When Covid hit, town and city centres became deserted as people worked and shopped from home. But no longer. With the end of the pandemic in sight, and lockdowns hopefully a thing of the past, commercial centres are open once again, and workers have returned to their offices – although in many cases this is now through a hybrid arrangement, with some days at the desk and some working from home.
Bristol is a prime example of a location which has a thriving commercial district, making it an attractive place to work, shop and pursue leisure activities. In fact, in 2022, Bristol was yet again named by The Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in the UK.
At Rombourne, we have four serviced office complexes in Bristol and one of these – St Brandon’s House – is right in the heart of the city, with a BS1 postcode. The other two are at Trym Lodge and the Aztec West Business Park.
So, if you are thinking of locating your business to Bristol, what are the benefits?
1. Connectivity
Bristol is on the main railway line from London Paddington, and in fact has two train stations, at Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. Since electrification, the journey to London is even faster, taking just one hour and 40 minutes.
The city benefits from the M4, which directly links it with London to the South East, and Cardiff to the West. It also sits on the M5, making the journey north towards Birmingham, or South towards Exeter, convenient and easy.
2. Graduate Employees
Bristol is home to two exceptional universities. The University of Bristol is among the elite group of 24 who make up the Russell Group of universities, and it is currently ranking 15 in The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide.
The University of the West of England is also an excellent academic establishment, ranking at 61. Both produce highly employable graduates, who make up an excellent pool of talented labour for Bristol-based businesses to call upon.
3. Business Networking
Networking is a great way to meet like-minded business owners, to source suppliers, associates and potential new clients too.
Not only does locating to serviced offices in Bristol provide excellent networking opportunities with neighbouring businesses in the Rombourne building, the city itself has plenty of scope.
For example, as the city’s chamber of commerce, Business West has the largest business membership in the area. It runs regular events, as well as providing a wealth of useful information for businesses which are relocating.
Similarly, Working Breakfast is a Bristol-based networking group, which offers both face-to-face and online meetings. Another one to mention is Bristol Business Focus, which meets weekly online. There are many more to choose from.
4. All Work & No Play…
… makes Jack or Jill a dull boy/girl, as the saying goes. But, rest assured Bristol has everything you could possibly want or need by way of leisure entertainment.
If you enjoy theatre, then Bristol Hippodrome has a wealth of entertainment, playing host to many top London touring musicals. The Theatre Royal Bristol has its own theatre company – the Bristol Old Vic, established in the 1940s – which stages many classic productions, including Shakespeare.
At Bristol Beacon (formerly known as Colston Holl), you have access to great live music.
If you love eating out, Bristol is a truly multicultural city and offers every flavour to suit every palate. Indian, Chinese, Jamaican, Japanese, Mexican, European and some really great pubs and wine bars.
5. Sporting Chance
If you love watching sport as a way to unwind, Bristol hosts two soccer teams – Bristol Rovers, who play in League One, and Bristol City, who compete in the second tier EFL Championship. Enjoy ice hockey? Then you can watch Bristol Pitbulls who play in the NIHL National League. For rugby fans, we have Bristol Bears, one of England’s top rugby union sides. And Bristol is also home to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, at The County Ground.
If you also enjoy playing sport, Bristol has a wealth of gyms, sporting clubs and activities you can participate in.
6. Plenty To See And Do
Bristol has a rich cultural and historical background. Built on the confluence of the rivers Frome and Avon, it dates back to Iron Age settlements and even earlier, and the name Bristol comes from Brycgstow, which means the place at the bridge. A major sea port, the Venetian John Cabot left Bristol for the New World and became the first European to land in mainland North America.
Visitors to Bristol can enjoy sightseeing, including Bristol Suspension Bridge (Brunel’s extraordinary feat of engineering), Bristol Observatory, SS Great Britain (Brunel’s iron ship) and much more.
For shopping, Bristol has a vibrant city centre, and two major shopping destinations in Cabots Circus and Cribbs Causeway.
Conclusion
Clearly, Bristol is a destination city for businesses and visitors alike. Many big businesses are already located there, including tobacco giant Imperial Brands and aerospace corporate Airbus, so any enterprises relocating here or setting up in the city will be in good company.
If you’re thinking of locating your business to Bristol, then Rombourne serviced offices are an excellent option. For more information, or to arrange a visit, please get in touch with the team.
