Bristol Tourist Inspiration Station Launches at No1 Harbourside

Have you ever found yourself wandering the streets of Bristol, asking yourself out loud, “Which café does the best cappuccino?”, “Where are the best views of the city?” or “Where can I get a decent Sunday roast? You could then spend your time waiting for your meagre 3G signal to search for the results online, or you could skip along to the harbourside and visit Bristol’s New Tourist Inspiration Station.

Based in the rather lovely No.1 Harbourside, you can sup a local ale or munch a cake from East Bristol Bakery whilst sitting down and having a rather magical sounding ‘Inspiration Consultation’.

The station has a large blackboard which lists the events going on that day, in addition to some of the best recent tips and useful local websites/blogs to check out. Pieces of paper with further tips from locals hang like bunting around the place too – so even on first glance you’re bound to be inspired. Don’t let the name fool you though; the Inspiration Station is not solely at the disposal of the tourists – it’s just as beneficial for locals and new students alike.

As well as this and the emergence of other local champions such as deal mongers Wriggle and Bristol Pound, there has never been a better time to discover the diversity on offer in Bristol. We asked one of the station’s Inspiration Managers, Sven, to tell us what inspires him about this city.

What I love the most about Bristol is that whilst it's a place that's easy to grasp, at the same time it never ceases to surprise. There's a strong sense of community, reflected in the plethora of street parties (every week you will find a party where people mingle, share beers and discuss ideas) or the high amount of independent shops. Even with local chains, such as The Lounges or Boston Tea Party, they still retain an offbeat alternative charm. There is also an incredible amount of things to do every single week, with activities such as Stand up paddleboarding (SUP) being added to more traditional activities such as drinking cider outside, and drinking cider... Inside...

I love how the entire city is thriving on creativity, reflected in the amount of pop-up venues (especially street food), cultural events and festivals. I do believe that Bristol is the ultimate place where the cultural soil can provide enough oxygen for independent businesses, creative forces and little projects like the Inspiration Station.

The end of the month might be the end of the project but I do think we are all passionate enough to carry this through. The Inspiration station can be a launch platform for a lot of initiatives. I've been planning an alternative city map and I've been thinking about a city podcast. It would be great if the Inspiration Station can help these ideas to come to fruition.

What Sven loves:

• Walking around Clifton, Cotham and Redland with the evening light of the setting sun in the background.
• Going for a coffee in the morning (Bristol is heaving with charming unique coffee bars), whilst next to me there is a girl working on an art project and a musician across from me is doodling his thoughts on a napkin.
• Strolling the harbourside market and talking the joys of blue cheese with a local cheese monger.
• Discussing books with the owner of Bloom and Curl (he will definitely offer coffee and cake).
• Simple Lampoon*

*I might have added that...