Sometimes the best things come in small packages, which is certainly true of the Bridge Inn pub in Bristol city centre. The inside squeezes just 35 customers on tables and around the bar, and music memorabilia lines the walls.
Paul Surridge, 54, has co-owned the pub for eight years, taking over from Bath Ales, and has been the sole owner since 2019. The pub’s history stretches back to the 19th century - and is one of the last remaining pubs on the street - when the nearby St Philips Bridge was built to replace the ferry service, which was subsequently bombed in 1940.
The pub is unmissable if you’re walking along Passage Street pronounced by the huge Jimi Hendrix mural on the outside. Paul worked as a professional musician for years, even snagging a recording deal with Universal, and after his band wrapped up, he wanted to find a way to retain the music memorabilia he had acquired over the years.
