Riproar is "roaring" again!

Since the last time I went to a stand-up comedy session at the Riproar Comedy (read about our visit here), they have been moving from place to place and now, they have finally found their own space right in the city centre, just down from Primark, next door to the Old Fire Station. It is the evolution of the legendary comedy club Jesters Comedy owned and promoted by David Crew which was located at the Metropolis in Gloucester Road. They are due to launch the new venue on 1st November in Union Street and this blog had the opportunity to interview David Trew.

GLPCB: You have been away for over a year, changing from one location to another, what was the reason for it?

David Trew: "After we left our premises in Cheltenham Road, I ran the new Riproar brand from hired venues.  The first was a performing arts centre, owned by a Bristol Cathedral Choir School. The second was the fifth floor of Arnolfini by the harbourside.  We became very dissatisfied with the way the school treated us, so we moved to Arnolfini.  That arrangement came to an abrupt end because of a deal they were considering at the time, with a hotel group, to take over permanently, the space we were using.  That deal never happened, but we were asked to leave regardless.  I concluded that Arnolfini just didn't like having a popular comedy club in their building, because they believed it conflicted with their 'contemporary art' offering."

GLPCB: Where will you be located from now and and what the innovations will this new location have?

David Trew: "The new venue is ours.  It's three storeys and offers the following: A cafe bar on the ground floor, the comedy club on the first floor, and office space for creatives on the second.  It's in a fantastic location, with huge, passing footfall, offers 4000 square feet per floor, and has been fitted to our own specification.  We have signed a 20 year lease, so are not subject to the whims of the venue owners, as before."

GLPCB: You are planning to launch this Saturday, 1st November. How are works going so far? Everything under control?

David Trew: "Refitting new venues to a deadline, (I've done a few, now), is always exhausting, stressful, and goes to the wire; I've not done one yet where the cleaners aren't sweeping up the builder's mess, as the first customers walk through the door.  I doubt this new venue will be any different."

GLPCB: ... and what have you prepared for the launch day?

David Trew: "For the launch three of my favourite (and the club's best) comedians will be performing:  Nick Page, Daliso Chaponda, and Pierre Hollins. I'm sure it'll feel like gigging with old friends, both on stage and in the audience."

GLPCB: Once the venue is launched, what activities, shows or events would you highlight for our readers?

David Trew:  "I believe we book the best comedians on the circuit, so I'd recommend any weekend show, for that reason.  The Christmas period is nearly upon us, and there are some stellar line-ups during December - particularly on New Year's Eve.  New also, for Thursdays, is 'Come Quickly, It's Cerys' our new Thursday show hosted by Cerys Nelmes, which showcases a lot of the newer, younger talent on the UK circuit, as well as the circuit's headliners.  And once a month for Sundays in the New Year, we have the wonderful 'What The Frock Comedy' shows coming to our venue - all women line-ups of the best female comedians on the circuit." 

New, exciting times are coming for the Riproar comedy company. From the blog, we wish all the best and a successful launch day! :)

SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

Website: http://www.riproarcomedy.co.uk/

Location: 15 Union Gate, 63 Union Street, BS1 2DU

1-day trip to "Brizzle"

Are you visiting Bristol for the weekend? Do you have friends coming over and they want to know what is here worth visiting? If yes, this post could be your tour guide. I must say that Bristol is not a touristic city "per se" though there are several places worth visiting for it's engineering or historical interest. So... Welcome to "Brizzle"! ("Bristol" in Bristolian dialect)

Starting point: The tour's starting point will be Bristol Coach Station (Marlborough Street, Bristol BS1 3NU), as most of you might arrive in Bristol by coach. Follow the map below to complete the walking tour around Bristol.

1) Visiting the local and artistic Stokes Croft neighbourhood
If you exit the Coach Station from the door located at the left of the toilets, you can get to Stokes Croft more easily. Cross Marlborough street at the zebra crossing and follow Dighton Street. You will get to the heart of Stokes Croft. Either ways of the street, you will find beautiful local shops and independent coffee shops with a very distinctive personality. Graffiti and paintings decorate the street shaping a very creative area which supports community work and local businesses. Ideally, you would stop at The Canteen (read our review here) to have a powerful breakfast after seeing the first Banksy's stencil titled "Mild Mild West", located at the building entrance.

