Bristol has been named in the top ten venues for a stag do in Europe – and is now above Amsterdam and Krakow.
And according to the boss of the company that bills itself as the world’s leading organiser of stag and hen dos, Bristol’s reputation for a venue to have a night or weekend party is growing, and there will soon be even more stags and hens in the city than there already is.
Matt Mavir is the boss of Last Night of Freedom, a company set up in Newcastle that is now expanding across Europe, running stag and hen dos in places from Benidorm to Dublin. And he has ranked the cities around the world as the best places for a stag do, and Bristol is climbing rapidly.
Unsurprisingly, Matt put Newcastle top – the place has a massive reputation as a party city, and has seen a huge increase in the number of people heading to the ‘toon’ for their big weekend blow out.
Bristol is now seventh – above Amsterdam, Cardiff and Krakow, but behind the likes of Liverpool, Dublin, Prague and Benidorm – but is increasing in popularity rapidly, according to Matt, who said it will be in the top three in the world before long. The list takes reviews, trips and bookings to rank the popularity of cities across Europe as stag dos.
“It’s an incredible city with so much to offer – those who live there already know all about it, but I don’t think it’ll be long before plenty of others receive an invitation to a Bristol stag do,” said Matt Mavir, whose firm recently organised their 50,000 pre-wedding getaway. “Bristol has a vibe that’s unlike anywhere else in the UK, and what’s so cool about the city is that each area is distinct and has its own unique atmosphere.
“Its popularity has exploded in recent years, and it’s only a matter of time before it goes even higher – I think it could well crack the top three in the next year or two,” added Matt.
“The Last Night of Freedom team visited the city earlier this year – starting off their boozy weekend taking part in clay-pigeon shooting, riding rage buggies and shooting assault rifles. After a bottomless brunch in one of the city’s range of cocktail bars, the team tried a Neon Paint and Sip session before decamping to Pryzm, a huge nightclub,” he explained.
“The next morning, a scavenger hunt saw the team seek out Bristol’s famed collection of Banksy paintings before donning orange jumpsuits to take part in an immersive prison themed cocktail and theatre experience. A jaunt round some of the city’s most exclusive pubs and bars led to a VIP table in the tiki-themed Lola Lo’s – and for those who could handle the hangover, a Sunday morning trip to Bristol Aquarium rounded off the weekend.
“Bristol delivered – we had a right laugh at some brilliant activities that stags and hens could all enjoy, while we loved the relaxed and stylish bars in Harbourside, the traditional Bristolian boozers in Old City and alternative venues in Stokes Croft. Mark our words, it’s a city on the up,” he added.