While Bristol has welcomed a vibrant selection of brand new restaurants, bars, cafes and other establishments to the city this year, the list of those we’ve said farewell to over the past 12 months or so, is extensive.
From small local independent businesses that have simply not been able to stay afloat in the current climate, to bigger names we thought would remain here for years to come. This year has seen shock closures across the city, and we’ve said goodbye to many a favourite foodie hotspot, cafe and bar.
We’ve compiled a list of places that closed their doors for the last time in 2024… Have we missed a closure from this list? Let us know.
Propyard
Back in April, BristolLive broke the news that the Propyard venue on Feeder Road had closed for good. At the time, the venue’s Google listing stated that it had ‘permanently closed’, while its website disappeared and social media profiles were empty of posts.
Over the years, Propyard played host to events such as the Van Gogh Experience, as well as live music and seasonal festivals like Winter Wonderland, but faced some financial difficulties in the months leading up to its closure. At the end of last year, the venue cancelled all of its remaining Winterland events due to ‘increased costs’ amid the cost of living crisis.
The announcement to cancel the event was made following a number of complaints made by customers a week prior, who had turned up to find that the venue had been temporarily closed without warning, leaving some out of pocket. In a statement made on December 8, the team at Propyard apologised for the inconvenience, saying they had ‘some unexpected challenges’ with their heating system, which meant that they had to close the venue and refund ticket holders across a number of evenings. The statement added the venue was by that time back open and ‘operating as normal’.
It was announced in June that the venue would be taken over by London firm AMAAD and renamed ‘Prospect‘, with the firm saying it will invest heavily in creating a venue which will host entertainment, comedy, sport and music, as well as pop-up food, drink and fashion markets.
In July, The Prospect Building announced its full 2024 music line-up, which included a 12-week winter music series.
Four Quarters
In November, BristolLive reported that a brand new cocktail bar had opened in the former home of the Four Quarters arcade bar on Park Street. Four Quarters had an array of arcade machines and gaming consoles people could book while enjoying a craft beer or cocktail.
But on October 4, it Bristol posted the following message to its Facebook page, announcing its closure: “Time to say goodbye! We are sad to say our time here on Park Street has come to an end.
“Though Four Quarters carries on gaming and serving awesome bevs in London and Newcastle, our Bristol site is now closed. We’d like to thank all those that came to drink with us these last few years- the gamers, the quizzers – all the club nights like Lost Track of Time and Bristol Northern Soul.
“Of course also thanks to the staff who brought the site to life. We are sure we will see you again soon in Bristol but until then check out our three London sites and our Newcastle one for all things 4Q.”
Casa
Casa, which is situated on Lower Guinea Street in Redcliffe, is still displaying an ‘important notice’ on its website, months after BristolLive reported, back in October, that the much-loved Italian restaurant was ‘closed for future bookings‘. The notice reads: “At this moment, we are closed for future bookings. If you’re looking to book a restaurant, please check out our sister restaurant, Paco Tapas.
“All vouchers for Casa will be honoured at Paco Tapas. If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon!”
Casa opened on the former site of the Michelin-starred Casamia in late October 2022, and has been run by Casamia owner Peter Sanchez-Iglesias and his family ever since. At time of writing, Peter is also the head chef at Spanish restaurant, Decimo in London, as well as Casa’s sister restaurant, Paco Tapas, which sits just doors away from Casa, on Lower Guinea Street.
Following Casamia’s closure back in May 2022, Casa was added to the Michelin Guide after just four months of service.
TGI Fridays
The Bristol Cabot Circus branch of TGI Friday’s announced back in October that it was to close with immediate effect. The restaurant brand will remain in the UK following a rescue deal for the chain, but more than 1,000 staff have lost their jobs with the immediate closure of 35 restaurants, although 51 branches will remain open, including the one at Cribbs Causeway.
Breal Capital and Calveton UK have acquired 51 restaurants after the group’s previous operator fell into administration. It means that nearly 2,400 jobs have been saved across the US-themed restaurant and cocktail bar. But joint administrators at Teneo said 35 restaurants were not included in the sale and have been closed immediately, resulting in 1,012 redundancies.
You can read more on this story here.
Tare Restaurant
We may have welcomed Tare Bistro and the new Tare Bar to the city this year, but we lost Tare Restaurant – a Michelin Guide-recommended venue – back in June. The shock closure was announced in an Instagram post published in April, where the restaurant said: “Unfortunately we have taken the hard decision to close Tare Restaurant in it’s current format this coming June.
