The Newcomers Guided walk

The BBC series The Newcomers – screening at Arnolfini on Saturday 9 April – was first broadcast in 1964. It told the story of Alison and Anthony Smith, two recent arrivals in Bristol. As well as the Smiths, The Newcomers featured many well-known Bristol people and residents of the time – George Brandt, Derek and Elizabeth Balmer, Val Lorraine, Tom Stoppard and more.

The biggest star in the film is Bristol. What was Bristol like in the early to mid-1960s? Starting at the Paragon, this walk visits some of the areas of the city centre – as well as the ideas – explored in The Newcomers.

Along the way, we’ll look at aspects of Bristol at the time including city planning; politics and politicians; the local media; Bristol’s street of bookshops; the arts, especially visual arts and the theatre; the Bristol bus boycott; and much more.

Tour headsets will be available for use, so please arrive in good time so that we can explain how to use them. If possible, please bring your own headphones to use with the headsets.

The walk will carry on come rain or shine, so please bring the appropriate clothing you need to make the tour comfortable. If you have any access requirements please contact us.

Further details and full route will be sent to all participants in early April.

This activity is generously supported by the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund, distributed by Film Hub South West. The FAN Exhibition Film Fund supports the delivery of cultural film offerings to broad and diverse audiences. With thanks to the BFI National TV Archive.

Image credit: Bristol Archives, ref 40826/STR/95

Booking Information

Please stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (these are listed on the NHS website) or if you’ve recently been in contact with someone who has the virus. 

Ticket booking is via Eventbrite. Please note that Eventbrite is a third-party service that is not owned or managed by Bristol Ideas. Please review Eventbrite’s terms and conditions and Privacy Policy as we do not accept any responsibility or liability for the policies. You can read Bristol Ideas’ Privacy policy here.

CONCESSIONS apply to Full Time Students, Job Seekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit claimants, over 60s and disabled people. The PARTNER RATE is for staff, students or members at the following organisations: Arts Council England, Bristol City Council, Business West, University of Bristol and UWE. Please note that you will be asked of proof for your eligibility of a concession or partner rate ticket. No refunds/exchanges are possible for tickets already purchased at the higher price.

One free carer ticket can be provided for each paying disabled visitor, please contact us before booking to arrange.

We only refund tickets if the event is cancelled. Events start punctually and, out of consideration to other audience members and speakers, our policy is not to admit or issue refunds to latecomers. Full Terms and Conditions here.

The walk will begin at the junction of The Paragon and Wellington Terrace in Clifton (BS8 4LA). Bristol Ideas staff will be waiting to meet you there and will be wearing high-vis jackets. The walk will go through Clifton, down Park Street and past College Green, over to Bristol Old Vic and will end at Arnolfini. Please get in touch if you would like to see a full map of the route in advance. Allowing for time to stop to talk about the places of interest on the way, the full walk will take around 90 minutes. The walk is mostly level, but there is a decline on Park Street and there are some uneven pavements/paving stones.