‘It says that children and young people matter, that they deserve the very best opportunities’
16:16, 20 Jun 2026Updated 17:11, 20 Jun 2026
New Youth Zone ‘sends a powerful message’ as £12m facility opens in South Bristol
Hundreds of children, young people, parents, community leaders and dignitaries took part in the official grand opening of the first ‘Youth Zone’ in the south west region, and were told the building ‘sends a powerful message that children and young people matter’.
The £12m facility opened its doors for the first time around six weeks ago, and has been gradually expanding its activities to fill the huge space inside and outside.
More than 1,500 young people across South Bristol have already signed up to be members – at just a fiver a year – and they pay 50p to enter what is the biggest facility of its kind in the region.
It was named the 224 South Bristol Youth Zone by young people themselves – it stands for ‘today, tomorrow, forever’ – the facility has been built close to the Hartcliffe Way roundabout in South Bristol, between the four areas of Knowle West, Hartcliffe, Hengrove and Bishopsworth, with Bedminster a short bus ride away.
Hundreds packed into the Youth Zone from across South Bristol, and heard speeches from a range of dignitaries, kicked off by Heather Frankham, the chair of Youth Moves, the youth club organisation that runs the Youth Zone.
She was followed by Matt Justice, the chief executive of Youth Moves and the 224 Youth Zone, Anne Nisbet, the High Sheriff of Bristol – the Nisbet Trust has been one of the main financial backers of the project – and then the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Yassin Mohamud (Green, Lawrence Hill).
South Bristol MP Karin Smyth also made a speech, as did Bristol musician Geoff Barrow – from Portishead and Beak – who is one of the Youth Zone’s ambassadors.
Matt Justice said the building itself represented something important for South Bristol. “224 represents one of the most significant investments in children and young people that Bristol has ever seen in a generation,” he said.
“At a time when children, young people and communities are facing increasing challenges, this building sends a powerful message – it says that children and young people matter, that they deserve the very best opportunities, and investing in their future matters now more than ever.
“What we’re celebrating today is about much more than the bricks and mortar, it’s about creating a place that’s accessible, affordable, and open to all. A place that will be open seven days a week, providing opportunities and activities to support thousands of children and young people,” he added.
The grand opening of the 224 South Bristol Youth Zone saw hundreds of children, young people, parents and local residents attend the new £12m facility opposite the Imperial Retail Park(Image: Bristol Post)
The 224 Youth Zone has already been up and running for a few weeks. “’As youth workers, we know how important it is for young people to have somewhere they feel they belong, somewhere they are welcomed, valued and accepted for who they are,” added Matt.
“A place where they can discover new interests, develop new skills, access support when life becomes difficult and build trusted relationships with adults who genuinely care about them.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve already started to see young people making this place their own, filling these spaces with energy, ideas and excitement in a way that no building ever could on its own,” he added.
YouthMoves CEO Matt Justice(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
“Because ultimately, a building doesn’t become a Youth Zone because of what’s inside. It becomes a Youth Zone because of the young people and youth workers who fill it.
“Whilst we’re all proud of the building we’ve opened today, the most exciting thing about 224 isn’t what has already happened, it’s what happens next,” he added.
“The real success of 224 won’t be measured by this building. It will be measured by the impact it has on Bristol and the generations of children and young people who will benefit from it in the years ahead, and I think that’s something our city can be incredibly proud of,” he added.
The official opening of the Youth Zone saw the first playing of a new song created over the past few weeks by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, in collaboration with another of the Youth Zone’s ambassadors, DJ Dazee, and The Cause and Tor Maries, from Billy Nomates.
Those professional musicians and producers worked with young people at the Youth Zone to create a track called Same Old Story, which was played at the grand opening.
Geoff Barrow, whose band Portishead became globally famous in the 1990s, said he he understood the importance of youth work.
“As a teenager I would DJ at my local Portishead youth club and rehearse with my band,” he said. “After I left school with no qualifications, it was the woman who ran the club who got me on a youth training scheme in a music studio.
“Without the youth club and her belief in me, I would never have had the career I’ve had. I had a terrible time at school, my dyslexia wasn’t diagnosed until after I left. I couldn’t read and thought I was stupid. But at the youth club I felt safe and understood by the youth workers. I could confide in them because they gave me time.
The grand opening of the 224 South Bristol Youth Zone saw hundreds of children, young people, parents and local residents attend the new £12m facility opposite the Imperial Retail Park(Image: Bristol Post)
“Sometimes young people need someone to talk to who’s not part of their family or the school system, who they can trust and who are trained to spot problems.
“With all the issues young people face now, youth workers are needed more than ever. 224 will provide that as well as an incredible building and the chance to try everything from podcasting to basketball to art and design,” he added.