“After a fantastic year of trading in 2023 we have seen a significant reduction in customer numbers this year and unfortunately it is simply not financially sustainable. We are grateful to be busy on the weekends but that alone cannot support a restaurant team. We will be focusing our efforts on our sister venue @tarebistro.”
Tare Bistro is described as being “an intimate restaurant and bar in the Cargo 2 development on Wapping Wharf from the team behind Tare Restaurant”. It offers a ‘diverse wine list’, as well as local beers and ciders, and a ‘carefully compiled cocktail list – plus food from local suppliers from its open kitchen’.
Meanwhile Tare Bar, which opened in November, is located in the home of the former restaurant and is serving up ‘expertly selected wines, locally sourced spirits, moreish bar snacks, and a welcoming atmosphere’ at the new bar venue. You can find Tare Bar at Unit 14 of Cargo 2, near to the Bistro – it’s open Wednesday to Saturday.
Eden Cafe in Clifton
Eden Cafe in Clifton, a popular vegan Bristol cafe confirmed its closure in a post to Instagram on Wednesday, November 20. The post, which contained a bittersweet image of hot air balloons alongside the words ‘goodbye Bristol’, read: “It is with great regret that we have decided to close Eden Cafe.
“Our last day of trading with our regular menu and hours will be November 25. We will then reopen for two final weekends, selling drinks, cakes, patisserie, soup and sandwiches, on the weekends of November 30-December 1, and December 7-8… We’ve so loved meeting you, feeding you, and experimenting with vegan patisserie, and your support has really meant the world to us. Thank you again for being part of the Eden Cafe adventure! Wishing you joy, Clara and the Eden Cafe Clifton team.”
The cafe, which was located on Waterloo Street, made a name for itself serving up a range of plant-based dishes as part of its mission to ‘showcase everything vegan food can be’. Popular items on the menu have included breakfast bowls ‘sprinkled with superfoods’ to ‘cheese’ and ‘bacon’-loaded full English breakfasts – and even a vegan afternoon tea.
Tapestry by Props
Bristol’s first ‘disability-led brewery’ announced its ‘imminent’ closure back in October. Tapestry by Props, supported adults with learning disabilities by giving them a job with access to practical learning, skills development and accessible work-based experiences, shocked fans and locals with news it was to close.
The brewery at Totterdown Bridge Industrial Estate shared the announcement in a post to its Instagram page on Wednesday, October 23. It said: “Hey everyone – It’s with deep regret that we have to announce the imminent closure of Tapestry by Props.
“Unfortunately, after two years of trading we will be permanently ending the project, with our last day of service being Saturday 2nd November. We are hoping to go out with a bang and reminisce on the good times we’ve shared with you all, and would love to see you down here for one last dance!
“It’s been an invaluable experience for Props, as well for myself (Cal) and Tom. We are so thankful for the support from the Bristol community, our peers in the brewing and hospitality industry, all of you who chose us as a venue for your wonderful events, and everyone who’s joined us for a beer.
“Most of all we’d like to thank the trainees from Props who have put so much passion and energy into Tapestry, we have learnt so much from you all and hope you have enjoyed your time working alongside us on such a variety of things – from art exhibitions to poetry nights, music showcases to beer label designs, brewing many beers at Tapestry and with our collaborative partners. We could not have done it without you!
“The work of Props Bristol continues regardless, at our sister cafe @craftedbyprops as well as within the many other enterprises and projects that Props run. We sincerely ask that you continue to give your support to Props, as the mission is integral and they do such important work across Bristol and South Gloucestershire providing opportunity and support to adults with learning disabilities, as well as promoting independence and creativity.”
Tapestry opened in its South Bristol taproom and brewery location back in September 2022 and was staffed by adults with learning disabilities through the citywide charity, Props, which provides employment through social enterprise projects. The charity first began as a day centre for adults with learning disabilities around 20 years ago but has evolved into sourcing meaningful work opportunities over the years.
Fishers
Fishers, a fishmonger, restaurant and deli in Clifton was put on the market this year. The venue, which had been on Princess Victoria Street for 23 years, shared an announcement on its website to say that it had now closed its restaurant.
Since then, the building – which also housing the fish counter and deli shop – has been put on the market. The Fishers announcement read: “To all our valued customers, After 23 years here as part of Clifton’s fabulous community, we’ve decided that it is finally time to hang up our aprons, and our restaurant is now closed.
