Bristol Beacon to reopen in November after 5-year refurbishment

Music and performance venue Bristol Beacon will reopen in November after a five-year transformation.

Formerly known as Colston Hall, the venue has been closed since 2018 but will now open its doors on Thursday 30 November this year.

The Bristol Beacon opened in 1867 and is owned by Bristol City Council and run by Bristol Music Charity.

The refurbishment has cost around £132m, almost three times more than the original estimate.

Bristol City Council has said the increased cost is due to inflation and numerous challenges during the redevelopment process.

The refurbished venue has seen improvements to its performance spaces, with the 2,000-plus capacity Beacon Hall, the 500 capacity Lantern Hall and the brand new 200 capacity Weston Cellar.

Louise Mitchell, chief executive of Bristol Beacon explains: “We’re delighted to be able finally to confirm the reopening date.

"The team are busy putting the finishing touches to our opening season, where we will be showcasing a number of commissions and UK Premieres, and inviting all of our city’s communities into the Beacon to explore the new spaces, celebrating creativity and inclusivity in a way that only Bristol can.

"In the meantime, we’re delighted to announce we’ll be welcoming back some fantastic artists and festivals and put our first tickets on sale.”

Ahead of the full programme being revealed, some of the first events have been announced. The Simple Things Festival will be back for its 10th edition after a five year hiatus.

Thomas Frost, co-founder of Simple Things Festival, said “The reopening of Bristol Beacon is one of the most significant moments for the city and it will be great to be back at our spiritual home for our 10th edition.

"The Beacon will be such an integral part of Bristol’s music scene, championing grassroots and local artists as well as supporting projects and events from every genre of music.

"We’re working with the team to really utilise every part of the building which will give us a great new dynamic for our tenth anniversary.”

This week handful of shows will be put on-sale with familiar artists who have long-standing relationships with the venue, including Jools Holland, Bootleg Beatles, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

December will also see the return of comedy to the Beacon stage with performances by John Robins and Ross Noble.