Exciting new future for Old Magistrates’ Courts

A long-held vision to transform Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts into a new creative enterprise hub for young people is a step closer to being realised.

Work starts this month on renovating the historic Grade II-listed building, which is due to reopen in December 2023 and will become home to a café, affordable hotdesking and even the occasional club night, among other things.

The plan is to provide a space in which to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to overcome barriers to accessing a career in the creative industries.

Creative Youth Network (CYN), which is leading the project, also want to pay homage to the courts’ history as part of the process.

The charity has partnered with UWE Bristol’s history department and Bristol Archives to uncover forgotten cases that took place there and explore the social impact of the building.

The plans for the property on Bridewell Street are orchestrated by the young people themselves, with CYN’s youth steering group meeting monthly to discuss their vision for the space and how it will be used.

Over the past year, they have been collaborating with Bristol University to research the site’s history as part of the heritage project.

They are also utilising platforms to spread the word about the plans, including an appearance on Ujima Radio and writing blogs detailing their work.

It was announced last month that the £6.4m project that seemed doomed after a funding snub by Bristol City Council could finally go ahead after the National Lottery Heritage Fund agreed to stumped up more cash.

“Without those donations we wouldn’t be here,” CYN’s Cathy tells Bristol24/7.

A long-held vision to transform Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts into a new creative enterprise hub for young people is close to being realised. – photo: Emilie Spence

UWE history students have been working alongside the youth steering group to explore the stories from the courts, which originally opened in 1880. They used detailed accounts from local newspapers to delve deeper into the experiences of Bristolians in the courthouse during the 1880s and 1890s.

Their research established the extent to which the police used to use the courts to regulate public behaviour – and this is just one of the fascinating discoveries from the students’ investigations.

When asked about the impact the new centre will have on the local community and young people who use Creative Youth Network, Cathy told Bristol24/7: “The role of the courts is to become a hub for young, creative professionals, to develop opportunities for work and employment.

“Now we want to develop that into really fantastic, paid opportunities. We want organisations to sign on to that vision. It’s really important to train up the next cohort of young professionals in the creative sphere.

“You could turn one of our meeting rooms into a rehearsal space or run an exhibition if you’re an artist.”

When the building reopens, it will become home to digital technologies that will be open to everyone and bring the place to life.

The three historic stories from the courts with the most public votes will be showcased digitally in the new hub in homage to how the building and its former usage impacted the lives of Bristolians and the city itself.

Main photo: Tom Whitson

Read more:

• Old Magistrates Court To Be Transformed After Major Funding Boost 
• In photos: Inside Bristol’s former magistrates’ court 
• Deputy mayor blocks multi-million pound youth project

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