Bristol: the full list of who does what

Bristol has 852 businesses listed, one of the deepest towns on the directory. You’ll find proper trades, a huge professional services scene and one of the best independent food and cafe cultures in the country.

On WotsItCalled right now there are 852 Bristol businesses listed, concentrated around Avonmouth, Clifton, Redcliffe, Brislington, Bedminster and Shirehampton. Browse everything listed in Bristol in one place or use the category breakdown below.

The local trades you’ll actually need

All that Victorian housing across Southville, Bedminster and Clifton keeps plumbers, electricians and builders who understand period properties permanently busy. Shirehampton and Henbury cover more of the north and west.

The best-reviewed firms book up fast, especially for building work and boiler servicing in the busy months. If you’ve got a planned project, don’t leave it to the last minute: a two-to-three week wait for the good ones is normal and usually worth it.

• Plumbers: Bristol plumbers. Tonic Plumbers Bristol in Bedminster is one of the most-reviewed on the directory.
• Electricians: Bristol electricians. Business Electrical covers domestic and commercial work citywide.
• Car mechanics: Bristol garages for MOTs, servicing and diagnostics in every postcode.
• Builders: Bristol builders. Langcon Building Services is a solid option, and A and L Building Services handles the Portishead and Shirehampton side.

Hills and tightly packed neighbourhoods make travel time count here. Most firms cover the whole city, but ask about the call-out charge before anyone comes out.

Where to eat, drink, and grab a coffee

The food is one of the reasons people move to Bristol. North Street, Gloucester Road, Whiteladies Road, Stokes Croft and Clifton Village each have their own run of independents, and they’re all worth exploring on foot.

The directory leans towards the neighbourhood places rather than the destination restaurants: the cafe on your walking route, the pub you stroll to and the takeaway you keep going back to, not the table that needs booking six weeks out.

• Restaurants: Bristol restaurants, from street food to proper dinners.
• Cafes and coffee shops: Bristol cafes and coffee shops in every neighbourhood.
• Pubs and bars: Bristol pubs and bars. The city still has proper locals alongside the craft-beer places.
• Takeaways: Bristol takeaways in every postcode.

Hair, beauty, health, and wellbeing

As you’d expect from a creative city, the independent salons are strong, with several well-reviewed options each in Southville, Clifton, Bedminster and Horfield. Dentists cover both NHS and private cosmetic work, and gyms run from CrossFit boxes to spa-style wellness centres.

Bristol’s dental and aesthetics clinics are among the strongest in the south-west, partly because they draw patients from across Somerset and Gloucestershire. Shop around on cosmetic work, because clinics can charge very different prices for the same treatment.

• Hairdressers and barbers: Bristol salons and barbers. The Business in Hair in Southville is one of the top-rated.
• Beauty salons: Bristol beauty salons, from nail bars to full treatment rooms.
• Dentists: Bristol dentists, NHS through to high-end cosmetic.
• Gyms: Bristol gyms, from independent studios to full-service chains.

Professional services

Professional services make up a big share of Bristol’s listings. Marketing agencies, consultancies, accountants and solicitors are packed in, both independents and mid-sized firms, mostly around Clifton, Redcliffe and the Temple Quarter.

With that many accountants and solicitors, pricing is genuinely competitive. Fixed fees are the norm for predictable work, and the independents in Southville and Bedminster often undercut Clifton and Temple Quarter firms for the same service.

• Solicitors: Bristol solicitors. Shakespeare Martineau Solicitors in Redcliffe is one of the larger names.
• Accountants: 46 Bristol accountants listed. Focus Accountancy Ltd in Horfield is a well-reviewed small business option.
• Estate agents: Bristol estate agents for lettings and sales across the city.

What’s changed lately

Bristol’s business scene turns over faster than most UK cities. New cafes, salons, indie shops and specialist services keep opening across Bedminster, Southville, Clifton and Stokes Croft, and new Bristol listings go up almost daily to keep pace.

If you know a Bristol business that should be on here, flag it and it’ll probably be added within days. There’s no signup and no listing fee, and it’s the only way the directory stays current.

The short version

• 852 Bristol businesses listed, one of the deepest towns on the directory.
• Avonmouth, Clifton, Redcliffe and Bedminster have the most listings.
• Bristol has one of the largest professional services sections, with 46 accountants alone.
• Independent cafes, pubs and salons turn up in every postcode.
• Every listing links straight to real contact details.

WotsItCalled is a free UK business directory. No signup, no catch. Browse everything listed in Bristol, or find the place everyone’s on about.