There are no tricks in sight this Halloween, only a triple treat of silent discos taking place at three incredible city centre venues tonight (31 Oct)

First up Bristol Aquarium has teamed up with We The Curious, inviting revellers (18+) to dive into the abyss with non-stop floor-filling bangers from the 80s, 90s, and 00s across several channels, including indie anthems hosted by Propaganda... simply pick the tunes while you dance and sing along.

Navigate through chilling underwater realms and vibrant jungles until 9pm at the Aquarium. Then, gather in the main arena of the aquarium for one of Bristol’s most epic Halloween Silent Discos. Meanwhile you can also step into the shadow of Bristol's most chilling science experience at We The curious and enjoy interactive exhibits while dancing to killer tunes. Both events finish at 11pm, and one ticket, which you can book here, grants entry to both venues across the evening. 

The ghoulish gang over at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery are also hosting a silent disco too, with DJs DTYM and Dirty Pop playing 90s anthems, and dead good pop all night. Party-goers will be provided with state-of-the-art wireless LED headphones and can choose soundtracks from multiple channels, plus there's a fully stocked bar to see you through the entire night. See the museum illuminated like never before. 
Grab your tickets here.

Monday 10-Friday 14 November is National School Meals Week - the perfect time, then, to revisit your school days with this classic school dinner pud which eschews the traditional pink food colouring in the custard in favour of fresh raspberries,
bringing it bang up-to-date.

Read online

The Bristol Grand hotel on Broad Street is now taking bookings for its Christmas parties (running from 29 November to 20 December), with tickets including an arrival glass of prosecco, a set three-course festive menu with coffee and mince pie, half a bottle of wine per person, plus a DJ and disco. 

bristolgrand.fango.co.uk | Grab a 5% discount on any pre-booked tickets through the website before 30 November. This promotion is applicable only once per order. Use code EARLYELF.

Chaffey Bros is brothers-in-law Daniel Chaffey Hartwig & Theo Engela: part perfumiers; part historians; and part mad scientists. They craft their handmade wines from a number of epic low-yielding vineyards nestled among the pristine Barossa
& Eden Valleys in South Australia.

Following last year's outstanding success for Chaffey Bros, they have again won big, with a Gold Medal and 96/100 rating for La Résistance GSM at the
2025 Decanter World Wine Awards. Discover it now at Great Wine Co!

La Résistance! Grenache Syrah Mourvedre | £21

Synonymous Shiraz | £21

Tripelpunkt Riesling | £19.95

Discover more brilliant wines at greatwine.co.uk

Dive into the past with the Tudor Black Bay 54, the truest modern expression of Tudor’s first dive watch. Featuring a 37mm case and the top-tier MT5400 calibre, it’s proof that classics never go out of style.

Tudor Black Bay 54 37mm Steel Watch, Black Rubber Strap | £3,260

Tudor Black Bay 54 37mm Steel Watch, Steel Bracelet | £3,450

mallory-jewellers.com

In the depths of night, the stars blaze against the heavens, casting bursts of incandescent orange light. Superstitious by nature, Gabrielle Chanel loved to observe the cosmos, placing her trust in this glittering, infinite expanse.

For the 2025 festive season, the Chanel Makeup Creation Studio, in collaboration with Cécile Paravina of the Cometes Collective, celebrate the beauty and duality of the celestial sphere. Inspired by the vibrant contrasts of a flamboyant

sky, the Holiday 2025 makeup collection tells the story of a year’s end, an ending that heralds a radiant new beginning.

chanel.com

Self Service

We’re pleased to see that a third issue of Myconauts has just launched. This is a delightful and very popular journal created by Bath-based writer and illustrator Gemma Dunnell aimed at a wide age group, from the very young to the those never too old to ‘care for, and want to explore, the natural world.’ As its name implies, Myconauts is all about the mushroom, explored through stories, illustrations and poetry. This issue is themed ‘Death & Rebirth’ and is focused on the life cycle of mushrooms, the ecological benefits of fungi, why crows and ravens seem scary to us, and a conversation with an environmental activist on Dartmoor community’s bid for preservation initiatives and open access to the historical natural landscape.

£15

magalleria.co.uk

Brand new contemporary thriller Down Cemetery Road premiered on Apple TV+ this week, after filming predominantly on location in Bristol and the South West of England last year, with studio filming at The Bottle Yard Studios where production was based.

