About 

Simple Things is best known as a multi-venue music event in Bristol’s city centre. The event has grown to become one of the most celebrated in Bristol’s musical calendar, critically acclaimed for our commitment to innovative and forward-facing music culture.

We are celebrating our 11th edition in November 2025 with a weeklong programme of events. These will take place between 04-09 November, with the primary Simple Things day programme and after parties on Saturday 08 November.

Simple Things is also a promoter in the city, hosting standalone gigs and club nights all year round. 

 

Essential Information – Saturday 08 November 

 

Date

Saturday 8th November 2025

 

Wristband Exchange

Friday 7 November 12:00 – 20:30 – inside Bristol Beacon at Box Office counter on Ground Floor

Saturday 8 Nov 11:00 – 20:00 – Bristol Beacon Cellars Entrance, accessed from Colston Street. 

 

Event Start Time 12:00

Event Finish Time 02:00

 

Last entry time to Bristol Beacon is midnight.

Start and finish times vary for other Festival venues.  Please check individual venue timings for more information.

 

Venues

Bristol Beacon – includes Beacon Hall, Lantern Hall, Cellars – Weston Stage, Terrace and Bridgehouse venues

Rough Trade

Bristol Megascreen

Strange Brew

Zed Alley

Sportsmans

The Lanes

 

After Parties

Lauren Halo, Hodge (Live) + Caragh @ Strange Brew

Orpheu The Wizard + Dave Harvey @ The Love Inn

 

Map

Click here to download the Simple Things 2025 Map PDF.

 

Tickets 

Simple Things Festival uses e-tickets with a wristband exchange.

Festival wristbands give you access to all venues listed on Saturday 8th November 2025 ONLY. Tickets to after parties and other events in the weeklong programme are sold separately.

All Simple Things Festival tickets are sold via these outlets:

For tickets sold via Bristol Beacon, you will have received your e-tickets via email attachment after you completed your purchase (with the exception of Daniel Avery / Saturday joint tickets – please see your pre-event email for details of your ticket collection). We will also send you a SMS text message with a link to your e-tickets close to the Festival date.  

If you haven’t received your e-ticket, please check our advice here. 

Contact hello@bristolbeacon.org for any ticket queries.

 

Wristband Collection

Tickets need to be exchanged for wristbands in order to allow entry into the venues. 

Please ensure you bring:

Tickets will not be accepted on the door of venues.

If you have a ticket for more than one person, we encourage everyone attached to that ticket to arrive at wristband exchange together. If this isn’t possible, ensure all parties arriving separately have their digital version or individual ticket printout.

Please only buy tickets from authorised agents. Beware of touts and unauthorised ticket agents selling tickets as there is no way to guarantee their authenticity. You will be refused entry if you attempt to use a counterfeit ticket.

 

Refund and Resale Policy

Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable unless in the case of a cancellation of the event by the promoter. If you purchase your ticket from a third party, please ensure you trust the person who you are buying from. Tickets can only be scanned once, and ID verification is required, so you must bring a copy of the purchaser’s ID at the wristband exchange.

 

Venue Entry

Ticket holders will be issued with one wristband which grants entry to every venue at wristband exchange. It is not possible to pay for access to individual venues or performances.

We advise that you arrive in good time if there is an act that you want to watch as we cannot guarantee entry to each venue if it reaches capacity. If a venue reaches capacity, a one-in-one-out system will be used.

Please take care of your wristband. Any wristbands removed from wrists, lost or tampered with will be deemed invalid and not replaced. You will be refused admission if you do not have a valid wristband.

 

Age Policy

Ages 14+ can attend until 21:00, if accompanied at all times by someone over 21. All Bristol Beacon venues are strictly 18+ after 21:00.  However, this does not apply to Sportsmans which remains an 18+ venue throughout. 

A full, general admission ticket must be purchased for any under 18s. Please note that individual venues reserve the right to change their age policy if deemed appropriate. If there is a specific act you would like to attend, it is worth speaking to the venue directly to avoid disappointment.

After parties are all strictly 18+. Challenge 25 will be in operation at all venues. ID will be required on entry and you may also be asked to verify your age at the bar.

 

Re-entry

You will be able to re-enter each venue with your wristband however it is at the discretion of the venue. Please check before exiting a venue what their re-entry policy is at that time.

Once full capacity is reached in any venue, a one-in-one-out system will be in operation.

Last entry to Bristol Beacon is at midnight.

 

Set Times

Set times are available to download in full here. 

Our schedule is estimated and may shift naturally throughout the day. Keep updated on our FB & IG story where we will make any time change announcements.

 

Medical and Welfare

Each venue will have quick access to first aid and will know how best to proceed in the event of any emergency.

If you begin to feel unwell or see anyone who appears to be in distress for any reason, then please inform a member of staff immediately. Look after yourself and be considerate of those around you.

 

Lost Property

Each venue will operate its own lost property policy. If you find or lose something, please speak to a member of staff at the venue or contact the venue directly post-event.

