Bristol has a thriving hospitality scene and running a pub, restaurant, bar or cafe is no mean feat. It's hard work - the hours are long and there's a hell of a lot of paperwork.
But if your dream is becoming a landlord or bar owner, then you're in the right place. There's a wide range of establishments currently on the market, from bustling boozers in the city centre to swanky restaurants.
Here's a list of all of the Bristol restaurants, bars and pubs currently on the market. It's worth noting that fortunately not all of the venues face closure as a result of being sold, due to ongoing lease contracts.
Read more: New Bristol harbourside flats being built near SS Great Britain go up for sale
Yia Mass
Yia Mass was put on the market at the start of 2023. The popular bar previously went up for sale in 2018 after being under the same ownership for 14 years. According to the property agency Fleurets, the business is still trading successfully, and offers are being invited for the lease of the property as a going concern. It’s currently listed for £2,500,000.
The Jolly Sailor
This was one of many casualties of JD Wetherspoon’s cull of venues back in 2022, when the group previously warned of financial worries and citied £30 million in losses. It is yet to find a new owner, on the market through Savills and CBRE at a guide price of £500,000.
Gloucester Road Ale House and Kitchen
Wickwar pub co is selling the Gloucester Road Ale House from its portfolio. Wickwar bought the former Forester Arms back in 2016, kitting it out with a modern refurbishment and giving it a new lease of life. The property is being marketed by Matthew Phillips Surveyors and is on the market as a freehold for offers in the excess of £650,000.
Harbour & Browns
Known for its sharing plates and Sunday roasts, Harbour & Browns is seeking a new owner to take over after being put up for sale in January. The harbourside restaurant first opened in 2017 as a sister site to Brace & Browns on Whiteladies Road in Clifton. It occupies two converted shipping containers in Cargo 2 merged into one offering a total of 58 covers, 34 inside and 24 on the terrace with stretching views of the harbour. Unit 13 of Cargo 2 is represented by Christie & Co for £50,000 leasehold.
Broken Dock
The harbourside bar and restaurant popular for its alfresco terrace was put up for sale last week. Having first opened in 2017, Broken Dock Kitchen & Bar on Millennium Promenade is currently on the market for £500,000 through Maggs & Allen estate agents. It’s located on the jetty opposite the SS Great Britain, previously described as having one of "the best views in the city".
Tonight Josephine
Having only opened last year, Tonight Josephine is already proving to be a big hit on Baldwin Street decked out with glitzy interiors alongside its bottomless brunch parties. The late night cocktail bar will not be closing as a result of the sale. It’s on the market through Savills for £2,215,000.
Boardroom
The late-night pub in Bristol's Old City has been put up for sale for almost £1million. Boardroom, situated on St Nicholas Street, will remain as a pub after the sale and will be unaffected until at least 2025, on the market through Savills.
Bristol Bear Bar
The entire building for the Bristol Bear Bar in Old Market is looking for a new owner and has been on the market for some time. The pub is on a ten-year lease so would be unaffected by the sale. The building is on the market through Maggs & Allen for £610,000.
Scarlet Lantern
Regarded as a ‘den of vice’ in the heart of Bristol’s bustling bar scene, the famed cocktail bar previously known as Red Light was put on the market last August for the first time in almost a decade. Scarlet Lantern is being sold at a guide price of £100,000 through Maggs & Allen.
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