2) Shopping time at Cabot Circus and Broadmead

Cabot Circus is the main modern shopping area in Bristol. You can easily get there following Stokes Croft southbound. I personally love the underpass at St James Barton roundabout which is called Bearpit Market (read post about Bearpit Market here and here). The Bear's name is Ursa and has been created by Stokes Croft artist Jamie Gillman with the collaboration of Bearpit Improvemnet Group, PRSC and funds from an Arts Council England grant. If you take the exit closer to Primark, you will get to the shopping quarter called Broadmead. Big clothe-chains like Primark, the Urban Outfitters, Debenhams and other smaller shops are located in the road called Horsefair. There is also a three multi-level pedestrian shopping centre called Cabot Circus (read post about Cabot Circus here), opened in September 2008. The name of Cabot was chosen following a public vote taken in November 2007 commemorating John Cabot, an Italian explorer who is closely associated with Bristol. It won an award for its sustainable design, including natural ventilation, low energy lighting and rainwater harvesting system. Within the building, loads of shops and restaurants can be found as well as cinema's and bank offices.

3) An oasis of tranquility at Castle Park

Very close to Broadmead and Cabot Circus there is a public open space often used for music festivals called Castle Park (read here about a festival). The ruined tower of St Mary-le-Port church stands to the west of the park, surrounded by financial office buildings, while in the middle of the park, you can see St Peter's church's ruins. Recently, St Mary-le-Port has been placed on English Heritage's "At Risk" list. During summer sunny days, the park is an exceptional place to lay down and have a relaxing afternoon after work. 

4) Walking historic streets around Corn Street
Going down on Corn Street, one of the principal historic streets in Bristol where corn and trade exchange was done, you will get to St Nicholas Market. It is a permanent covered market, home to the largest collection of independent retailers in Bristol. This is the perfect place to buy some souvenirs if you feel like! It is opened Monday to Saturday between 10am and 5pm, and every Friday there is a Food Market offering shoppers and visitors the opportunity to purchase some of the best local produce and street food. I strongly suggest having a falafel at "Eat a Pitta"  for less than 5 pounds if it's already lunchtime.In Baldwin Street where you can see very beautiful buildings such as "The Old Fish Market". Food and drinks are quite expensive in the restaurant located in that exact building, but the building deserves a picture. 


5) The heart of the city at Broad Quay
Follow Baldwin Street towards the city centre where you will find what we colloquially call "The Fountains". You will always hear music around the fountains as many buskers choose this area to play. The Hippodrome, designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1912, is a theatre with a capacity of 1951 people. The theatre survived the World War II, but three years after, a fire destroyed the stage which had to be closed for 10 months. The theatre now has host many top shows such as The Lion King, Les Miserables and Cats.

6) A break before the "steep hill" in Park Street: Bristol Cathedral

If you take the street that goes uphill towards Park Street, you will get to an open space called College Green. It is surrounded by a number of historic and important public buildings such as Bristol Cathedral (read about our visit to the Cathedral here), Council House and Central Library. This is, as Castle Park, a very popular meeting point for young people when the weather is good, particularly street sport enthusiast. There are always skateboarders practicing there. If you cross Park Street at the lower part, you will see the second Banksy of the day: the famous "Naked Man Hanging".

7) Panoramic view of the city from the top of Cabot Tower
Half way in Park Street, turn left at St George's Street to get into Brandon Hill.  Brandon Hill is a popular picnic spot with beautiful panoramic views over the city from Cabot Tower, located at the top of the hill. I highly recommend checking out the beautiful views from the top of Cabot Tower (read here for complete post about Cabot Tower).

8) The impressive tower of Bristol University (...and the Triangle)
The impressive tall tower at the top of Park Street (easily accessible from Brandon Hill) deserves another stop. Wills Memorial Building is part of University of Bristol and it is normally used for graduations and important exams. There are tours available (more information here) although you might need to book it in advance. 
Further up, there is the famous "Triangle" between Queen's Road, Triangle Street and Triangle West. This is where normally university students go out to clubs such as Mbargo, Lola Lo (former Po Na Na), The Bunker and Pam Pam.
Buildings such as The Victoria Rooms and the Academy of Art opposite deserve a couple of pictures before taking the bus to the famous Suspension Bridge.