 

Cloakroom

A Cloakroom for small items will be available at the below venues. The amount charged per item is at the discretion of the venue.

 

Transport

 

Car

Simple Things takes place in the city centre so there are plenty of options for parking. Please note there is no on-street parking located at any of the venues. The closest car parks to each venue are listed below:

 

Please check individual car parks for their opening times and prices.

 

Train

Bristol Temple Meads (1.5 miles) First Bus Services 8 and 72 run from Stop TC outside Bristol Temple Meads to the centre.

 

Taxi

Bristol operates either Hackney Bristol Blue carriages that can be flagged or pre-booked private hire. The BRAXI app can facilitate booking. Taxi ranks situated in the city centre include:

 

Bike

Please note there is not an official bike park for any of the venues, but there are plenty dotted around the city. Bikes are left at the owner’s risk.

 

Code of Conduct

We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and fun environment for everyone. Simple Things will not tolerate discrimination in relation to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, faith, physical or cognitive disability, learning difficulties, neurodiversity, health or mental health related vulnerabilities, political beliefs, or any other kind.

Our Code of Conduct is designed to reflect our values and foster a culture of respect to allow everyone to enjoy our festival. It applies to everyone involved in the event; staff, crew and volunteers, festival-goers, guests, performers, and artists – we will all be held to the same standards.

Each of us is responsible for our own actions and for looking out for others. Be aware of situations taking place around you – don’t be a bystander, speak up and seek help if you need it.

Simple Things has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, harassment or assault. In the event of a breach of our Code of Conduct, we reserve the right to take any action we feel appropriate, including immediate expulsion from our events or reporting incidents to the police.

We will not tolerate harassment of any kind. For the purpose of this Code of Conduct, this includes:

If you witness or are subject to harassment whilst at Simple Things, then please report it to a member of staff.

 

Accessibility

As a festival, we welcome all D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent attendees and aim to provide an enjoyable experience for all. The following information provides basic details about the accessible provisions available at each venue. 

Accessible Facilities that we offer:

 

If you have any access requirements or questions about accessibility please email access@bristolbeacon.org 

To ensure that we have time to put appropriate provisions in place, we ask that all ticket holders with access requirements, pre-register their needs via Bristol Beacon.

If you have booked through an external ticket agent (e.g. Dice, Headfirst), please let us know in advance about your access needs. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to make the necessary arrangements.

Personal Assistant tickets will be available for collection on the day from Bristol Beacon at wristband exchange.

 

Venue Accessibility Information

 

Bristol Beacon

Bristol Beacon has step-free access from street level to the box office and performance spaces. There are accessible toilets on all levels of the venue accessible via lift and a Changing Places Toilet on the lower ground floor.

For those that find queueing difficult, if the main entrance is busy, we have an access queue jump entrance, located around the back of the building on Trenchard Street.

Trenchard Street car park is 200m from Bristol Beacon. People with access requirements can be dropped off and picked up on Pipe Lane or Colston Street. There are drop curbs in both of these laybys.

Accessible viewing areas and assistive listening systems are available in all venue spaces. 

For those who need to take some time out from the festival, there is a designated Quiet Room on Level 1, to the right of the lifts. This will be signposted.

View detailed access information for Bristol Beacon

 

Bristol Megascreen

Bristol Megascreen is wheelchair accessible with step-free level access and lifts. Additional seating and dedicated spaces for wheelchair users are available within the cinemas. There are accessible toilets on the ground floor and second floor.

 

Rough Trade

Rough Trade Bristol is fully wheelchair accessible. This is a standing venue but seating can be provided when needed, please ask the staff at the venue. It has accessible toilets.

 

Sportsmans

Sportsmans is situated uphill from Bristol Beacon. They have a removable access ramp at the entrance and inside they have accessible toilets. All of the inside area is based on one level.

 

Strange Brew

This has step-free and level access throughout. Accessible toilets and allocated viewing areas.

 

The Lanes

The Lanes has step-free level access from street level and accessible toilets.

 

Zed Alley

Zed Alley has partial level access from street level with a ramp into the building. The venue space has step-free access but there is a step up to the bar. There is no accessible toilet in the venue. Sportsmans above the venue or Bristol Beacon both have more suitable accessible toilets – particularly for wheelchair users. 

 

The Love Inn [After party only]

The Love Inn is an accessible venue with step-free access from street level and accessible toilets.

 

Induction Loops

There will be an induction loop available at Wristband Exchange in Bristol Beacon. Assistive listening systems are available for some Bristol Beacon spaces also.

 

Assistance Dogs

All assistance dogs are welcome across all venues in the Simple Things programme.

 

Content warnings

Strobe lighting, smoke and haze effects will be used at this event. There will not be any specific announcements prior to their use.

 

Contact

Customer queries – hello@bristolbeacon.org

Ticket queries – hello@bristolbeacon.org

Accessibility – access@bristolbeacon.org