography on display at one of Bristol’s landmark attractions.
Website: https://visitbristol.co.uk/event/ocean-photographer-of-the-year-at-brunels-ss-great-britain/388198301/

Steve White Trio — Thekla
Date: Friday 1 May
British drummer Steve White brings his jazz-influenced trio to Thekla, with doors at 6.30pm and a £20 ticket listed by the venue.
Website: https://www.theklabristol.co.uk/gigs/steve-white-trio/

Hamish Hawk — Bristol Beacon
Date: Friday 1 May
An indie and rock/pop show at Bristol Beacon’s Lantern Hall, listed for 7.30pm with special guests and limited availability.
Website: https://bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/emmylou-harris-2026/

Bristol City v Stoke City — Ashton Gate
Date: Saturday 2 May, 12.30pm
A big final-day Championship fixture at Ashton Gate, with Bristol City hosting Stoke City.
Website: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/

Bristol Rovers away at Notts County
Date: Saturday 2 May, 3pm
One for Gasheads following from afar: Rovers finish their League Two season away at Meadow Lane.
Website: https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/fixture/list/34

Bristol Flyers v Manchester Basketball — SGS College Arena
Date: Sunday 3 May, 3pm
A home basketball fixture in Stoke Gifford, with tickets listed from £16 and average availability showing at the time checked.
Website: https://official-tickets.bristol-sport.co.uk/bristolsport_flyers/events/45543

Enjoy the long weekend, Bristolians! Whether you're after folk tunes, dancing, a scenic walk, or a match-day roar, there's something for everyone.

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