Too many pubs are closing to be demolished and replaced by housing or converted to other uses. However, the position is not totally bleak: failing pubs have been bought and turned around, and new pubs have sprung up. The trends in our (BPG) favour are:

1. Wetherspoons: although their usual practice is to open new pubs, they have re-opened the Jolly Sailor in Hanham, the Cabot Court Hotel in Weston, the Glassmaker in Nailsea (formerly the Glasscutter) and the W G Grace in Whiteladies Road (previously an Indian restaurant and a pub/bar).
2. Established local breweries adding to their pub chains:
   1. Bath Ales took over the Wellington (at the junction of Muller and Gloucester Roads) and have established it as a pub serving good food and good beer. They have opened the Graze by Queens Square (formerly a bar and before that a Post Office) and Beer'd Bristol in St Michaels Hill (formerly a bar, and, though no longer owned by them, is still selling good beer and pizza). and
   2. Wickwar has taken over; The Black Swan (Westbury). the Cat and Wheel, the Cotham Porter Stores, the Gloucester Road Ale House, the Jersey Lilly, the Kings Arms, the Punchbowl Alehouse and Kitchen, the Sportsman, and the Annex (they also run the White Lion on the centre and some pubs outside Bristol.)
3. The move of small local breweries into running pubs:
   1. Arbor Ales took over for several years the Old Stillage in Lawrence Hill and the Three Tuns near the Council House.
   2. Bristol Beer Factory took over the Barley Mow in St Phillips and established the Grain Barge (a new pub) in Hotwells
   3. Dawkins Taverns took over The Green Man (formerly the Bell) in Kingsdown and the Portcullis in Clifton (after being closed). They have also done the opposite of the local breweries by moving from running pubs to running a brewery as well after the takeover of Matthews Brewery at Timsbury.
4. Micropubs (defined by the Micropub Association as small freehouses that listen to their customers, mainly serve cask ales, promote conversation, shun all forms of electronic entertainment and dabble in traditional pub snacks) convert vacant premises to small pubs that concentrate on selling great beer. The micropubs in our branch area are:
   1. Drapers Arms - Gloucester Road
   2. Chums - Redland
   3. Snuffy Jacks - Fishponds
   4. Wooden Walls - Staple Hill
   5. Lyons Den - Kingswood
   6. Nailsea Micropub - Nailsea
   7. Fallen Tree - Clevedon
   8. Black Cat - Weston
5. Rise of Craft Beer:
   1. The long closed Sceptre in Baldwin Street, having been a sandwich bar has been re-opened by Brewdog (alas no cask ale).
   2. Sublime (latest of its many change of names) in King Street has been re-opened as Small Bar (cask and craft beer).
   3. Ross Brewery in Cheltenham Road (first of many names) has been re-opened as Crofters Rights (cask and craft beer).
   4. The Naval Volunteeer in King Street has re-opened selling cask and craft beer.
   5. The Hill (formerly Crockers) in Cotham Hill has re-opened as Bristol Brewhouse (microbrewery) and Kitchen selling cask and craft beer.
   6. Good Measure in Redland selling cask and craft beer.
   7. Left Hand Giant Brewpub across the water from Castle Park selling cask and (mainly) craft beer.
6. Individual Pubs: There have been several pubs not connected with any chain, whose fortunes were turned around:
   1. Seven Stars - Redcliffe
   2. Cornubia - Redcliffe
   3. Bank Tavern - Broadmead
   4. Phoenix - St Judes
   5. New Inn - Mayshill
   6. Eldon House - Jacobs Wells Road
   7. Quinton House - off Queens Road
   8. Bag of Nails - Jacob Wells Road
   9. The Elm Tree, Bishopsworth was refurbished and reopened in 2019 following a lengthy closure after a stabbing in 2018.  It also has an ACV, which runs out in 2023.