About Us
Bristol's Legendary Music Venue, Powered by World Famous Dive Bars
The Croft has returned. After closing as The Crofters Rights in August 2024, Bristol's legendary music venue is back under its original name, operated by World Famous Dive Bars – the team behind Mothers' Ruin, the Colosseum, the Crown and the Greyhound.
Our Story
From punk to electronic, indie to experimental, if it's happening in Bristol's music scene, it's happening at The Croft.
2000: The Beginning
Since 2000, The Croft has been a cornerstone of Bristol's underground music scene. Our intimate 140-capacity live music room and club space became the breeding ground for Bristol's next generation of artists.
The Legendary Years
Our stage hosted early performances from Arctic Monkeys, Bastille, Ed Sheeran, IDLES, and Bring Me the Horizon. But we've always been about more than just big names – we're where emerging artists cut their teeth.
2025: The Return
Now, we're back stronger than ever. Operated by World Famous Dive Bars and protected by community ownership, The Croft is ready for its next chapter.
The World Famous Dive Bars Family
The team at World Famous Dive Bars are made up of musicians, promoters and music fans who understand what makes Bristol's music scene special. Our portfolio includes some of the city's most beloved venues:
Mothers' Ruin
The St Nicholas Street institution with a secret basement venue.
The Colosseum
Saved after 55 years of serving pints and brought back to life.
The Crown
Another cornerstone of Bristol's pub and music scene with a two room venue in the basement.
The Greyhound
Revived after almost 5 years with doors shut, now Fishponds' "people's pub".
Community Ownership: Securing Our Future
We're working with Music Venue Properties and Exchange, Bristol’s first community-owned music venue, to secure the future of the venue through community ownership. The Croft was named as a target venue in Music Venue Trust's "Own Our Venues" scheme, ensuring long-term protection for this vital cultural space.
This partnership between World Famous Dive Bars' operational expertise and community ownership means The Croft gets the best of both worlds – professional management from people who live and breathe Bristol's music scene, backed by the security of community protection.
Ethical Gig Tickets
We sell all our tickets directly through Headfirst Bristol, a reliable ticket platform that have significantly lower booking fees than other companies and use their profits to support local charities and causes.
Looking Forward
““We are really excited to be working with Music Venue Properties and the team at Exchange to bring The Croft back to Bristol”. ”
We're not just returning – we're building on 25 years of history with the backing of Bristol's most successful independent venue operators and the security of community ownership.
Welcome back to The Croft. Your legendary music venue is home.