Lizzie Magie designed the original Monopoly as an educational tool to demonstrate the issues of capitalism. Back then it was called The Landlord’s Game, before morphing into the endlessly frustrating yet fun, family board game we all know and love (and sometimes hate). Of course that has nothing to do with modern life in Bristol, but this new edition of Monopoly does!
That’s right, a new edition of Monopoly was released today (November 9) based on the city we live in! Instead of places we’ve never visited in London like Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, and Park Lane. The Bristol Edition features iconic locations like Ashton Gate, Finzels Reach and SS Great Britain. We all still have to pay Income Tax though…
Bristol Monopoly is described as: “Explore the beautiful and historic harbour city of Bristol in this exciting Bristol edition of Monopoly! Known for its rich history, fascinating folklore, stunning architecture and marvels of engineering, Bristol has something for everyone. If you’re into sports, go watch the Bristol Pitbulls in action on the ice, or if you’d rather watch football, head down to Ashton Gate to cheer Bristol City on to victory!
“Or, if you’d rather take in some of Bristol’s many sights, put on your walking boots and take a stroll through the city along the canal and soak up some history at the SS Great Britain. For even better views, why not walk across the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, or take to the skies in a hot air balloon courtesy of Cameron Balloons.”
Is it a true reflection of the city we live in? Yes and no. Plenty of well-known locations feature, but there seems to be a big focus on the Clifton area: Clifton Downs (which we all know isn’t a real place anyway), Clifton Suspension Bridge, Clifton Arcade, Clifton College. Not to mention the fact that you can land on the University of Bristol, College Green and Park Street individually.
We do get legendary places like The Fleece and Bristol Shopping Quarter (lumping Broadmead, The Galleries, Cabot Circus and the like all together). But where are places like Gloucester Road? St Nicks Market? Stokes Croft? Bristol Sweet Mart? North Street? You know, places this city would be nothing without. It does feel like a slightly missed opportunity to explore the breadth and depth of Bristol with Monopoly.
But there’s still plenty to love. Bristol-based OVO replaces the Electric Company, while there are some unique Chance and Community Chest cards. Other locations on the Monopoly board include Bristol Blue Glass, Bristol Pride Festival, Hargreaves Lansdown and Bristol Airport. After a public vote, three local charities were also included, The Grand Appeal, Bristol Animal Rescue Centre and Empire Fighting Chance.