The Courts
The Courts is a place for creativity, collaboration and heritage forming part of the Bridewell Estate in Bristol’s vibrant city centre.
Formerly the city’s Old Magistrates’ Court, it has been reimagined to create an inclusive, unique and exciting hub with public spaces, a digital heritage experience and free wifi. Work, meet, hire space or become a tenant and be part of our community supporting young creatives as they begin their career.
The Courts, Bridewell St, Bristol BS1 2QD
Telephone: 0117 947 7948
Email: info@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday, 9 am- 5pm
Venue Hire:
Our spaces are available to hire both during and outside of our standard opening hours. This includes early mornings, evenings, and weekends by prior arrangement.
Facilities
Reception support
On-site catering
Shared kitchen facilities and circulation spaces
Meeting rooms and rehearsal spaces for hire and events
Community
At Creative Youth Network, we believe in both the power of youth work and creativity. The Courts provides a hub for collaboration, creation and celebration, all coming together under a civic building reimagined for the City.
Heritage
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Courts has been carefully restored preserving its significance as a landmark of both architectural heritage and civic history. To deepen public understanding of the site’s social history, historians Rose Wallis and Laura Harrison worked with History students from UWE and our youth steering group (YAB) to investigate historical court cases—particularly those involving young people—uncovering the human stories behind the building’s walls. This research culminated in Voices from The Courts, a powerful exploration of the lives once shaped within this historically significant space.
