Love is in the air, accompanying the whiff of manure from the fields over the river Avon. Breathe it in, Bristol. Fertiliser aside though, Bristol has sneaked into the top-ten most romantic locations in the UK in a recent poll, which makes 'Bristolian’ the language of luvver. But what's caused the surge in pheromones and sweeping romantic gestures that account for our newfound romance?
Bristol is a mysterious lover
Where shall we go on a date? To the secret bar? But which secret bar, for there are many in Bristol? Shall I meet thee upon a bridge shrouded in fog? Wait, where have your trousers gone? Mystery is alluring, and Bristol is more mysterious than ever.
Selfie sticks
Love them or loathe them, selfie sticks are here to stay; just like vuvuzelas, Blackberrys and Flappy Bird. Selfie sticks have brought a little bit of love to Bristol, in part due to a dramatic increase in high-angle pictures near landmarks. Everyone huddles together, all sharing the love. Selfie sticks have also increased the number of people being unceremoniously hit round the back of the head with an aluminium shaft, but ‘aluminium shafting‘ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.
We’ve upped the small-talk game
Relationships have to start somewhere and small talk is as good a place as any. And opportunities for small talk are at an all-time high in Bristol. In the queue for the bus, the train, the replacement bus service because the train was cancelled... You get the idea. But give public transport a break. You can stand out among the stars in Emersons Green with like-minded individuals, sharing a moment. That may be a moment of rage, but that’s what brings people together. That and Tinder.
Paul Townsend
There’s something in the water
When I say water, I mean beer and coffee. Bristol is a sprawling metropolis of cafés, restaurants and pubs of every size and creed. This means we're spoilt for choice when it comes to date locations. You need never again take your date to a chain chicken restaurant where your masculinity is brought into question over your choice of marinade. Get your coat love, you’ve pulled (pork).
Overblown romantic gestures
Nothing says ‘I love you and I want the world to know!’ like spray-painting it across the inner city. That’s how we do things here. Street art in Bristol is similar to the constant painting of the Golden Gate Bridge. When someone finishes one piece at one end of the city, another pops up over a worn or defaced piece at the other end.
In June, Henry Barnes, otherwise known as Fiver after a particularly memorable Bingo win (probably), painted this piece in Stokes Croft. She said yes! Recent news suggests that Henry was so taken with the effectiveness of the method that he now just scrawls 'two sugars' across the bedroom wall in the hope of a cuppa. And they say romance is dead.
