Country Mouse

The edge of reason

IT’S quite an edgy area you’re staying in dad’. We had booked the Artist Residence to visit my daughter Anna at university in Bristol for the simple reason that it is dog friendly.

Bristol is an extraordinary city, fiercely proud of its independent shops and bedecked everywhere by graffiti from the witty art of Banksy, who lives there, to the less sublime. The locals chucked the statue of Colston into the river and the city remains notable for the number of riots that have taken place within it over the centuries.there is a buzz of protest in the air.

Our stay started with lunch at Wilson’s, which turned out to be the best meal I have had this year by far and, from there, Anna led us from one delicious eatery to the next. We saw students perform Macbeth at the Old Vic and we collapsed into bed exhausted.

At about 2am, a couple called Cosmo and Izzy started an impassioned debate about his fidelity below our room. This was no Romeo and Juliet balcony scene, no detail was spared and, after an hour of yelling, it was clear that the evening had not been a success for them.

However, we loved Bristol. It is like visiting a foreign country and, if that means it is a bit edgy, then so much the better.