The Bristol Independents campaign is busy promoting Bristol's array of independent shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and markets in the run-up to Christmas. Traders holding special events or offers can promote them via the Bristol Independents campaign website, see www.bristolindependents.co.uk

Jane Stevenson from the campaign said: "The Bristol Independents campaign was successfully launched in September, since then our focus has been on promoting a Bristol Independents Christmas. There is really so much on offer from Bristol's independent traders, please have a look and see what is on offer."

Council Leader Barbara Janke said: "We are rightly proud in Bristol of our diverse high streets and markets, but to ensure they continue to flourish, I hope people will take the opportunity in the run up to Christmas to use them as much as possible. This is why the Bristol Independents campaign is doing an excellent job highlighting the benefits of shopping locally in and around the city this Christmas."

Special Christmas events already listed on the Bristol Independents campaign website include:

9 to 20 December- 12 Days of Christmas Local Market taking place from 10am to 6pm (Mon to Sat) and 11am to 5pm (Sun) in Broadmead.

10 December – 11am to 5pm – Christmas Market in the Council House, College Green. Lots of local businesses will have stalls selling crafts and gifts.

10 December – 10am to 4pm – Following the success of last year’s food fayre, The Southville Centre in Beauley Road, Southville, will be holding its second Festive Food Fayre.

15 December – 2pm to 8pm – ‘Keep Whiteladies Local’ is hosting a festive event in and around St John’s Court on Whiteladies Road – ‘Keep Christmas Local’. The Christmas market will showcase a collection of locally produced gifts and Christmas treats.

16 December – Stapleton Road event – meet in Rawnsley Park at 6.30pm and then on to the steps of Kensington Baptist Church at 7.15pm for more carols and mince pies.

16 December – Late-night shopping on North Street in Bedminster. Shops will be open till 8pm. There will be carols on the lawn at St Francis church, a lantern parade organised by Paper Village, with lanterns made by their customers, food from the grill in front of Rare Butchers & a children’s trail to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital.

17 December – 10am to 4pm – Christmas Food Market, Corn Street.

17 December – 11am to 6 pm – The Stokes Croft Street Market

Back at its launch in September, the Bristol Independents campaign invited local residents to nominate their favourite Bristol food businesses in the first ever Bristol Independents Awards. People who made a nomination were automatically entered into a prize draw – this will be held at 11am on Saturday 17 December, at St Nicholas Market.

The 42 nominated Bristol Independents favourites showcase a wide range of food businesses across the city, from Bishopsworth to Clifton, from Henleaze to St George, and include favourite butchers, greengrocers, cafes and market stalls. It's not too late to vote for your favourite, as the poll stays open till the end of February, see www.bristolindependents.co.uk

 

A yellow gorilla greeted me as I went through the ticket barrier at Bristol Temple Meads this morning.  While I was searching for a News of the World on Gloucester Road yesterday morning (the first and last such purchase of my life!) I met another one decked out in Bristol Rovers FC kit.  Gorillas are appearing in key positions all over the city. Read more.

Bristol Zoo is celebrating its 175 Birthday in 2011 and in July the party takes to the streets with a mass public art event featuring more than sixty brightly-coloured, life-size gorilla sculptures that are to be let loose across Bristol’s streets and parks.

 

The Wow! Gorillas will form a trail around the city, taking in top landmarks such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Arnos Vale Cemetery, Corn Street, St Nicholas Market and the cobbled streets of Welsh Back and Queens Square. Bristol’s shoppers will come across the Gorillas in the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre and at Cribbs Causeway, North Street in Southville and Gloucester Road. Slightly further afield the trail will take in the Baptist Church at Chipping Sodbury, Costco in Avonmouth and Bitton Railway Station.

 

Each Wow! Gorilla sculpture has been sponsored by a local business, organisation or charity and each has been decorated in its own unique style by very talented local artists.

 

One hundred smaller gorillas will also pop up around the city; these have been sponsored and decorated by children from Bristol’s primary schools and nurseries.

 

The exhibition trail will be open for ten weeks, after which time the sculptures will be sold at a prestigious charity auction taking place in Clifton on 29 September; the money raised will be split between Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal which raises funds for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. The small gorillas will be returned to their respective schools.

 

Wow! Gorillas will be officially launched on 04 July from Radisson Blu Hotel when a Gorilla Flotilla will make a dramatic arrival in Bristol’s floating harbour; several gorillas will be tethered to the top of boats and will be on view in the floating harbour from 11.30AM to 12.30PM before making a journey up the river.

 

For further information about Bristol Zoo, the 175th Birthday celebrations and Wow! Gorillas please visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk

 

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The Art Market in The Glass Arcade, St Nicholas Market   1st Sunday of every month Painting | Sculpture | Illustration | Ceramics | Print     Contact: 0117 922 4014 markets@bristol.gov.uk Bristol City Council Markets Section The Exchange, Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1JQ