Ooof. This is a particularly bony bone to pick, but one that raises valid questions and is written by a chef from a very popular independent restaurant in Bristol — though they have requested anonymity, so I can’t tell you much more. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And just a reminder that The Bristol Sauce is independent and could also use your support. Become a paying Saucer to read all of our content, forever, and get access to our app*.
Bristol LOVES to call itself an independent city. It’s practically a personality trait. The murals, the music, the food, the stubborn streak of doing things our own way. People here will boycott something for moral reasons they can’t fully explain, then proudly tell you they “only support independents” while sipping a flat white from a national chain that rhymes with tar ducks.
I moved here because my partner and I “loved the independents.” We were those people. The G‑Road warriors. “Boycott Tesco!” “Long live the independents!” We said it loud and love this city’s vibe.
But… does Bristol really care about independents?
If it does, why is Gail’s packed out on a daily basis? Why are the crowds spilling out of Wetherspoons and onto the street? Why is Tonkotsu full but not Tomo, why is Pizzarova in competition with Pizza Pilgrims?
If Bristol really, properly cared about its independents, those big businesses with a million branches would be ghost towns. The chains wouldn’t see Bristol as an ideal stepping stone on their path to expansion from London. They simply wouldn’t come here.
Yes, often the chains are cheaper. They can afford to offer deals, discounts, that we can’t. They can afford marketing teams that get all up in your inbox and on billboards, while I’m over here doing the accounting, the HR, the marketing and putting the hours in behind the pass all in one day.
But you give your money to a chain and it goes to London or overseas. It’s often not getting taxed. Give your money to an indie and it stays in the local economy, and will likely end up benefitting you somewhere or someone you know down the line. It’s maybe 50p more for your oat flatty, but you’re paying to keep the money in Bristol and keep your local high street alive.
Not everyone can afford to make such choices, and I get that. But you know who’s in Gails? It’s not people who can’t afford to buy a coffee out. If you can spend £5 on a loaf of sourdough that’s stale the moment it comes out the oven, you can afford to support your local indie.
I know I’m likely preaching to the choir here, because The Bristol Sauce crowd do love their indies. And Bristol does have a better independent scene than lots of cities. But maybe you can help me answer the question. Is it because those people genuinely don’t know what a difference it makes going to an independent place over a chain? Is it because they don’t know which businesses are independent and which are chains? Surely it’s not because they genuinely prefer the food. Is it just because they don’t care and the thing about Bristol loving independents really is grossly exaggerated at best and at worst, a total myth?
Just like any big topic, racism, colonisation, sustainability — people say the right thing. But are you really supporting your independent? Or are you a closet flexitarian of localism, pretending you’re all about small businesses when actually you’re just knackered and choosing a chain is easier?
My partner and I support our independents because we want to live in a city where they exist. We show up hoping it comes full circle. Because it’s easy to not — and that’s the whole point.
Ask anyone and they’ll swear they support small businesses. They’ll champion local makers. They’ll say they choose neighbourhood restaurants over chains.
But from inside the industry, the kitchens, the dining rooms, the payroll spreadsheets, the late night messages about staff sickness, the truth is more complicated. Bristol cares, yes. But caring isn’t just a feeling. It’s behaviour. It’s habits. It’s showing up even when you’re tired. The love is real and powerful. That part of Bristol is magic. But the habit is what keeps independents alive.
So keep the culture. Keep the habit. Support your local, and don’t pretend.
All words by an anonymous chef, photos as labelled
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The correct answer is, I think, "the thing about Bristol loving independents really is grossly exaggerated". Yes, there is a lot of indy-love but it's a minority who really make the effort to use Indies more than chains.
We shouldn't be purist about this. When I interviewed a lot of local business owners for an FT article, they all said they used supermarkets, Amazon etc. It's about who you go to first.
At the end of the day, most people are driven by price, convenience and taste (in the preference sense of the word). That means very few will sacrifice any of these to go indy. Sad, but true.
(I would like to go to where the anonymous chef works but they're anonymous! Message me?)
PS: Just noticed that local artists Dave Bain has painted a mural for ... Franco Manca. I can't blame him, but it's a good example of how being generally pro-indy often doesn't mean never supporting the national and multinationals.
There are 100s of different ways of identifying with (or being alienated by) Bristol. That is the joy (and pain) of cities. A vibrant city is home to 1,000s of communities, which is where independent businesses have a part to play, building community identity in the neighbourhoods they serve. The problem is defining what we mean by 'independent' business, and how we may distinguish it from any other privately owned business.