Colston Hall has been renamed the Bristol Beacon following the Black Lives Matter movement in an effort to remove links to the slave trader.
Bristol’s music venue Colston Hall has been renamed the Bristol Beacon following the Black Lives Matter movement. The city are trying to dissociate from Edward Colston because he was a slave trader. As a result of this, the famous music venue has been given a new name.
Colston Hall music Venue Renamed
Bristol Music Trust said it hoped the renaming would be “a fresh start for the organisation and its place in the city.” The venue is only a stone’s throw away from where the statue of the 17th Century slave trader stood.
The statue to Edward Colston was torn down by protesters in June at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Chief executive of Bristol Music Trust, Louise Mitchell, declared that Bristol Beacon would be “a symbol of hope and community. A focal point for music in the city. A gathering space, illuminating the way ahead. A place of welcome, warmth and light.”
A spokesperson also added, “We believe in the power of music to break down barriers and cross boundaries. Bristol Beacon will celebrate this in everything we do.” The process of renaming the music venue was a vigorous one. The trust consulted 4,000 people across the city about the new name and it was endorsed by the board of trustees.
The “Colston Hall” lettering was taken down from the building eight days after the statue to Edward Colston was torn down. The new logo will be created over the coming months by young locals within the creative industry.
