Find out what support you can access via this information from Bristol Nights. Including resources, training and grants.

Bristol Nights is a partnership project from Bristol City Council. Their purpose is to support the city at night, and everyone who works from 6pm-6am.


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Support

Business Support for the night time economy from Thrive at Night

Thrive at Night is a Bristol Nights initiative, providing free mental health and wellbeing support for all those working in the night-time economy.

Thrive at Night includes a comprehensive range of mental health resources and training for local hospitality businesses, including bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. The package of support includes:

A Managers’ handbook is an important tool from Bristol Nights. It is a thorough guide that helps business owners, organisations, and managers create emotionally resilient and compassionate teams.  

A workbook for night workers is designed for individuals to work through. It’s packed with tips and activities for individuals who are experiencing stress at work, and techniques to help cope with challenges you might be facing at work or at home.  

If you or your team need support:

• Burnt Chef are for anyone in the hospitality sector, and Bristol Nights works closely with them on our Thive at Night program. They have a 24/7 text helpline with a trained mental health practitioner: Text BURNTCHEF to 85258.
• Music Minds Matter are there to support anyone who works in the music industry, call free and confidentially: 0808 802 800

Find out more about Thrive at Night

Licensing changes: Sales of alcohol

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government passed regulations allowing licensed premises to sell alcohol for takeaway, delivery and to drink in pavement areas, without making a formal application to vary their premises licence.

These regulations are due to expire at the end of March 2025, and it is expected that they won’t be extended. This means that if you don’t have ‘off-sales’ on your premises licence already you will no longer be able to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises without a change to your premises licence.

If you have been using this exemption and you want to continue to have off-sales you will need to make an application to change your licence, either by a minor variation or full variation.

If you have been using the off-sales exemption already, and no issues have been raised by members of the public or responsible authorities about this use, the government have recommended local authorities accept a minor variation when adding off-sales to a premises licence permanently.

If you aren’t sure whether you already have off-sales, you’ll need to check your licence where it will say whether the licence authorises on sales, or on and off-sales.

Visit the council website for information on the different types of alcohol licences available and guidance on how to apply for them.

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Training

CultureBiz Incubator Programme

Applications for Black South West Network – CultureBiz Connect Incubator Programme are open.

The programme is a 6-week funded initiative that offers tools, structure, guidance, and insights to support artists and cultural producers with the essentials of their freelance or business practice including legal knowledge, building a brand and networks, and making the most of grants and access to funding.

The programme is aimed at Black & Minoritised artists, dancers, writers, performers, and other cultural producers from across the West of England, for both new or established practices.

The programme provides:

• Access to new skills and learning sessions
• Networking opportunities
• 1:1 support and mentoring
• An opportunity to showcase your work to new audiences

Each artist taking part will get a £2,500 grant to cover participation costs and an additional £2,500 to produce a new piece that will be showcased in September 2025 as part of our showcasing events.

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Grants and Funding

Fallow Festival Fund

After a devastating year for the UK’s festival sector in 2024 with event postponements and cancellations, the Fallow Festival Fund was launched at Festival Congress 2025.

The Fallow Festival Fund is a comprehensive support package designed specifically for independent UK festivals facing the challenge of taking a fallow year.

The packages includes:

• A complimentary one-year AIF membership, giving you access to valuable industry resources and network support
• Free access to professional services including legal consultation, financial health checks, and production consultancy
• Free use of our “Software Only” ticketing services for your first 2,000 tickets through Citizen Ticket
• Complimentary access to Eventree, the leading accreditation and event management platfor

To donate money, offer services or discounted services, or Festivals interested in taking advantage of the fund and package of support

Find out more about Fallow Festival Fund