Graffiti-covered Bristol pub is happily ditching its 'hidden gem' status

Tucked away in a corner just off Stokes Croft, a stone’s throw away from the iconic Turbo Island, is The Bell pub. It was recently number one on Time Out’s list of best pubs in Bristol.

Covered in graffiti, it has a distinctly ‘Bristol feel’ and is a well-known part of Stokes Croft’s famous music scene. As staff say, The Bell has its own ecosystem.

The pub, which was run by landlady Marion Cross for many years, was taken over by its new owner Sam Gregory two years ago. With new management comes new ambitions and there’s a lot planned for The Bell.

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They’ve called themselves the ‘new kids on the block’ and its easy to see why. They’re attracting huge names in Bristol’s electronic music scene like Exodus, Frontline, 404, Omen and Rumble in the Jungle. They’ve also introduced ‘Garage Friday’ and ‘Jungle Saturday’ events.

“It was a hidden gem, we’re trying to get it away from that, get it on the map,” said Sam Stubber, general manager. But unlike landmark venues like Motion or Lakota, The Bell is offering big names with that pub experience and pub prices.

“We’re the pre-drinks for Stokes Croft, its free entry so you don’t have to worry about buying tickets or anything like that. You’re going to get pub prices not club prices.”

“You can sit in the back garden if you want to have a little drink with your mates or if you want to have a dance you can, so we’re a hybrid,” Sam said. They’re hopping on a trend they noticed began after the coronavirus lockdowns lifted - young people seem to be going home earlier.

In short, some people say pubs are in, clubs are out. “Now people are in bed by two, so with our one o'clock licence its perfect,” he said. So not only does the pub have raging parties, but they also have board games and a Monday quiz night.

Over the last couple of years owner, Sam Gregory, has been focusing on making the building water-tight and secure. They’re now on the cusp of a lot of changes which will be more visible to the general public, says Sam.

They’ll be reinstating the pub’s kitchen, starting to host outdoor parties and are having a big graffiti makeover. “There’s a very strong tagging scene here, it's not that we’re against it, we’d just like to make it a little bit more organized and enhance it, " he said.

They’ve even started brewing their own beer, with the help of Butcombe brewery, called Lighter Fluid. “We’re determined to keep the price of Lighter Fluid the same for as long as possible and that’s £4.95 a pint,” he said.

Despite all these changes coming, Sam was confident The Bell won't lose its spark among the local community. He said: “It really is a community pub, we’ve got people who say they’ve been drinking in here for 20 years.

“It's important that with such a strong Bristol culture in this pub we keep it local,” Sam said. To find out more you can visit The Bell’s Facebook page.

The Bell, 16-18 Hillgrove St, Bristol BS2 8JT. Open seven days a week.