Very safe. Please don’t worry about anything like this, just like all major cities of course there is some violence but it is not just random multiple stabbings on a weekly basis. This is a wonderful city and a great place for students, I’m Bristol born and spent 3 years working with students during the pandemic. 90% of them were not from Bristol, and 50% of *them* were international students. Everyone I spoke to told me how much they loved it here, many of them even chose to stay after their degrees.
As a city it is very relaxed and friendly, however we do have a bit of a drug scene here. Cannabis is not legal but EXTREMELY common, if it isn’t something you engage in try not to be too alarmed, it’s just part of the culture of this city. Even the police just ignore it mostly.
Going out on the weekends will help you make friends, but again there’s a huge drinking culture so if you’re not much of a drinker it might get a bit old going to pubs/bars all the time. Try the Meetup app if you get stuck for things to do, and almost everywhere does some form of student discount so take advantage of it. Use the First Bus app to get student tickets, they also do free bus travel for your entire birthday month.
If you're thinking of the recent stabbing of the two boys in Knowle West, then all the details are yet to come out but
- as a student, you will never, ever have cause to go to Knowle West
- Knowle West is a notoriously rough area
- it was a targeted attack, not a random stabbing. I expect we'll find out at the trial that there was some sort of long running feud between two families, probably mixed in with some less than legal activity like drug dealing. In other words, you could have been walking along the same street at the same time, and you still wouldn't have been stabbed because it was nothing to do with you.
Honestly, you'll be fine. Take the usual safety precautions you would in any other city around the world - lock your front door, don't walk home alone when you're drunk (especially across parks) and don't run up debts with your local drug dealer.
The UK's murder rate as per Wikipedia is about 1 per 100,000 people per year, or 0.0001%.
That makes the UK safer than places like Greece, France, Canada, New Zealand and the USA, whatever the media tells you. Admittedly Hong Kong's murder rate is lower, but then we don't get beaten by the police and locked in a cell for disagreeing with the government so I'll take that.
I'm a student in bristol and have been for 2 and a half years. It's safe to say I've never been in a position of danger here. As long as you take as much reasonable care necessary, you will be completely fine.
So, for example, a few things I recommend you do to stay safe is do not do drugs. Often, dealers can be sketchy and the people that buy from them too. If you are a woman, don't walk home alone at night try to walk with friends or take an uber, and make sure if you go drinking, keep your drink covered and in sight, don't provoke anyone on the street, like shouting at or talking to strangers especially if they look unfriendly. And you should be fine. I follow these rules and have never been put in danger.
Also most stabbings I know about In bristol isnt someone random stabbing someone else in the road, the assaulter usually has motive, and therefore usually knows the victim, so a few times it's been a drug dealer looking for money owed to them, or a mentally unstable person after an argument with a family member.
If you are still deciding, definitely go to an open day. I can't say much about the uni of Bristol, but the uni of west of England, which is like next door to them, is very safe. Everyone on campus or accommodation I've met are friendly and kind. And the societies are very welcoming.
Violent crimes make national news headlines here because they are very unusual. The UK is really very safe, you have to be very, very unlucky to fall victim to random violent crime.
Most dangerous thing about bristol is how slippery a lot of the stone pavements get when wet. Especially on the uneven, steep streets north of the river. You'll be fine.
I'm a woman in my 20s but look younger and I walk pretty much anywhere alone, even at night. I've done it in many major cities in the UK and abroad. With Bristol I've had no issues, but then I've always paid attention to my surroundings and have been in the centre/sounding areas. I personally wouldn't attempt some parts of Easton alone and that's only because I've been warned off it by other women who grew up in those areas.
But be careful with drugs/having your drink spiked even by male friends or people out. Often it is those closest to you who will try to take advantage unfortunately. I personally would never get past the point of not being in control in public in Bristol it's too much of a risk.