“We’ve loved being part of your lives, helping to celebrate special moments – birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, engagements, graduations and get-togethers. We feel so fortunate to have got to know so many of you over the years, and to have made so many firm Fishers friends.
“Thank you so much for your support over the years, we really appreciate it. We’re really looking forward to our next chapter – while our restaurant is now closed, we’ll still be here with our fish-counter and deli shop, and our online shop is still running and in full swing.”
There are currently no posts on the Fishers official Instagram account and the eatery’s address at 35 Princess Victoria Street, is currently listed as being on the market through estate agents Burston Cook. Priced at £37,500 per annum, the property is listed as being “a fully licenced restaurant premises with fully fitted kitchen, ready to trade from day one, situated within an excellent location in Clifton Village”.
Blind Owl Coffee
Another October closure was Blind Owl Coffee, a cafe situated on the busy Feeder Road, which announced its last day of service had been and gone on October 11. In a post to socials, the team said: “Hello Lovely Feeder Road customers, It is with a heavy and tired heart that I have had to make the unfortunate decision to close our cafe/shop front for the final time. Friday 11th October was our last day.
“We have been open again since May this year and between staff illness, bereavement and an inconsistent footfall of customers, it is clear that we are simply not able to continue trading in this part of the company.”
The message went on to say: “This does not mean that we are closing completely. We will continue to manage our e-commerce shop and all of our wholesale customers of course.
“As predominantly an artisan roastery, we’re going to concentrate on doing what we do best, which is roasting and delivering delicious fresh beans. Thank you so much to all of our regular customers throughout the years – we could not exist without you.
It is not the first time that Blind Owl Coffee has made the decision to close, however this time certainly seems to be for good. Back in July 2023, the team posted a message to say that they would be closing the shop front on Feeder Road “for the foreseeable future” beginning on August 1, which was ‘ironically’ the one year anniversary of their closure following a fire, which they described as being “small”.
But they added that the reasoning behind last year’s closure was due to the fact they had “not had the opportunity to recover financially” from the fire “thanks to ever-rising business costs”.
Dao Chao
A Chinese restaurant on Broad Quay that served bottomless brunches, Dao Chao, which opened in January of this year, closed its doors for good after just months of being open. Situated in the former home of Aluna, following the popular bar’s New Year’s Eve closure last year, Dao Chao looked to be completely empty of furniture when we took a peek in October.
According to Google, Dao Chao is listed as being ‘temporarily closed’ and a photo taken by BristolLive shows the restaurant empty, with furniture, bar and fittings ‘stripped out’. The team at Dao Chao have not posted anything about the closure on their social media pages, BristolLive understands, and the website seems to be ‘under maintenance’ according to the link.
It seems like the restaurant had been closed for some time, too. One Reddit user posting some three months ago asked if Dao Chao was ‘closed permanently now’, with others commenting that the restaurant had “been shut for at least a few weeks now” and wondering if the team were in the midst of a “revamp to try to bring in more business”.
Dog Town
A hotdog restaurant in Wapping Wharf‘s Cargo shipping containers closed its doors “for the last time” at the end of October. Dog Town shared the news in a post to its social media pages on Saturday, October 12.
In the post, the team said: “We will be closing our doors for the last time at the end of October. First and foremost, we would like to thank all of our amazing customers over the years, especially all of our regulars.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to satisfy your hot dog needs. You’re the reason our business has been successful, and we can’t thank you all enough. We would also like to thank all of our amazing staff from past to present, you are the true stars of our business and the life blood of our operation. Without you, we simply wouldn’t have made it this far.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, as we value our staff and customers immensely. However, we feel it is time for us personally to put aside the sausages to peruse other avenues in our careers/lives.” Many considered the hot dogs at Dog Town to be among the best around.
GoGo Lounge
Go Go Lounge, which was located just down the road from the recently opened Alfu international supermarket, removed its signage from the front of its venue on Gloucester Road over one weekend in October. According to Airsat Real Estate, the property has been sold for £130,000 on a long-term lease.
Go Go Lounge described itself as a restaurant serving a wide range of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, including halal dishes. It boasts a 4.7 star rating on Google, with reviewers commending ‘friendly staff’ and ‘amazing food’. One review reads: “Best Middle Eastern restaurant in Bristol by far, the people were so friendly, food was amazing, went for my sister’s birthday.
“Everything we asked for was done. The ribs were tender, rice soft and fluffy , amazing hummus. Definitely coming back soon.”