When a house explodes in a quiet Oxford suburb and a girl disappears in the aftermath, neighbour Sarah Tucker (Ruth Wilson) becomes obsessed with finding her and enlists the help of private investigator Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson). Zoë and Sarah suddenly find themselves in a complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead.

An extensive shoot took place in Bristol between June 2024 and February 2025, with the show’s London-based producers 60Forty Films benefiting from joined-up support provided by The Bottle Yard Studios and its partners Bristol Film Office. Over 250 crew that worked on Down Cemetery Road over a 12-month prep and production period were from the local region.

Down Cemetery Road is streaming now on Apple TV+

Image: Down Cemetery Road (image: Apple TV+)

“I never wanted to murder anyone. It was necessary.”

This electrifying new stage adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley brings Patricia Highsmith’s iconic psychological thriller, which inspired the acclaimed movie and Netflix series of the same name, to life like never before. With razor-sharp dialogue, simmering tension, and a dangerously charismatic antihero, this gripping production will pull you into Ripley’s intoxicating world—where nothing is quite as it seems.

Tickets from £13 | Bristol Old Vic, King Street, BS1 4ED

bristololdvic.org.uk

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School's Autumn productions are the pinnacle of their full-time training and a clear demonstration of the collaboration and professionalism that the School instills in all their students.

A Christmas Carol @ Redgrave Theatre, 24 - 29 November

Mr Scrooge is sorely lacking in festive spirit. Hell-bent on bringing his colleagues, family and friends down with him, he spends his days being unpleasant and stingy. One bitter night, he is visited by four ghosts who take him on a journey through past, present and future. Will Scrooge change his ways by sunrise?

Once Upon a Winter @ Redgrave Theatre, 29 November 

Robin feels different from his classmates – they’re loud and rebellious, while he prefers to spend time in his own world. One day, Robin discovers a portal to a magical place called Winterland, which looks an awful lot like his drawings! Soon, Robin is embarking on an epic musical adventure, encountering fairytale baddies and learning the power of bravery and difference. A show perfect for the whole family.

oldvic.ac.uk

Following the release of his 9th album 'Allbarone' Baxter Dury heads out on the road to UK & Europe, including headlining his biggest show yet. 'Allbarone' is a nine-track tour-de-force, stripping everything away and building Baxter’s most melodically direct, futuristic collection in intense three-hour daily shifts throughout December and January in Epworth’s North London Church Studios. Baxter comes to Bristol next month on Sunday 23rd November at the O2 Academy Bristol. Tickets are on sale now.

7pm | Frogmore St, Bristol BS1 5NA | crosstownconcerts.seetickets.com

Rossini composed the Petite messe solennelle in 1863, 34 years after writing his last opera, in Paris, where he spent the last decades of his life. Neither petite nor solemn and it has the unusual scoring for choir, 4 solists, 2 pianos and harmonium. It is ideally suited for the acoustics of Bristol Cathedral.

7.30pm | Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TJ

bristolchoral.co.uk

Crafters came together this week for the woolliest birthday bash in town as Aardman celebrated Shaun the Sheep’s 30th anniversary with a heartwarming crafting event at The Mills Fabrica, King’s Cross.

The event marked the culmination of the global “Can Ewe Knit It?” campaign – a partnership between Aardman, British Wool, Campaign for Wool, and Craft Forward. Crafters of all ages gathered to stitch together hundreds of knitted and crocheted squares, sent from around the world, including Bristol, into blankets for people experiencing homelessness across London.

All the wool used was 100% British wool, kindly donated by West Yorkshire Spinners, ensuring the project was as homegrown as it was heartfelt.

Emily Jones, Brand and Insights Manager at Aardman, said: “Shaun’s always been about bringing people together – and this project has done just that. Seeing fans, families, and crafters uniting to make something that will genuinely help others is the perfect way to celebrate 30 years of our woolly hero.”

aardman.com | craftforward.com

Marvin Brown, a former Bristol City forward and proud Bristolian has passed aged 42.

Marvin joined the Bristol City Academy at the age of eight and went on to become the club’s youngest player, aged just 16 years and 71 days in September 1999.