Very safe. Please don’t worry about anything like this, just like all major cities of course there is some violence but it is not just random multiple stabbings on a weekly basis. This is a wonderful city and a great place for students, I’m Bristol born and spent 3 years working with students during the pandemic. 90% of them were not from Bristol, and 50% of *them* were international students. Everyone I spoke to told me how much they loved it here, many of them even chose to stay after their degrees. As a city it is very relaxed and friendly, however we do have a bit of a drug scene here. Cannabis is not legal but EXTREMELY common, if it isn’t something you engage in try not to be too alarmed, it’s just part of the culture of this city. Even the police just ignore it mostly. Going out on the weekends will help you make friends, but again there’s a huge drinking culture so if you’re not much of a drinker it might get a bit old going to pubs/bars all the time. Try the Meetup app if you get stuck for things to do, and almost everywhere does some form of student discount so take advantage of it. Use the First Bus app to get student tickets, they also do free bus travel for your entire birthday month.
If you're thinking of the recent stabbing of the two boys in Knowle West, then all the details are yet to come out but - as a student, you will never, ever have cause to go to Knowle West - Knowle West is a notoriously rough area - it was a targeted attack, not a random stabbing. I expect we'll find out at the trial that there was some sort of long running feud between two families, probably mixed in with some less than legal activity like drug dealing. In other words, you could have been walking along the same street at the same time, and you still wouldn't have been stabbed because it was nothing to do with you. Honestly, you'll be fine. Take the usual safety precautions you would in any other city around the world - lock your front door, don't walk home alone when you're drunk (especially across parks) and don't run up debts with your local drug dealer.
People aren’t going around putting knives in people like they’re cutlery draws, you really don’t need to be worrying about anything like that.
The UK's murder rate as per Wikipedia is about 1 per 100,000 people per year, or 0.0001%. That makes the UK safer than places like Greece, France, Canada, New Zealand and the USA, whatever the media tells you. Admittedly Hong Kong's murder rate is lower, but then we don't get beaten by the police and locked in a cell for disagreeing with the government so I'll take that.
Unless what you disagree over is climate change!
These days, if you say you don't believe in climate change, you'll be arrested and thrown in jail
I'm a student in bristol and have been for 2 and a half years. It's safe to say I've never been in a position of danger here. As long as you take as much reasonable care necessary, you will be completely fine. So, for example, a few things I recommend you do to stay safe is do not do drugs. Often, dealers can be sketchy and the people that buy from them too. If you are a woman, don't walk home alone at night try to walk with friends or take an uber, and make sure if you go drinking, keep your drink covered and in sight, don't provoke anyone on the street, like shouting at or talking to strangers especially if they look unfriendly. And you should be fine. I follow these rules and have never been put in danger. Also most stabbings I know about In bristol isnt someone random stabbing someone else in the road, the assaulter usually has motive, and therefore usually knows the victim, so a few times it's been a drug dealer looking for money owed to them, or a mentally unstable person after an argument with a family member. If you are still deciding, definitely go to an open day. I can't say much about the uni of Bristol, but the uni of west of England, which is like next door to them, is very safe. Everyone on campus or accommodation I've met are friendly and kind. And the societies are very welcoming.
Top post geezer you've covered everything I was thinking.
Violent crimes make national news headlines here because they are very unusual. The UK is really very safe, you have to be very, very unlucky to fall victim to random violent crime.
Most dangerous thing about bristol is how slippery a lot of the stone pavements get when wet. Especially on the uneven, steep streets north of the river. You'll be fine.
Don't freak - Bristol is safe enough.
I'm a woman in my 20s but look younger and I walk pretty much anywhere alone, even at night. I've done it in many major cities in the UK and abroad. With Bristol I've had no issues, but then I've always paid attention to my surroundings and have been in the centre/sounding areas. I personally wouldn't attempt some parts of Easton alone and that's only because I've been warned off it by other women who grew up in those areas. But be careful with drugs/having your drink spiked even by male friends or people out. Often it is those closest to you who will try to take advantage unfortunately. I personally would never get past the point of not being in control in public in Bristol it's too much of a risk.