Bristol: Behind The Headlines

Is the word ‘Brizzle’ becoming more acceptable to use? Or is it still a heinous crime against all true Bristolians? Lucy Wheeler of Beast in St Nick’s Market speaks to Martin Booth about the controversial topic in this week's podcast.

We also sit down with Carla Diogo, a sustainable designer and maker, as well as the co-owner of Two Six Four on Church Road. She talks to Ellie Pipe about sustainability, repair and mend and inspiration and Reporter Betty Woolerton learns about forest schools.

In March 2020, the UK went into its first lockdown. 

In this episode of Behind the Headlines, Reporter Mia Vines Booth speaks to Bristol filmmakers and photographers Colin Moody and Tom Whitson about their new film, What Does Normal Look Like? exploring what happened to Bristol's creative sector in the months following.

Listen along as Colin and Tom discuss the importance of the film for collective healing, following the difficulties creatives faced and the uniqueness of our city's cultural sector in adapting to the pandemic.

In this week's episode, we go behind the scenes of a new documentary film set in a south Bristol estate that is grappling with stereotypes and lack of opportunity. We also meet up with an artist who has a created a set of Bristol-themed playing cars, as well as get the reaction to the latest strike in the ongoing conflict in Israel from a Palestinian Bristol University student.

In this week’s podcast, we are hotfooting it from a radiographers’ strike outside a hospital to the unveiling of a colourful new mural in Broadmead featuring some much-loved familiar faces.

We also chat to Head of Bristol24/7’s Head of Audience Meg Houghton Gilmour about our perks campaign, where members can get access to a host of discounts, competitions and freebies, and why you should support local independent journalism.

To celebrate the start of another academic year, Bristol24/7’s Student Guide is back and better than ever. From local indie businesses, alphabetical pub crawls to unmissable events, alternative study spaces, our favourite cheap eats and top societies, the magazine is brimming with content to get students pumped about the next chapter of their life. In this episode, Co-Editor Edie Attridge chats to two UWE Bristol graduates looking back on their three years as students in our wonderful and wacky city.

This episode is sponsored by Future Leap

Sustainable business network Future Leap has opened the city’s first carbon neutral media studio. Future Leap Media Studios are located on Oakfield Road in Clifton, inside the Old Chapel, and are available for anyone to use - from budding podcasters to accomplished filmmakers. Beneath a co-working and event space, the brand new media studio in the basement houses a film studio, podcast recording rooms and a photography studio that can also be used for meeting or green room hire. In this episode,  Bristol spaces manager Deepika Kesar and marketing and communications manager Iris Hable tell Bristol24/7 about what the facilities offer Bristol.

2023 marks  the 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott which saw the “colour bar” lifted from public transport after  months of peaceful action and paved the way to the Race Relations Act of 1965 and 1968.

In this episode, Reporter Mia Vines Booth speaks to Julz Davis, founder of Curiosity  UnLtd, about his season of events which will commemorate the boycott.

We ask: How should we remember the boycott, how should we honour the legacy of those that took part and what work still needs to be done to make Bristol a city of racial equality? 

With rising costs at all stages of the supply chain, restaurants have recently been forced to increase prices at an unprecedented rate - but are they now at risk of alienating diners?

In this week's podcast, we explore this question and hear from chef, restaurateur and owner of the Pony Chew Valley Josh Eggleton, Telegraph food columnist Xanthe Clay, co-owner of Bianchis Group Dominic Borel and Bristol24/7 Deputy Editor Ellie Pipe in a panel discussion that took place at the launch party of EatDrink24/7 - your independent guide to the city's food and drink scene.

The Grassroot Activators Programme (GAP) is youth and community worker Ben Carpenter's answer to the issues young people in Bristol face. 

With the first year of the "transformational" programme coming to a close, reporter Charlie Watts speaks to Grassroot Communities' CEO & founder Ben and GAP participants Catherine, Brandon & Theo to find out what impact it has had.   

The programme is also starting up again in September, with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds urged to take part to reach their full potential.

Fresh plans have been submitted for an open air swimming pool and cafe in Eastville Park.

Campaigners say more swimming facilities are needed in Bristol and the pool would offer an inclusive space for the local community to enjoy.

However, some have raised concerns over potential extra traffic, parking, and environmental impact. 

In this week’s podcast, reporter Betty Woolerton heard from two passionate groups campaigning both for and against the lido proposals.