Advice for high street or local centre businesses and independent traders in Bristol.
High streets and local centres are a crucial part of any city or community. As well as shops, they encompass a range of services, employment, leisure opportunities and transport facilities, and as such perform a vital social function.
Some key facts
Bristol has 47 clearly identifiable high streets and local centres, including the city centre (Bristol Shopping Quarter: Cabot Circus, Broadmead and The Galleries), 10 town, 9 district and 27 local centres.
City centre and high streets recovery
A £4.725 million recovery package is being launched to help Bristols high streets and the city centre to recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cash boost will help to spearhead the regeneration and recovery of the city centre and 47 high streets throughout Bristol.
Find out more about the funding package.
Business support and initiatives
To receive the latest news and events, grants and funding opportunities, business support, training and networking opportunities sign up to our business newsletter.
A range of information relevant to high street and local centre businesses and independent traders in Bristol can be found below. To keep fully up-to-date with developments, follow us on Twitter.
Business Start-up and Development Toolkit
The council has worked with local businesses, business advisors and traders' groups to produce a pdf Business Start-up and Development Toolkit (581 KB) .
Market research
As with any business, whether youre starting up or expanding, it's important to know your market, both existing and potential customers.
We publish a range of research information that may be of use including:
- Quality of Life Survey of Bristol residents
- Neighbourhood Profiles
Consumer classification tools such as those found at Acorn and Mosaic may also be of interest.
If your business is food-based you may be interested in Bristol Good Food 2030.
Vacant premises
Vacant premises are often seen as a threat to the high street, but they also offer new business investment opportunities.
See our commercial property page for information on vacant council-owned property. See also the Invest Bristol & Bath website, and the LoopNet and Estates Gazette Property Link websites which provide access to nationwide databases.
Bristol Living Wage City
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is voluntarily paid by over 12,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage that meets everyday needs.
Providing employees with a wage based on living costs can help provide security and stability for workers.
Bristol became a Living Wage City in 2019. We now have around 400 Living Wage employers in Bristol.
If you're an employer who is interested in finding out more about the real Living Wage:
- email livingwage@bristo.gov.uk
- visit our Bristol Living Wage City website
Visual merchandising and window displays
Any business can benefit from quirky, slick and professional advertising. Below is a link to a toolkit on visual merchandising; whether youre a new business or well established it provides handy tips and tricks to improve your displays: pdf Visual Merchandising and Window Displays toolkit (4.78 MB) .
Markets
Markets are effectively what the city's high streets evolved from, and they continue to play a major role in terms of its diverse commercial landscape, and in providing start-up and incubation spaces.
See the Markets in Bristol page for a list of the city markets and who to contact for a pitch.
You can also apply for an occasional market or car boot sale licence.
Business rates discounts and exemptions
There are discounts and exemptions that high street businesses can apply for.
Find out how the Valuation Office Agency values properties at GOV.UK.
Area-based organisations and projects
There are a number of representative organisations in Bristol related to high streets and local centres.
We seek to provide support to these organisations and projects, fully recognising the role they play in the economic health of the city.
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
BIDs are partnerships between local authorities and local businesses which are intended to provide additional services or improvements to a specified area.
A BID, lasting for a maximum of five years, must be agreed by ballot and is funded by a levy additional to business rates.
The following BIDs currently operate in Bristol:
- Bristol City Centre
- Broadmead
- Clifton Village
- Redcliffe and Temple Go to https://redcliffeandtemplebid.co.uk/ (opens new window)
Other local projects and organisations
Various business and community organisations are active in Bedminster, Church Road, Coldharbour Road, Christmas Steps, Fishponds, Henleaze, Jacobs Wells Road, Old Market, Stapleton Road and Chandos Road. Glos Rd Central operates in the area of Gloucester Road just above Pigsty Hill.
Night Time Economy
Bristol Nights is a partnership project from Bristol City Council whose purpose is to support the city at night, and everyone who works from 6pm-6am.
Find out more on the Bristol Nights website.
Purple Flag
Purple Flag is a nationally recognised accreditation process similar to the Blue Flag award for beaches.
It leads to a status for town and city centres that meet or surpass the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy.
Read more about Bristols Purple Flag status.
Training, events and other sources of information
Business West represents and works with over 18,000 businesses across the region, providing a range of support and events.
The City of Bristol College provides training courses for individuals (including via apprenticeships) and employers, covering customer services, health and safety, catering and hospitality.
The Federation of Small Businesses Go to https://www.fsb.org.uk/join-us.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoM6ij-m07wIV1uvtCh1QawJmEAAYASAAEgIklPD_BwE (opens new window) runs a number of events in Bristol that may be of interest.
Show of Strength Theatre Company runs theatre performances in high streets and local centres involving local people to help attract additional footfall.
Bristol Sustainable Business and Enterprise Support (BrisBES) is designed to deliver high quality, inclusive and sustainable support to Bristol's entrepreneurs and business.
Other organisations with a strong interest in high streets and local centres include:
- Association of Convenience Stores
- Association of Town and City Management
- Small Business Saturday Go to https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/#get-involved (opens new window)
- The High Streets Taskforce Go to https://www.highstreetstaskforce.org.uk/about/who-are-the-task-force/ (opens new window)
Contact us
For further information email business@bristol.gov.uk