9) Brunel's biggest legacy: the Suspension Bridge
Get the bus number 8 at Queen's Road opposite to Rajmoni restaurant. It will take around 5 minutes to get to Clifton Down park. You can walk through a narrow natural trail to get to Bristol Observatory first (read here about Bristol Observatory), where you should take the picture of the Suspension Bridge.
The Suspension Bridge, opened in 1894, links Clifton to Leigh Wood in North Somerset. The bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the bridge deck is suspended by 81 matching vertical wrought-iron rods. Since the opening, the bridge has gained the reputation as a suicide bridge, reason why they added anti-climbing barriers and put plaques that advertise the telephone number of The Samaritans. Everytime I come here to show the bridge to friends, we always cross the bridge from one path and come back from the other side.

10) Sunset at the Harbourside
Finally, we arrive to the Harbouside, the perfect spot to see the sun set while having a beer. You can take the bus back to the centre (number 9) or walk (it takes around 15 minutes). The Harbourside is full of restaurants, several museums and many things to do. Some time ago, we posted a walking tour around the Harbourside (read here) which can hopefully give you a plan for another day. If you feel like having dinner, I strongly recommend to have a pizza at The Stable. Pizzas are really amazing there!

Bristolian people: Cary Grant

Classic Hollywood star Cary Grant was born and raised in Bristol. For some of you, this is old news. For me, though, the "Bristolianess" of Cary Grant came to my knowledge some weeks ago when I first read about the Cary Grant Festival. I was not in town that weekend so I didn't have the chance to attend to any event going on. However, I dug into Cary Grant's live which is in fact worth a Hollywood movie.

Archibald Alexander Leach (what a peculiar name!), better known as Cary Grant, was born in Horfield in January 1904. He was the only surviving child of his parents and his mother, since the death of previous children, suffered from clinical depression and was placed in a mental institution when Archibald was only 9 years old without telling him where she was going. He was told that his mother went on a "long holiday" and she had died afterwards. It wasn't until he was 31 when his own father, on the verge of death, confessed the "lie" to his son and told him he could find her in a care centre.

Archibald performed as a stilt walker and when he was 16, he joined the "Bob Pender Stage Troupe" and traveled to the USA with them for a two-year tour around the country. When the group came back to Britain, he decided to stay in the US experiencing on stage as a stilt walker as well as acrobat, juggler and mime. When he because American citizen in 1942, he changed his name to "Cary Grant".

The attractive actor is known for comedy and dramatic roles in films such as "Bringing up, baby", "The Philadelphia Story", "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "North by Northwest" among many others.

You can see Cary Grant's statue in Millenium Square in Bristol, walking with one hand in his pocket and the other one holding a suitcase.

Wikipedia - Cary Grant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Grant

Bloody hill...

Unfortunately, I had to climb this hill more often than I'd like. Not as often as University of Bristol students, though. I feel really sorry for them, waking up early to go to class and facing this street every morning... because St Michael's Hill is what I call a "bloody hill"!

It's not only me, though. I am sure students will agree with my description as well as anybody who lives or works in that steep street. You look up from the crossroad with Perry Road and your muscles will start to complain, screaming: "Please, don't go up the hill!"

However, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right? If you forget about the gigantic physical effort you are making and look around, you will actually be able to enjoy several things on your way up.

At the very beginning of the steep climb, you can see the St Michael on the Mount Without church. The tower dates from the 15th century although the rest of the building was rebuilt between 1775-1777 by Thomas Paty. Although it is in very poor conditions nowadays, it has been graded as grade II* listed building by the English Heritage.I didn't know about the English Heritage grades on buildings before so I did a little bit of research on grades. Listing buildings helps us understand the English history and marks a building's special architectural and historic interest (more info here). It turns out graded II* listed buildings are buildings "particularly important of more than special interest". Only 5.5% of listed buildings are from this category.

The timber-framed houses near St Michael's church have been converted into attractive colourful buildings with pleasant gardens behind. These houses are dated from 1670s and the houses further up in the hill date from 18th century. The steep climb from the cramped alleys of the old city ensured that the area was high above the insalubrious dockside smell, while a step beyond lay the open countryside at that time.

On the right side little bit further up, there is the Colston's Almshouses. It is a historic building founded by Edward Colston for 24 inmates built in 1691. The building as well as the front wall and gates have been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building and according to the English Heritage, Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important and only 2.5% of listed buildings are this grade. 

