Bristol in Pictures: Murals, Gromits and awards

A close-in view of part of a new artwork in Bristol city centre. The art contains a giant heart shape in different colours, those being light blue, dark blue and red. Inside the heart is the word "Bristol" in large blue letters which are stylised to also be in the shape of a heart. At the top of the heart stands the artist who made it. He is wearing an all-black outfitPA Media

The new city centre street-level mural was fully unveiled this week

Steve Mellen
Bristol

We have seen the best of Bristol this week, with a stunning new mural unveiled in the city centre and £2m raised in the Gromit Unleashed 3 auction.

There have also been plenty of reasons to celebrate, with two sets of lawyers from the city marking milestones and brave police officers being honoured.

Hundreds of film fans attended short film festival Encounters last weekend, and many brave cyclists took on the steep slope of Belmont Hill accompanied by winds from Storm Army on Saturday morning.

A view taken from a drone of Bristol city centre showing the area between the Hippodrome and the harbourside from high up. At the bottom right-hand side of the picture is a new mural called Our Common Ground which is a combination of different shapes and letters, mostly coloured in yellow and blue.PA Media

Brightening the place up: The mural where the fountains used to be in the city centre has been completed. Called "Our Common Ground", it took a team of painters three weeks to complete.

Five Avon and Somerset Police officers - four male and one female - stand with their arms linked facing the camera. Three of them are in dark uniforms with radios and other kit attached to their jackets, while one has a high-vis vest on. Behind them is a police car with a blue and yellow livery.Avon and Somerset Police

Courage: Five police officers who entered a burning block of flats to rescue the residents have received bravery awards at the 2025 Avon and Somerset Police Federation Recognition Awards. Sgt Andy Goldsmith and PCs Mike Ward, Tom Sage, Sven Daniels and Chloe Griffin all played a part in the rescue in October 2024.

Five people wave their arms and smile as they face the camera. A woman in a yellow dress stands in the middle with a woman in a striped top and a man in a grey suit jacket stood to her. There are two men in suits on the other side of the woman in yellow. On one side of them is a banner publicising the Gromit Unleashed 3 auction with a light blue background. Above them is a large red screen with the figure £2,000,000 on it in thick red lettersThe Grand Appeal

Oh what a night: The auction of the sculptures from the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail raised an impressive £2m for the Grand Appeal, which helps Bristol Children's Hospital and the neonatal intensive care unit at St Michael's Hospital in the city.

Two players, one from Bristol City and one from Queens Park Rangers, contest for the ball during the match at Ashton Gate. In the background a large grandstand full of spectators is visiblePA Media

On the ball: Bristol City took the lead against QPR at Ashton Gate on Saturday but the visitors ended up running out 2-1 winners.

Hundreds of quad bikes are seen lined up in rows ahead of the Weston Beach Races. None of them have riders on, and in the background various caravan-type vehicles are visible

Lined up: This weekend Weston-super-Mare was due to be echoing to the sound of hundreds of bike motors as the annual Beach Races returned, but Saturday's action was put on hold due to strong winds.

A man and a woman smile as they sit at a table inside the KASK wine bar on Cheltenham Road in Bristol. They are both wearing dark tops and she has a wine glass to her lips. He has a pint of beer in front of him. The wall behind them is a neutral colour with one shelf on it which has a row of wine bottles on it.Laurie Broughton

Last of the summer wine? As the nights draw in, the prospect of an indoor drink becomes more appealing. They have been toasting new beginnings at KASK on Cheltenham Road, the second venue for the independent Bristol bar.

Three women sit together at a table during the Encounters Film Festival in Bristol. One of them, who has long dark curly hair and is wearing glasses, is taking a selfie to include the other two women behind her. They are both smiling and also have long dark hair.Charley Williams Photo
A row of young people sitting together in rowed seating at the Encounters Film Festival in Bristol. They are talking among themselves and some of them are looking at their phones.Charley Williams Photo

World class: Last weekend saw the conclusion of the Encounters Film Festival, where Bristol showcases some of the best short films from across the world.

A group of 10 people - seven women and three women - stand smiling as the face the camera in a room with a dark red carpet. Behind them is a set of white drapes and two light blue banners.University of Bristol

Legal eagles: The University of Bristol Law Clinic, which offers free legal advice to some of the city's most vulnerable communities, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. One of the forerunners of pro bono legal work, it has inspired other universities to set up similar programmes.

A man wearing a white bike helmet and a light blue lycra-style cycling outfit as he pedals up Belmont Hill in North SomersetFLP Photo

When the going gets tough: Many entrants took on the University of Bristol Hill climb up the steep slope of Belmont Hill on Saturday.

A group of people - a mixture of men and women - stand in a group facing the camera. They are all from law firm Burges Salmon. The men are all wearing black tie and the woman are in smart dresses. They are in a dark space illuminated with blue and white lightLuke Dyson

More legal eagles: Burges Salmon, which has its headquarters in Bristol, was named Law Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2025, which were held in London.

Four women stand in a line, slightly angled, facing the camera. They are all smiling and behind them is some fencing and an area. Also behind them is a large sign that says "Portishead Marina" in capital white letters on a green background.Luxury Dream Holidays

Fingers crossed: Independent Bristol travel agency Luxury Dream Holidays has been shortlisted for the Travel Trade Gazette Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies Awards. The winners will be announced later this year.

A group of five people - two men and three women - stand inside a room which has many wooden pallets in it, some on top of each other. The group are smiling at the camera and linking arms.All Set West

Get involved: Bristol is a hub for film and TV projects, and creative types are being invited to join a new initiative called the All Set West Hub, an online platform aimed at helping people connect with like-minded creatives and also find resources to move their careers on.

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