People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Mikey Please
Mikey Please is a BAFTA-winning writer, animation director and illustrator.
He co-wrote and co-directed Aardman’s Oscar-nominated film Robin Robin and his recent debut picture book, The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods, has been described as “delightfully grotesque” by the Guardian and “sublime” by the Times.
Mikey will be hosting a book launch for The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods on Tuesday at Waterstones in the Galleries.
is needed now More than ever
These are Mikey’s top-five Bristol favourites:
Roam Wild
Mikey Please is a regular visitor to Roam Wild in Cotham Gardens – photo: Milan Perera
“Roam Wild is, by some distance, my favourite Bristol cafe-on-wheels. Not least because the coffee, cakes and flowers are utterly delicious. (I have yet to eat the flowers, but I might, they look that good. It’s also because Lucy, who runs this cafe in Cotham Gardens, is a ray of sunshine on even the most blustery of mornings. I’m so grateful for establishments like this one, which are a much-needed focus point for the community. It’s a hearth – for dog walkers, commuters and parents dropping off kids at school – to pause and warm hands around. When the council hiked their rents, forcing several of these establishments to go out of business, we were very concerned. We need them in our lives!”
Chance & Counters
Chance & Counters on Gloucester Road follows in the footsteps of the original board game cafe on Christmas Steps – photo: Martin Booth
“As an avid board gamer, I find this glorious haven works equally well for a rainy afternoon refuge with the kids as it does for a fun evening out with friends. The expert staff at Chance & Counters guide you through the games, and the mind-melting milkshakes, the scrumptious drinks and indulgent menu all conspire to form a very good time. Their second Bristol home on Gloucester Road us incredibly welcoming and a rare space where teenagers can go and play games and feel included, and it won’t cost them the world. I’m very in favour of places like this.”
Here Gallery
Here Gallery sells illustrated paper goods including art prints, greeting cards, books, indie comics and magazines – photo: Martin Booth
“I pass by Here Gallery on Stokes Croft every morning to peer through the windows, as if it were an actual gallery, for my daily hit of inspiration. Such a brilliant curation of graphic novels, fringe fanzines, art books and prints are not to be found anywhere else in Bristol. For such a compact shop, there’s a lot to see. I have to ration myself from going in too often as I invariably leave with empty pockets but armfuls of treasure.”
Boiling Wells
Boiling Wells is a magical 2.5 acre woodland, food forest and conservation site – photo: Barbara Evripidou
“This beautiful, hidden arm of St Werburgh’s City Farm has hosted some of my favourite Bristol memories. We’ve been to many a fabulous event at Boiling Wells including theatre shows and community festivals. I had a picnic here with a bunch of friends and families on the morning after my 40th and it felt like I’d stepped into some kind of folklore commune daydream.”
Orpheus Cinema
The original Orpheus was on the site of the Waitrose which the smaller cinema is now above – photo: Martin Booth
“Nothing beats watching a film on a giant screen. When we lost the Cinema de Lux in Cabot Circus, we felt the hole. There’s something weirdly transportive about sharing a film with a crowd of strangers. No matter how big your home TV is, it’s not the same. We need cinemas! The Orpheus in Henleaze, owned by Scott Cinemas, is a perfect, easy family outing. Good booster seats for the kids. Monday tickets from £5.30. Plus, for about a pound, you can pour M&Ms all over your popcorn.”
Main photo: Milan Perera
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