So, remember to spot and pay attention to those historic buildings next time you climb up St Michael's Hill and if needed, just stop at Colston Arms for a pint of beer or cider.

"Alcohol may not be good for you... but surely better than this Bloody Hill!"

INTERESTING LINKS

English Heritage - Listed Buildings WEBSITE:
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/listed-buildings/
St Michael's Hill WEBSITE:
http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/out-04.asp

Need a cab?

Do you take a taxi very often? If you do, would you use Uber instead? Uber is an on-demand car service application that allows to request private drivers through your smartphone, for a cheaper rate and probably faster. The service utilizes dispatch software to send the nearest driver within the database to your location and you will be charged directly to the credit card stored in your Uber account instead of paying to the driver by cash.

I learnt about Uber when I was in London visiting a very good friend. I don't normally use a taxi to get around but underground works left us no choice. Instead of calling a normal taxi, my friend ordered a private car through Uber and I must admit that I was impressed how fast the car arrive to our location and how luxurious the car looked. Apparently, you can choose the vehicle type depending on your needs: budget option, luxury option, a car for 6 passengers... and my friend likes everything over-the-top! ;)

This application started in San Francisco (CA) in 2009 and has since spread across the world. So far in the UK, it is only available in Manchester and London. However, Bristol Post said it may not be long before it arrives to Bristol.

This system has created some controversy, specially between the taxi driver's community. London cab drivers, for example, claim that this way of working constitutes a taxi meter and the law states that only black cabs are allowed to use this type of meter in London. Transport for London, on the other hand, says that Uber is doing nothing illegal.

Travelers are also concerned about their safety even though they'd be able to see driver's name and picture before booking the vehicle. In addition, the customer does not know the exact final fare. Uber gives you the estimate instead as costs are determined by the time taken and distance traveled. 

Tell us what you think: Would you use Uber service if it worked in Bristol? 

INTERESTING LINKS

• Bristol Post: What is Uber? How does it work?
• WikiHow: How to use Uber

Hot Tub Cinema

Here is one more reason why I like Bristol so much! Since last night, Paintwork has been screening a movie per day and it will continue until 14th October. Nonetheless, this is not a usual cinema! This case you will be able to watch the movie from a hot tub!!

Yes, you've read it correctly: Hot Tub Cinema. It began some years ago in Exeter as a private party for friends, now it's a properly established event in Bristol. So cool!

The Hangover, Ghostbusters, The Lion King, Grease... many different movies that you could see from a warm hot tub. 

Have you bought some tickets? Lucky you! Sadly, tickets have already sold out. However, they will be announcing a lot new events and exciting news in the next few weeks. If you want to keep posted, make sure you sign up on their website.

WEBSITE: http://hottubcinema.com/

Winter is coming...

I have already started using Autumn/Winter jackets, it's chilly when I go out in the morning, it rains more often, it's getting darker earlier in the afternoon, I have already caught the first cold... so I can "officially" say that Autumn is here. Enjoy the sunshine afternoons, it won't last long! :)

Airbus bought this piece of art from the Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram called "Aeolus". Aeolus is the ruler of the four winds in the Greek mythology. It is now permanently installed at the main entrance of the Aerospace Park in Filton. 

A garden, new hubs and a new look for the Bearpit

Last Saturday, they had the inauguration of The People's Garden, the mobile wildflower garden in the Bearpit underpass. They have created a tetris-like garden which provides seating for  5 people in the busy roundabout. Its aims at supporting the biodiversity, giving pleasure with their variety and colour, improving the lanscape at the Bearpit Market, educating the visiting public, attracting birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects, and bringing people together. 


At the moment, the Bearpit Market is under a very important "face-lift" works and the improvements can already be felt. There will be a new layout, pavement and lighting, but the ramps and subways will be retained. Some food hubs like Bear Fruit had reopened the business. Hopefully, in a couple of months (probably December), the iconic 1979 double-decker green bus will be fully converted into a street food stand and the work currently in place will lead to fresh urban space. 

INTERESTING LINKS
WEBSITE "The People's Garden":
http://www.slideshare.net/puhdding/the-peoples-garden-mobile-wildflower-garden
FACEBOOK PAGE "Bear Fruit": https://www.facebook.com/BearFruitBristol?fref=ts
FACEBOOK PAGE "Bearpit Market": https://www.facebook.com/BearpitMarket?fref=ts