Pastan
Back in October, BristolLive reported how fans feared that a Bristol restaurant on Prince Street had closed for good. Pastan, a popular vegan pasta restaurant which opened in January 2023, is listed as ‘permanently closed’ on Google, with its website displaying an error message and the restaurant’s phone number signalling that a call cannot be put through.
When BristolLive visited the restaurant on Friday, October 4, a sign in the window read: “Due to staff holidays, we are closed for two weeks, from September 1st. We will be reopening on September 30th.” The ’30th’ had seemingly been amended from a prior date as the figure had been handwritten and stuck over the sign.
In an article by Restaurant Online, dated August 21, Pastan’s Brighton branch reportedly closed its doors permanently, after having only opened in January of this year. The article states that a sign outside of the premises indicates it has been successfully let to “what is presumably a new tenant”.
The plant-based food brand, which specialises in vegan and plant-based pasta, had previously offered a pop-up on Gloucester Road in Bristol, before opening its city centre restaurant. It also boasted a restaurant in Manchester, which has also since closed.
Jane’s Asian Seafood
A seafood restaurant on Gloucester Road announced its closure back in August. Jane’s Asian Seafood, which was located at number 368 Gloucester Road, was known for cooking up ‘the best’ Thai, Chinese and Japanese seafood for diners along this bustling shopping street.
But in a post to social media on August 7 the restaurant announced it was to close just three days later. The post on Facebook read: “We are closing down and this week we have 15 per cent off all food dishes!
“Come and visit us for the last time. We look forward to seeing all the amazing people we have met through the years.” At time of writing the reason for the closure has not been confirmed.
Willow Garden
A popular Chinese takeaway in Bristol announced its closure after 52 years, back in July. Willow Garden, which was located on North Street in Ashton, opposite the Tobacco Factory, claimed to be ‘Bristol’s first Chinese fish & chip shop’, starting out in 1972.
Taking to social media, Willow Garden’s owners announced the upcoming closure, at the time writing: “To our friends and customers, Willow Garden is Bristol’s first Chinese, Fish and Chips shop started in 1972. As many of you know, my family then took over from the much beloved Mr and Mrs Lau in 1995 and carried on operating as Willow Garden into the present day.
“With 52 years as a business, it is with great sadness that Willow Garden will be closing down. My mother has planned on retiring for some time and feels now it is the right time to retire…
“…Our final day as a business will be on July 13, 2024. We want to thank everyone who came and ordered food from us throughout the years. We have met many people and made plenty of lifelong friends along the way. This is not a goodbye but more a ‘see you later’.”
The Little Pink Cafe
The Little Pink Cafe, formerly located on Hanham High Street, was a local independent cafe that announced it would be closing its doors ‘with a heavy heart’, back in June. Taking to Instagram, the cafe said: “After an incredible three years establishing The Little Pink Cafe, with heavy heart we have taken the hard decision to close and move on.
“The cafe has become a very special place to us and we have shared lots of beautiful memories with lots of fabulous customers and we thank you for supporting our small business and endless laughter along the journey. With new opportunities arising and our family growing it is time to endorse on a new adventure.
“This decision had by no means been easy but with the additional financial climate and death of the high street, it is one that is right for us.” The cafe was known for its pastel pink exterior and floral windows, and loved by locals for its cooked breakfasts, afternoon teas and other cakes and bakes.
The Lion in Clifton Wood
BristolLive reported back in June how a family-run pub in Bristol could be bought by the local community after its owners at the time announced they would be closing the pub under their stewardship. The Lion Tavern, on Church Lane in Clifton Wood announced the ‘sad’ news via a message to the pub’s social media pages.
It said: “It is with the utmost sadness that we confirm the closure of The Lion in Clifton Wood – at least under our stewardship. We have had nearly 16 fantastic years of being at the helm of this wonderful, wonderful pub.
“We have made some enduring friendships and been lucky enough to be at the very centre of this fabulous community. The Lion and its community have grown with us over the years and we have been privileged to see many of the youngsters who were running around the park when we first arrived, standing behind the bar of their local.”
According to Google at time of writing, the pub is now permanently closed.
The Mint Room
After almost ten years in the city, much loved Indian restaurant, The Mint Room, shared the news of its closure back in June. The Clifton Road restaurant shared the ‘difficult and emotional’ decision in a post to its social media pages on June 10, writing: “It is with a heavy heart and humble gratitude that we announce the closure of our restaurant in Bristol.
“After almost 10 years, we have had to take the difficult and emotional decision to say goodbye and close our doors and focus entirely on our Mint Room Bath restaurant. It has been an immense joy and pleasure to have served you over the years and we are incredibly grateful for all the support and generosity you have shown us.
