Empty Marks and Spencer in Bristol to be turned into art and environment hub

An illustration of how the building will look Credit: Global Goals Centre

An empty Marks and Spencer shop in Bristol is getting a new lease of life.

The Broadmead building which was home to the popular retailer for 70 years will now be transformed into Sparks - a temporary art and sustainability centre.

Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace will be working together to create an exciting new hub.

They say they hope to create a vibrant, positive venue where local people and visitors can shop, recycle and explore what a greener, fairer and creative future could look like, breathing new life into the old M&S building on a ‘meanwhile use’ basis until the site is redeveloped.

The site is expected to open to the public in April with the ambition of running the pilot for at least six months.

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Artspace Lifespace, the creators of Bristol’s ‘The Island’, will focus on developing the upper floors for office and creative space, while the Global Goals Centre will work in partnership with local schools, community groups, universities and many other organisations and businesses to co-create a 'hub of sustainability, innovation and creativity' on the public-facing ground floor.

The building will be used as a hub for local artists including an artist R&D space, as well as a reuse shop providing recycled goods, repair and education projects for schools. There will be installations, stalls and workshops to demonstrate how to take easy (and often money-saving) actions on climate, equality and wellbeing.

Jenny Foster, project lead at Global Goals Centre said: “This is a unique opportunity to bring together organisations and individuals from across the city to pilot new ways in which the heart of Bristol could change to better serve our community and address the climate and ecological and cost of living crises.“

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