Totterdown is an inner-suburb of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, England, situated just south of the River Avon and to the south-east of Temple Meads railway station and the city centre. It rises relatively steeply from the river bank to a largely terraced Victorian housing area which is notable for its painted homes - often in bright colours - that can be seen from some distance. There is a tight network of extremely steep roads in Upper Totterdown, of which ''Vale Street'', although very short, is alleged to be the steepest residential road in England.

History

Built in the mid to late 19th century to house workers for the nearby railway industry, in the 1970s many of the Victorian buildings were demolished in anticipation of constructing a major junction of the Outer Circuit Road, although ultimately this section of the road was never built. Totterdown has more-recently become a popular area for the younger generation taking up work in the city centre. In 2016 it was named "fifth hippest place to live in the UK" by the ''Times'' newspaper.

Food and drink

Totterdown has several local pubs some of which attract a younger clientele with DJ nights. Pubs offering music include The Oxford, Shakespeare, New Found Out and the Thunderbolt (previously known as "The Turnpike"). The Oxford has regular live music including "open mike" events and the Thunderbolt books local and national bands. There was another pub (formerly) the Cumberland which is known now as the Star and Dove. It closed in May 2017 for a short period however, reopened in December 2017. Totterdown has a growing number of popular restaurants. The Thali Cafe chain is known for its eco-friendly food and take-away scheme using tiffins, winning an ''Observer Food Monthly'' award for "Best UK Cheap Eats" in 2010. Banco Lounge, part of the Bristol-based Loungers chain, is a smart cafe bar based in the old YWCA building on Wells Road, opened in July 2006. In December 2006 the Cumberland on St Luke's Road was given a makeover and opened as a gastro pub called the Star and Dove. The Bocabar opened in the Paintworks (formerly Central Trading Estate) in 2005 and serves tapas, pizzas, cakes, cappuccinos with a licensed bar. Mrs Brown's Cafe opened in Victoria Park in 2007, serving Fairtrade coffee and cakes from a caravan. There are several popular eateries on the Wells Road. Assilah Bistro is a long-established Moroccan restaurant. "A Cappella" is a pizzeria and cafe. The Totterdown Canteen is a popular daytime cafe and Southside Bar and Kitchen is a nightspot and restaurant also serving Sunday roasts. Florence, an Italian restaurant on Oxford Street, opened in early 2016.

Local facilities

The area also has a

Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. In 2011 it was the third-largest retailer in the world measured by gross revenues and the ninth-largest in th ...

Express, a garage (repairs and MOTs), a convenience store called Patco Supermarket which offers everything from groceries to key cutting, a chemist, an optician, a wine shop, a fruit and veg shop, a

Gym A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...

(offering gym,

aerobics Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-vascular fitness). It ...

, etc. plus treatment rooms), various hairdressers and beauty treatment rooms as well as a doctors surgery, and is well served by buses into town and across to

Clifton Clifton may refer to: People *Clifton (surname) *Clifton (given name) Places Australia * Clifton, Queensland, a town **Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong *Clifton, Western Australia Canada *Clifton, Nova Scotia ...

. There is also the

Bristol Jamia Mosque The Bristol Jamia Mosque is a mosque in the Totterdown area of Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire t ...

close to Victoria Park as well as thriving Methodist, CofE and Baptist churches. In 2015, an artisanal bakery opened for business opposite the Oxford Pub on Oxford Street, replacing a long since closed Chinese restaurant. A number of new independent businesses have also opened along the Wells Road in recent times, including several cafes and a bar, a craft store, a vintage shop and a florist.

Children

Totterdown is popular with young families. There are daily toddler groups at Totterdown

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

Church. Victoria Park has a good newish play area at the top of the park, as well as tennis courts, basketball courts, football pitches, skatepark, and more. School Road Park has undergone a transformation and contains challenging play equipment for younger children including swings, slides, mini trampolines, and a sandpit. Perrett's Park is a natural

amphitheatre An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

with benches around the top along Bayham Road and Sylvia Avenue: a place where the balloon ascent can be seen during the summer Balloon Fiesta. It also has a play area suitable for the under 10s.

Art

The Totterdown Art trail Frontroom invites visitors into the houses of artists in this area of Bristol to view a large range of local artwork.

Aldebury

Totterdown is believed to be the site of the Aldebury

Iron Age hill fort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

behind Bellevue; however, the area is now built over.

Gallery

Image:Banktotterdown.JPG, Old Bank and Power Station Gym Image:Threelamps.JPG, Three Lamps sign

References

External links

Totterdown Residents Environmental and Social Action

{{Use dmy dates, date=March 2017 Areas of Bristol Places formerly in Somerset