Key Points
- New Venue: The independent music and culture venue “Super Nature” has opened at The Social’s former site at Cheltenham Road in Bristol after the venue shut down in June following 14 years of service.
- Founders and Concept: Super Nature was founded by co-founders Sophie Redmond and Ben Woodruff and works as a daytime café and second-hand record shop. It becomes an evening bar that includes kitchen pop-ups and supper club every month.
- Collaborations: Super Nature collaborated with Disk Frisk, a local second-hand record store, and Gigi’s, an Old Market pizza place as their unique kitchen residency partner for the coming six months.
- Relaxed Setting: The co-founders have designed the venue in such a way that it provides an atmosphere for people who do not want to have a night out. It includes non-alcoholic beverages for everyone who does not wish to consume alcohol or stay out late.
Bristol (Bristol Express News) October 29, 2026 – A fresh chapter has begun on Cheltenham Road with the grand opening of Super Nature, an independent music, cafe, and bar space that breathes new life into a prominent local property previously occupied by The Social for over a decade.
What Is Super Nature and Where Is It Located in Bristol?
As reported by Ellie Kendall of BristolLive, Super Nature is situated at the Cheltenham Road site that spent 14 years as The Social before closing its doors in June. Founders Sophie Redmond and Ben Woodruff successfully launched the independent project following a community Crowdfunder campaign.
During daytime hours, the venue operates as a vibrant daytime hub combining a speciality coffee shop and a second-hand record store. According to Ellie Kendall of BristolLive, the team has partnered with local record seller Disk Frisk to curate an onsite selection of pre-owned vinyl records.
How Does Super Nature Transition From Day to Night?
As evening approaches, the atmosphere shifts from a relaxed workspace and daytime cafe into an energetic bar setting. As reported by Ellie Kendall of BristolLive, the venue hosts regular musical showcases, kitchen pop-ups, and monthly supper clubs.
A central highlight of the evening offering is a collaboration with the acclaimed Old Market pizza establishment, Gigi’s. As stated by Ellie Kendall of BristolLive, Gigi’s Pizzas has chosen Super Nature as its second home, taking over the kitchen operations for a six-month residency.
What Did the Founders Say About the Opening Weekend and Vision?
Reflecting on the venue’s initial launch, co-founder Sophie Redmond shared insights into the community reception and the core philosophy behind the project.
As reported by Ellie Kendall of BristolLive, Sophie Redmond stated that:
“We’ve just had our opening weekend which went really well. Gigi’s Pizzas are here for the next six months doing our food.”
Detailing the musical component, Sophie Redmond told BristolLive that:
“And Disk Frisks, run by a friend, is a record shop specialising in second hand records.”
Elaborating on the unique accessibility and social ethos of the establishment, Sophie Redmond stated to BristolLive that:
“Super Nature is something that’s a bit more accessible for people who don’t want to stay out late, somewhere perhaps you could go before going to a club or come in the day to do some work and come back later on.”
Furthermore, emphasizing the inclusive beverage menu, Sophie Redmond stated to BristolLive that:
“We want it to be somewhere you don’t have to drink – you can, but we also have non alcoholic options. Somewhere a bit more relaxed maybe, because Bristol has so much to offer – there are amazing venues, places to get food. And we want this as more for a pre-night out.”
Background of the Development
The opening of Super Nature on Cheltenham Road marks a notable transition for Bristol’s vibrant hospitality and cultural landscape. The site was long recognized as The Social, a staple venue that served the community off Stokes Croft for 14 years prior to its closure in June 2026. Independent hospitality ventures in Bristol have increasingly leaned toward multi-functional spaces that merge daytime productivity, retail elements such as independent record trading, and evening socialization. By utilizing crowdfunding campaigns, local entrepreneurs like Sophie Redmond and Ben Woodruff have bypassed traditional corporate funding channels to establish community-rooted venues. Furthermore, pop-up kitchen residencies—such as Gigi’s expanding from Old Market to Cheltenham Road—reflect an increasingly popular collaborative business model among independent food and beverage operators in the region, allowing established culinary brands to test new neighborhoods while helping emerging cultural spaces anchor their food offerings.
This development is expected to positively impact local creatives, remote workers, independent music enthusiasts, and evening socialites across Bristol, particularly around the Cheltenham Road and Stokes Croft corridors. By functioning as a daytime workspace and record shop, Super Nature provides a community-focused hub for daytime patrons. In the evening, the integration of Gigi’s pizza residency and comprehensive non-alcoholic beverage menus directly addresses growing consumer demand for inclusive, relaxed social spaces that prioritize moderation and early-evening socialising over traditional late-night clubbing. Consequently, independent ventures of this nature are likely to stimulate localized foot traffic, foster micro-economies through cross-business partnerships like Disk Frisk, and set a template for sustainable, community-backed hospitality ventures facing rising operating costs in urban commercial districts.
