This gem of a music venue is to be found in an unlikely industrial setting south of the river.

The Venue
Tucked away down a shabby side street in an industrial estate and housed inside an 18th-century jail, from the outside the Fiddlers has the appearance of a warehouse, but inside it is another story completely.

The mid-sized venue has an open, spacious layout, with warm and welcoming decor slightly reminiscent of the community centre it once was, with its wooden cafe bar and sea of tabled seating.

The nice big dancefloor is between the bar and the stage, the low-rise nature of which makes for good audience participation but poor visibility for shorties.

The People
Since its inception in 1994, the Fiddlers has been family-run and fosters an atmosphere that welcomes all ages and types. The ambience is consistently friendly and relaxed.

The Music
Everything from punk-rock to hip-hop graces the stage of the Fiddlers on a regular basis. It's a fantastic venue for live music acts and has a rollicking good PA system.

Unknowns and big names alike play here - Manu Chao, Robert Plant, Katy Tunstall, The Magic Numbers, Kate Nash, Nithin Sawhney, Lee Scratch Perry – to name but a few. It wins hands down as the best place in Bristol to come for world music.

The Food and Drink
Their bar is licenced until 2am and serves booze and soft drinks at refreshingly low, pub prices. A spirit and a mixer is only £2.60, a pint of Fosters is £2.80, while a pint of Guinness is £2.90. They don't serve food but there are a range of bar snacks if you get desperate.

The Last Word
A truly quality live music venue, not as far from the centre as you would think. Fiddlers is quite possibly the best Bristol has to offer.

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