Paintworks

Paintworks, the rightful home of Bristol’s creative innovators, plays host to ground-​breaking and progressive heavyweights such as 3E, Wildfire, and Tangent Books.
Wildfire are the creators of the beautifully produced 0117 annual review of all things original and contemporary in Bristol, featuring designers such as Derek Edwards of Patwa Design, who also rents space at Paintworks (and is who is responsible for introducing me to 0117 — thanks, I owe you!)
Tangent Books are a little longer in the tooth. An off-​shoot of Faragher and Jones in Bath, they came to Bristol about four years ago, when Richard Jones decided that he wanted an office a little closer to home. Being a resident of Totterdown for many years, it was a no-​brainer for Richard to decide to rent space at Paintworks.
I really love visiting this peaceful creative haven, just far enough out of the city centre for it to enjoy a calmness all of it’s own, but still very easy to get to. I always call into Bocabar for at least a coffee, but if I have time I indulge in a meal.
I’ve been to quite a few events at Paintworks, held in their cavernous rentable space beneath Bocabar. From fabulous art exhibitions by Jimmy Galvin to incredible expos by the people who brought us Style88 and Migoi Music.

I first came here well before Christmas as one of my friends used to work at the Bocabar. I didn’t really know that this place existed but as soon as I came here I thought it was wonderful. Not only was there a great café but so many other artistic organisations who have set up camp here. From photographers to sculpters, it’s brilliant to see so much of Bristol’s artistic trade all located in one general are.
With free car parking and located handily just of Bath road you can’t really have an excuse to avoid this place any more. I like to pop in with friends for a quick coffee and a bite to eat, with the relaxed atmosphere you can happily pass away a few hours.

The Paintowrks is a fantastic artistic hub.
As you enter you are welcomed by the Bocabar, a brilliant Café/​resteraunt, quite a big space and often has exibits on the wall. One I saw recentley was brilliant, it was called ’44 Walks’ by Hannah Sullivan, she marked out various walks she had taken through Paris and presented them very imaginativly and beautifully.
You can also find numerous photographers, website designers, sculptors, architects, a drawing school, a record company. It seems like anybody who is anyone comes a sets up camp at the Paintworks.
The website is fantastic and keeps you informed of whats going on at the Paintworks.
If you have a free afternoon I recomend going to Bocabar, having a coffee and a little chat with who ever’s there and find out what’s going on.

This is a nice, relaxed looking place, but the atmosphere amongst the staff is obviously not great, and it extends to the customer experience. My friend and I dropped in for some breakfast. The place was empty save for 3 men having a meeting over coffee. We went up to the bar. There were three staff wandering around looking sullen. None of them looked towards us or came over. We noticed a sign saying they did table service. We sat down. Ten minutes later, nothing had happened. So, I go politely up to the bar and ask what their system is. Do they do table service, as the sign suggests? There’s no friendliness nor any sense of apology from either of the people behind the counter. One of them hands me a menu with a hint of reluctance. I take it back to the table. The whole place smells of bleach, and a young man comes past us with a dirty bucket of dirty water, walks through the door and throws it all over the ground. Yuk, we think, and leave. With this atmosphere, there’s no way we are going to enjoy our meal, however good the food is.

I have been here on a few occasions and have enjoyed it for the following reasons:
1. Great Shoreditch style warehouse conversion and lovely space
2. Lots of cool creatives hang out there
3. The pizza’s are amazing the dough is all made from scratch and fresh toppings
4. Live music and/​or events
Only a few slight negatives. I have got fed up with waiting to be served a few times as hardly any bar staff for quantity of customers at times. The pizza prices are much higher than other places selling similar quality such as Cotham Hill Pizza resaurant.
But the beers are served well and strong so all in all a good place.

Bristol needs more venues like this. Shabby chic and a bit like a New York loft apartment. This place is above Paintworks and if you manage to get a seat it’s a really cool place to chill out. Comfy sofas are a must, other venues take note.
They serve incredible pizzas, roasts on a Sunday or tapas selection. After a full tummy I never want to leave and it’s nice to just chill and watch the world pass through the doors as i also consider my future as an artist lol.
On a Saturday night they have guest DJs in playing jazz and indie type music and its free so well worth a look.