Seven Great Places To Spend The Bristol Pound

20/02/2015
Jess Connett

Source: The Bristol Pound

Jess takes a trip around the city to find the best places to spend the Bristol Pound.

Bristol is the only city in the UK to have its own legal currency – the Bristol Pound. You can spend it in over 700 of the quirky independent shops and local businesses that make Bristol unique and interesting. It’s good for business – if you’re hungry and you’ve got nothing but a crumpled up Bristol fiver in your back pocket, Tesco won’t take it but that nice little bakery next door will. Here are some of our favourite places to splash that Bristol cash.

Ahh Toots – St Nick’s market

Talented baker Tam makes all the delicious pastries, cakes and sweets on offer at Ahh Toots in a tiny on-site kitchen. Here you’ll find treats to make even the most avid desert-hater salivate, and a gorgeously sweet vintage vibe.

Fred Baker Cycles – Gloucester Road

A Bristol institution, Mr Baker set up his shop in 1935 and it’s been propelling the good people of Bristol on two wheels ever since. If you’ve got an old bike in the house that needs some TLC in this year of Green Capital, Fred’s your man.

Beware of the Leopard – St. Nicks Market

This is a second-hand bookshop like no other: rummage through the crates to find hidden gems from first edition literature (and we all know women can’t resist that) to old school textbooks. You can sell books to the slightly eccentric owner too.

Bearpit Social – The Bearpit

Part coffee shop, part social enterprise – Bearpit Social’s mission is to make the Bearpit a bright and busy area linking Broadmead with Stokes Croft. Their shipping container café catches the afternoon sun and serves a mean ethical cuppa.

Thali Café – Totterdown, Easton, Southville & Clifton

If you’ve not tasted a thali then you’re missing out – for 15 years these guys have been dishing out authentic Indian fare to Bristolians and festival-goers. All the delicious food is served together on one big dish so you can mix it up your way.

Heartfelt Vintage – Clifton

Need to find the perfect alternative outfit? Heartfelt is the dreamy vintage shop for you – rummage through all the pre-loved sequinned tops, vintage bridal wear and sparkly costume jewellery, and then refuel with a delicious homemade cake.

Bristol Sweet Mart – Easton

Need to spice up your life with some chilli pickle? Or maybe you need some almond milk for a very specific vlog? Sweet Mart sells it all and brings together the community with food from every corner of the world.

Did you like our pics? Did we spot your favourite independent shop? Or do you think the Bristol Pound is totally lame? Tell us on Twitter and Facebook, and tag your shop front pictures with #RifeMag on Instagram, we’ll feature the best ones.

And if design is your thing, how about submitting a design for the brand new Bristol Pound notes coming out soon? Hurry – the competition ends in March.