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The Exchange
The Exchange was built in 1741 to 1743 based on designs by John Wood the Elder of Bath.
In October 1831, a popular corn market was held every Tuesday and Thursday. By 1869 the merchants had changed their minds about trading outdoors and persuaded the corporation to put a roof on the central hall.
Edward Middleton Barry added an upper storey and a glass roof and the works were completed by 1872.
The original glass roof was unfortunately damaged and demolished during the Second World War. It had to be removed and replaced in 1949 by the one which is there now.
During the mid to late 1960s, the Exchange was a popular concert venue. British Beat groups including The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream, The Pretty Things and Spencer Davis all played several times in the main hall. American Blues legends such as John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter also played here.
The Bristol Exchange now remains the last 18th century building of its kind. Today the Exchange is designated as a Grade I listed building under the possession of Bristol City Council.
The Nails
Four bronze tables are outside the Exchange on Corn Street. They were probably modelled after mobile tables which were taken to trade fairs and markets.
The bronze nails have flat tops and raised edges which prevent coins from tumbling onto the pavement. They were made as tables for merchants to carry out their business.
The oldest pillar is undated, but experts say it is late Elizabethan.
Deals could be closed by payment on the nails. They are believed to be the origin of the saying "pay on the nail" or "cash on the nail".<
The clock
The clock was first installed in 1822. A second minute hand was later added to show the time in London as well as the local time in Bristol.
A red minute hand shows Greenwich Mean Time whilst a black minute hand shows the original Bristol time.
At the time, Greenwich Mean Time wasn't used as a standardised time throughout the country, so Bristol had its own time zone which was separate to London. It wasn’t till June 1841, when the first train pulled into Bristol from London Waterloo that the idea of easy travel became a realistic option for the public.
The trains ran to Greenwich Mean Time or “railway time”. Bristolians needed to know when the trains were running so an extra hand was added to the central clock and Bristol officially adopted Greenwich Mean.
If you enjoy the alternative, then an event at St Nicholas Markets is a must do when you're in the city.
Atmospheric, delightful, quirky and for all of the family.
For all events see the St Nicholas Market Facebook page.
The Street Food Market is on Wine Street every Tuesday and Friday from 11am to 2.30pm.
What you get as a trader
We provide all traders with:
- access to electricity
Cost of trading at the Street Food Market
£42 per trade
Apply to trade at the Street Food Market
We'd like to hear from street food traders who have a real passion and knowledge about their products. Our Street Food markets are about diversity and creating an atmosphere for its customers.
Before you start, you must:
1: have a Level 2 hygiene certificate
You must give us a copy of your Level 2 hygiene certificate when you apply for a stall.
Anyone coming into contact with food must have hygiene training before they're allowed to work in a food premises.
2: be familiar with our terms and conditions
Read our pdf Street Food Market terms and conditions (3.10 MB)
3: have a Bristol Eating Better Award
You can apply for an award on the Bristol Eating Better website.
To apply for the award you must have a 4/5 Food Hygiene Rating. If you're a new business and don't have this then we can help you. For help, email: markets@bristol.gov.uk
4: have an insurance policy with a minimum indemnity of £5 million for Public Liability
You can get this insurance cover by becoming a member of the National Market Traders Federation. You can also get a quote from an insurance broker.
5: register your food preparation premises with Environmental Health
This can be with the Environmental Health Office in the area in which your unit is stored or in the area you pay council tax to. You must do this at least 28 days before trading.
Apply online
If you want to have an informal discussion before completing an application, email marketsestate@bristol.gov.uk.
Apply for a stall at the Street Food Market
Once we've got your application, we'll aim to review it within ten working days. We might ask you to come into the Markets Office to talk about trading, your products and business plan.
Starting a food business
For information on starting a food business see our starting and registering a food business page.
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