People urge Bristol venue Colston Hall to change its name after statue of Edward Colston pulled down

08 June 2020, 10:50 | Written by Cerys Kenneally

(News)

Over the weekend, protesters toppled the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in the city, which has sparked a new wave of people asking for the Colston Hall venue to be renamed.

Edward Colston's statue was pushed into Bristol's harbour yesterday (7 June) during the Black Lives Matter protests.

The slave trader has numerous buildings and roads named after him throughout the city, and many people have been targeting the Colston Hall music venue to change its name asap following the removal of Colston's statue.

“You’re erasing history by getting rid of Edward Colston’s statue!”

Now Bristol only has:
Colston Hill
Colston Road
Colston Street
Colston Avenue
Colston Parade
Colston Girls’ School
Colston Tower
Colston Hall
The Colston Arms
Colston Almshouses
Colston Tower
Colston Fort...
— Hasan Patel (@CorbynistaTeen) June 7, 2020

Thanks Callum, we are changing our name. We're working to find one that reflects our purpose: to share the brilliance and joy of live music with everyone.

You can find out about the steps we've been taking here: https://t.co/Ce34ULpDkD
— Colston Hall (@Colston_Hall) June 7, 2020

We are. We want to let everyone know that we are committed to changing the name of Colston Hall, to one that reflects us as a progressive, inclusive arts organisation. We're here to share the unity & joy of live music.

More info on our name change here: https://t.co/hRSgQoSSGH
— Colston Hall (@Colston_Hall) June 7, 2020

The venue is currently undergoing a £48.8million refurbishment, and Bristol group Massive Attack have refused to play the venue until the name is changed.

Colston Hall issued a statement via Bristol Music Trust on Blackout Tuesday (2 June) reaffirming its plan to change the name of the venue, "We are invested in this issue because the current name of Colston Hall acts as a symbol of division. Alongside our work supporting Bristol's black communities and musicians, we are currently working on a new name that will reflect the unity and joy that experiencing live music together brings."

Bristol Music Trust unequivocally supports #TheShowMustBePaused solidarity campaign.⁰

We believe we can't be neutral on issues of racism. Silence is not an option. #BlackOutTuesday (1/5) pic.twitter.com/pMVhg0UhY1
— Colston Hall (@Colston_Hall) June 2, 2020

Visit colstonhall.org for more information on the refurbishment and plans to rename the venue.