I don’t know what Bristol did to The Telegraph in a past life, but the newspaper can’t stop hating on our city. What do you mean, Bristol doesn’t have a “definable personality of the kind you feel in larger cities like Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle”? The city has more character than all three combined!
The Telegraph’s destination expert, Chris Moss, has given his honest review of Bristol, and actually, it’s not that bad. The legendary travel writer has detailed his strong opinions about Britain’s 20 biggest cities, ranking them on ‘visitor appeal’—with Southampton at the bottom (1/10) and Liverpool at the top (9/10).
Bristol ranked 9th overall with a ‘visitor appeal’ of 6.5/10, which isn’t terrible, but it’s on equal footing with Birmingham and Leeds (sandwiched in between them on the list). London isn’t much better (7/10), while Cardiff (“envious of Bristol for its perceived glamour”) only scored 6/10. Brighton, our south-east equivalent, came 17th (4/10).
What does Bristol’s ‘honest review’ say?
Surprisingly, The Telegraph has lots of great things to say about Bristol. Highlighting its achievements “as the happiest city, the most liveable city, a vegan hotspot, Britain’s first-ever Green Capital and a Unesco City of Film.” At the same time, a walk along the harbourside is enough to convince most—Brunel’s ships and bridges, the M Shed, dining and drinking options, a Banksy, Redcliffe caves, etc.
From the centre’s department stores to independent retail in Bedminster and Clifton, as well as a Victorian lido, the Hidden gallery, Brandon Hill conservation area, Queen Square, the Martin Parr Foundation and the Royal Photographic Society, all get celebrated. As does the imminent opening of the five-star Hotel Gotham, “a showstopper property for wealthy tourists.”
Bristol has everything, except a definable personality of the kind you feel in larger cities like Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle.
But the biggest issue the writer takes with Bristol is trying to understand what it is. It’s “a city and a county, a gateway to the South West and Wales, a former slave port turned progressive power base, a rioting hotspot and cool party-town.” It’s this messy variety that seems to be a mark against us. But ask anyone who lives here, and that’s what makes Bristol Bristol, and often, a city a city.
To see Britain’s 20 biggest cities, ranked from worst to best, head here.