Thinking of moving to the Centre of Bristol?
Caz Blake-Symes • August 18, 2020
Home to tech giants, inventors and engineers, Bristol is a buzzing city renowned for both innovation and the arts.
A vibrant and buzzing city, Bristol has lots to offer both its residents and visitors. From excellent schools to a sensational arts scene, it has all the attractions of a big city – and on a scale ideal for walking.
What to expect living in Bristol
The Sunday Times named Bristol the Best City to Live in a few years ago, but it has always been a popular place to set up home. The proof is in the wide range of architectural styles spanning centuries that the city’s residents have left for us to enjoy.
The oldest building in Bristol is St James’ Priory, which dates back to 1129, but there are more than 50 Grade I and 3,000 Grade II-listed buildings to explore too. It is not all old buildings, though. In fact, much of Bristol was rebuilt after the city was bombed during World War Two. Modern high-rises such as the Castlemead building sprang up in the spaces left behind, adding new architectural designs – and homes – to the skyline.
At the start of the 21st century Bristol Harbourside underwent its own regeneration. The area is now filled with chic bars, restaurants and music venues. From the mid-1980s, Bristol’s multicultural mix gave rise to a creative and cool subculture, resulting in the musical explosion of the 1990s – Massive Attack, Tricky, Roni Size to name a few.
This sowed the seeds towards Bristol’s reputation as an attractive alternative to London for those in search of an edgy urban vibe. And if you’re looking for endorsement, Buzzfeed has even published “19 Things Every Londoner Learns When They Move To Bristol.” But with so many attractions – and a great quality of life – word seems to have got around; house prices in Bristol have increased by 24% in the past five years, according to Zoopla and that trend may look set to continue.
Where to start your property search
Bristol is divided into several neighbourhoods and suburbs, including Hotwells, Clifton, Montpelier, Redland and St Pauls, and each has its own personality.
Clifton: This small town just outside the city centre is always likely to remain desirable. It is perfect for students because of its proximity to the universities and its range of large huge houses, many of which are split into flats. But Clifton is also popular among home-hunters with bigger budgets for its glorious period homes, village feel and independent outlets.
Redland: If you’re looking for more intimate accommodation and a quieter life, Redhill offers reasonably-priced one- or two-bedroom flats in the city centre that are close enough to the action, but still a bolt hole to escape to.
Bedminster: Bedminster – or ‘Bedmo’ as it’s locally known – is one of Bristol’s most up-and-coming areas. Rows of once scrappy Victorian terraces are now much
improved but buyers can still find the odd bargain.
Stokes Croft: Bristol’s answer to east London, property in Stokes Croft is already going for a premium as trendies, yuppies and hipsters move in. Living in the Croft is to be surrounded by cool new businesses, artistic graffiti and artisan coffee shops.
Property types
And what about the type of property you will find in Bristol? If you are in the market for stately Georgian villas, then Clifton’s Royal Crescent to the west of the city is your best bet.
And for a trendy suburban lifestyle, the Victorian terraces of Montpelier are ideal – or you can find sleek modern apartments in Broad Quay and the Harbourside.
With two universities and several campuses within its boundaries, Bristol also offers plenty of student digs. So if you’re looking to invest or buy a place for your student offspring, as well as city centre flats, look to the suburbs beyond Clifton, Cotham or St Werbburgh’s, where you’ll find plenty of homes with six bedrooms or more.
Things to do in Bristol
There is plenty of history to explore in Bristol. Parts of the cathedral, the Chapter House and Abbey Gate House all date back to the 12th Century. And if you are a fan of the BBC’s adaptation of Wolf Hall you’ll be pleased to know that some scenes were filmed here. One of Bristol’s most famous residents was the visionary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. You will spot several of his great works around the city, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which links Bristol to Leigh Woods in Somerset. Bristol Harbourside is home to the SS Great Britain, a passenger steam ship moored in the Great Western Dockyard. Now a museum ship, you can climb on board and find out more about Brunel and life at sea.
