Bristol church gutted by fire opens doors after renovations

The church had been completely gutted following the arson attack in 2016

A Bristol church ravaged by fire in 2016 is opening its doors to the public following a huge renovation project.

The 200-year-old St Michael on the Mount Without was left a burnt-out shell following the blaze in 2016.

But now people can get a glimpse inside the church as part of Bristol Open Doors.

Owner Norman Routledge said the renovation had been a huge task since he bought the building.

He said: "When I first got inside in 2019 and looked up all you could see was blue sky where the roof was supposed to be.

"We fitted a new timber roof above the north aisle, and were able to restore the rotten timbers above the south aisle."

An artist painted the ceiling and a sculpture was suspended from there during lockdown

Mr Routledge hopes the building will become an events and performance space, and said it had already hosted three weddings.

The floor was lowered in the crypt and a bar has been built. But Mr Routledge said he had been waiting for more than two years to get Listed Buildings Consent to put in a new staircase so people can access the bar area easily.

The owner said the new bar area would help make the venue profitable

Mr Routledge said more than £700,000 had been spent on the renovations and there was at least another £100,000 to go he estimates.

Much of the character has been retained including the original stained-glass windows.

St Michael on the Mount Without had been boarded up since 1999 when it closed due to dwindling congregations

The church was already on Historic England's At-Risk Register when the fire happened in 2016. The following year the Diocese of Bristol announced the building would be sold.

Bristol Open Doors is taking place on Saturday and Sunday. More than 60 sites are being opened to the public, with booking required in advance due to Covid restrictions on numbers.