“However, we hope it is not a complete farewell as we hope to see you at our Bath site where much is in the early planning stages for new beginnings and for warm and welcoming food and service. Our very best wishes to you.”
Casa Brasil
Following the closure of the Showcase Cinema de Lux, BristolLive reported the closure of Cabot Circus restaurant, Casa Brasil back in June. Located on the upstairs Glass Walk, the restaurant placed a notice in its window and was shortly after listed as being ‘permanently closed’ on Google.
The notice in the window was reportedly in place following its Father’s Day dining. The message read: “Due to unforeseen circumstances Casa Brasil Cabot Circus has now closed. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. Thank you for your support.”
Squeezed
Fans, diners, previous customers and former staff took to social media to share their sadness back in May at the news that a much-loved restaurant in Wapping Wharf was to be sold. Award-winning chef Alex Hayes revealed that he would be selling his eatery Squeezed to become a teacher.
Squeezed, which was located in two converted shipping containers at Unit 4 Cargo at the iconic Bristol hub on the harbourside, was a national award-winning burger restaurant that serves up ‘generous burgers, chips and lemonade’. It started off life in 2017 and went on to be crowned winner in the 2019 National Burger Awards.
Items on its menu included burgers with names like the ‘St Werburger’, ‘Reverse Cowgirl’, and the ‘Mucker’. Following the news breaking just days ago, hundreds of people have shared their sadness online.
In a post to Instagram, Alex confirmed the news of the restaurant’s upcoming sale and wrote: “Too many people to thank, so much love and so many lessons on the way. Bristol, I’m so grateful we did this and I’m so grateful you shared in the ride.”
Coal Kitchen
A Cabot Circus restaurant announced it was to close its doors after five years, back in May. Coal Kitchen, which was located next to the former site of the Showcase Cinema de Lux, shared the news in a post to its Instagram page on May 17.
It said: “We are saddened to announce that after five wonderful years, we have decided to close Coal Kitchen, Cabot Circus. This decision has not been made lightly, however as a family-owned restaurant, the last year operating in Cabot has been increasingly challenging with the introduction of additional vehicle charges, soaring energy and food costs and the final straw with the closure of Showcase cinema next to us.
“Unfortunately, this meant that we were unable to agree feasible terms with our landlord to make this a viable location. Although we wish we could continue, it is time to close our doors.
“We’ve had the best time in this amazing city and would like to thank our guests, suppliers, landlord, and team who have worked tirelessly to make Coal Kitchen rock. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our Gloucester Quays Restaurant will remain open for business as usual and we hope to see you again very soon.”
The Toast Room
The Toast Room, a popular independent cafe in Bedminster, announced it would be closing its doors for good, back in January, after six years. Located on East Street, the venue was run by husband and wife team John and Kate Cassettari, first opening in July 2017.
Despite overcoming the struggles of the Covid-19 pandemic, the team said that rising costs in part due to the cost of living crisis, had something to do with their decision to close. The couple said their business model simply doesn’t work anymore.
And, having welcomed a child – and with plans to expand their family more – they didn’t have the capacity currently to keep The Toast Room open in the way they’d like. Kate said: “One of the main reasons [for closing] is just that because all of our costs have gone up so much in the last year, we got to a point where we sat down and thought ‘actually I don’t think signing a new lease is the best move for us’.”
Following the pandemic, then came the cost of living crisis. Kate said the regular customers would still visit the cafe, but less often during the week than they would have done before. And the cafe’s energy prices have gone from somewhere in the region of £4,000 annually to £10,000, which she describes as being ‘the final straw’.
Lisa’s Chocolates
Lisa’s Chocolates served its final customers on Wednesday, January 31, when popular chocolatier Lisa Gonzalez Diaz took her business online, leaving Bristol for pastures new in Mallorca. Her chocolate shop initially opened under the name of Pionka’s Chocolate, after her mentor chocolatier Mariusz Pionka – who now owns a store on Gloucester Road.
Lisa rebranded as Lisa’s Chocolates through the Covid lockdown, around a year after she took over the store in 2019. Her shop has stocked 100 per cent Belgian chocolate ever since, and she has also offered vegan options – such as oat milk in her hot chocolates and coconut oil truffles which she says also helps to ‘save the planet’.
Lisa is probably best known to her customers for creating strikingly colourful chocolates by hand. However, over the years she has provided customers with smoothies, cakes, hot drinks, and Advent calendars to satisfy their cravings in every season.