While at the club, Marvin featured for England Under-16s and Under-17s before moving on to Forest Green Rovers in 2004.

Marvin founded Total Pro Soccer, a development centre for young boys in the Bristol area and worked as an Academy coach at Bristol City alongside and beyond his playing career in various roles and played a crucial role in the development of
numerous Academy graduates.

Due to having previously overcome many other health struggles, including a bout of colon cancer in 2022, Marvin was unable to secure life insurance and a fundraiser which has been set up for his wife Alexis and two young daughters already, reaching more than £63,000 in donations.

bcfc.co.uk

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School have announced the launch of the Future Playwrights Competition 2026, in partnership with its MA Drama Writing course.

The exciting new competition is aimed at those taking their first steps into playwriting, and offers an unprecedented opportunity to discover and nurture emerging UK-based writers from all backgrounds.

This competition is for new writers over the age of 18, without
any previous professional experience.

The overall winner will get the opportunity to develop their script idea further with a one day development workshop, hosted at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, supported by an MA Drama Writing graduate, and an MA Drama Directing student, alongside upto four BA Professional Acting students. This will be held on a date to be agreed with the winner.

To enter, submit: 1) a 3-page play and 2) a 250-word bio about
yourself by 1 January 2026. 

Find out more at oldvic.ac.uk

The National Fish & Chip Awards has reached a fork in the road in the Restaurant of the Year category, saying goodbye to half the contenders and announcing the five fantastic fish and chip restaurants continuing on as 2026 competition finalists. Among the top 5 is Bristol’s Noah’s.

The National Fish & Chip Awards has beendefining what outstanding looks like for 38 years and is the go-to competition for businesses that want to break new ground in the industry. To be considered an ambassador for excellence requires entrants to undergo a full-scale assessment where sector specialists delve into all areas of the eateries.

Dan Rosser, chef/owner at the family-owned Noah’s in Bristol says: “Reaching the Top 5 in the Fish & Chip Restaurant of Year category is an amazing achievement for the team, and we are super proud to get this far. Hopefully what we do day in day out is enough to take the top spot. We are really looking forward to
London in February whatever the outcome.”

thefishandchipawards.com | Noah’s

1 Brunel Lock Rd, BS1 6XS

Sam Wolstenholme returns from injury to captain the Bears in their PREM Rugby Cup round three clash with Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate tonight (7.45pm KO).

The scrum half makes his comeback from a hamstring injury sustained during pre-season to partner debutant Raff Weston at half-back for the derby clash.

In the midfield, there’s a senior debut for Academy centre Victor Worsnip alongside Bristolian Jack Bates, while in the back three, Mat Protheroe is named at full back after re-joining the club on a short-term deal, alongside Josh Carrington and Aidan Boshoff.

In the pack, Georgian international Luke Ivanishvili starts on the blindside flank, with Kofi Cripps on the openside. In the front row, Academy duo Jimmy Halliwell and Tomas Gwilliam join Sam Grahamslaw, while in the engine room, Joe Owen packs down alongside Paddy Pearce.

Among the replacements, there’s a potential debut for Welsh international Ellis Bevan, who joined on a short-term deal from Cardiff this week.

7.45pm | Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Rd, BS3 2EJ | tickets.bristol-sport.co.uk

Coverage: X (written commentary), TNT Sport, BBC Radio Bristol & Somerset

bristolbearsrugby.com

Offered for sale by Savills Estate Agents

Falfield, Gloucestershire, GL12 8DA  | Prices from £900,000 -​ £1.34 million

The Residences at Eastwood Park is an exclusive development of 20 beautifully crafted detached homes, thoughtfully designed to blend effortlessly
into their tranquil woodland setting.

Each home sits within its own spacious plot and features a carefully considered exterior palette of natural stone, earth-toned render, and distinctive “burnt cedar” cladding—elegantly topped with deep red or slate grey roof tiles. These high-quality finishes complement the surrounding landscape, creating a seamless connection with nature. Thoughtful landscaping enhances the woodland charm, with a woodland walk running along the north-western edge of the development, inviting residents to enjoy peaceful, everyday access to nature.

Offering a rare blend of rural tranquillity and contemporary elegance, The Residences at Eastwood Park presents a unique opportunity to enjoy the very best of countryside living refined, relaxed, and surrounded by nature.