Gloucester Road is a unique road that meanders through the communities of Bishopston and St.Andrews and Horfield and contains a wide range of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. It is the heart of our community and has something for everyone.

Trading on Gloucester Road started in the late 1800s to meet the needs of local people. Today it has evolved into a high street with a large proportion of independent businesses. It is locally renowned as the longest independent high street in the UK.

The road has changed a lot in recent history with lots of new shops appearing amongst the old favourites and a growth in independently run cafes, bars and restaurants. There’s plenty of specialist shops but also high street staples such as butchers, fishmongers, bakeries and greengrocers.

It’s not hard to see why Gloucester Road is a special place for the local community. In a time when we often hear of the decline of the high street, it is thriving. You really can buy everything you need on Gloucester Road without visiting the large retail outlets and there is a huge amount of affection and loyalty for the area.

As a group of local women we support our very special high street.

In 2013 we wanted to show our local traders how much we support and appreciate them and produced our Gloucester Road WI Cookbook.