Two empty Bristol pubs are currently undergoing makeovers to transform them into arts spaces. What used to be the Rummer on High Street will become The Looking Glass. Meanwhile, the former Stapleton Road Tavern is keeping its name while aiming to become a creative community hub.
What will in March become The Looking Glass has been closed for more than a decade. It was originally the main entrance to the Rummer, now accessed via All Saints Lane, and among a proud history dating back centuries it was Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s base for the launch of his political magazine, The Watchman, in 1795.
The Looking Glass aims “to provide an affordable space where artists can present their work and create a vibrant community hub where art, music, enterprise and innovation can thrive”.
This project is supported by Capacity, run by Bristol City Council Neighbourhood Arts team, which aims to open up empty and underused buildings for creative uses.
Click here for The Looking Glass Facebook page.
Stapleton Road Tavern will host a temporary creative project space in the former pub, bordering Old Market and Easton. It will present a series of commissions and events, and invite local artists and community groups to use of the space for free.
“Stapleton Road Tavern is striving to become a unique hub for the community where people from all walks of life can come together to engage with each other in creative activity. Delivering a range of arts activities throughout Spring 2012, the intention is to create a space where individuals and groups can raise the profile and visibility of their activity and contribute to the regeneration of the Stapleton Road area.”
This project is supported by Bristol City Council, Love Easton, Hand in Glove and ARISE (the Alliance to Reward Initiatives and Social Enterprise).