Finding jobs in Bristol
Part of the draw of Bristol is the jobs market – particularly when it comes to high-tech companies. According to a recent Tech City report, the sector employs 62,000 people. Hewlett Packard has a research laboratory in the city, while many smaller businesses make everything from silicon chips to websites. The growth of the tech sector looks set to continue with several enterprise zones springing up throughout the city. Bristol Temple Quarter, in particular, is home to businesses dedicated to developing high-tech, low-carbon and creative solutions.
Bristol retains its strong links to the aerospace industry having been a centre for aeroplane production during the War. Today BAE Systems, Airbus and Rolls-Royce are all based in Filton, north of the city.
Getting in and around Bristol
Getting to and from Bristol is simple, thanks to its connection to both the M4 and M5 motorways. The M4 runs from London to south Wales, while the M5 goes from West Bromwich, near Birmingham, to Exeter. Getting around the city itself by car however is trickier. Many roads are undergoing improvements to help ease the increasing volume of traffic. Bristolians therefore often choose to cycle, although the hills can make it hard going.
The city is also serviced by two key train stations: Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. Trains arrive here from London, Wales, Birmingham and the north east of England.
If you want to get out of the UK, Bristol Airport offers easy access to destinations throughout the UK and Europe, with low-cost flights provided by the likes of Ryanair and easyJet.
We have excellent relationships with numerous estate agents in the Greater Bristol area and will be delighted to put you in touch with the most appropriate lender.
For further details and to book your FREE CONSULTATION with one of our expert Mortgage Advisers please contact us
Bristol Mortgages Online www.bristolmortgagesonline.com
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Email info@swmortgages.com
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There have been some important changes to the legislation regarding Stamp Duty Land Tax with effect from 1 April 2025.
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Adapted from BBC Article by Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondent 13 February 2025 Two major lenders launched mortgage deals on Thursday with interest rates of less than 4%, as competition picks up in the sector. The prospect of further cuts in the base rate by the Bank of England has given mortgage providers confidence to reduce their own rates. But the attention-grabbing sub-4% deals by Santander and Barclays will not be available to all borrowers, particularly first-time buyers, and may come with a hefty fee. The return of such deals might prompt other lenders to follow suit after a period of tepid competition. Nationwide, the UK's biggest building society, has said it will reduce some of its rates on Friday. Mortgage deals with interest rates below 4% have not been seen since November. Across the whole market the average rate on a two-year fixed deal is 5.48%. The typical rate on five-year deals is 5.29%, according to latest figures from Moneyfacts. Time to decide Some tracker and variable rate mortgages move fairly closely in line with the Bank's base rate, which was cut to 4.5% a week ago. However, more than eight in 10 mortgage customers have fixed-rate deals. The interest rate on this kind of mortgage does not change until the deal expires, usually after two or five years, and a new one is chosen to replace it. About 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages, currently with an interest rate of 3% or below, are expected to expire every year, on average, until the end of 2027. That means a higher monthly bill for many homeowners on their next renewal, but there are signs that the rate they could pay is on its way down. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said the interest-rate setting committee expected to be able to cut rates further "but we will have to judge meeting by meeting, how far and how fast". This will affect savers who are seeing lower returns, but could bring better news for borrowers. The Bank's next rates decision is on 20 March. Message from Phil Clark “Regardless of whether you are a First-time Buyer, Looking to move, remortgage or invest in property, there are a huge range of competitive mortgage deals on the market. I will be delighted to discuss your specific requirements and offer you the most suitable deal!” Please call Phil on 0117 3251511 or email info@swmortgages.com For more information about Mortgage and Protection please visit www.bristolmortgagesonline.com
The Bank of England has announced that it will reduce the Base Rate by 0.25%, taking it to 4.5%, in the first decision of the year. Base Rate was held at 4.75% in December after two cuts in 2024.