Introducing Coroner’s Court – Bristol’s new intimate venue by Lakota

We have some exciting news to share at Lakota! We have officially announced the opening of our brand new, 500 capacity, intimate venue; Coroner’s Court. 

A new era begins, as Coroner’s Court opens for the first time as a full venue, with its first full season of shows. Over the past 8 years, Coroner’s Court has demonstrated its potential as a music venue after hosting some of the world’s most renowned underground artists, whilst only operating as a temporary venue, including Andrew Weatherall, Palms Trax and Shanti Celeste to name a few. 

The Venue

A rough and ready former-mortuary, rich with textures and history. Coroners Court originally began as a blank canvas for the city’s best music, arts and culture. Think dark, cavernous dancefloors, original spiral staircases and a raw, transformable backdrop. 

After many months of work on the concept behind the scenes, the building will now have a new lease of life as Bristol’s central hub for underground music. Our aim is to create a safe, inclusive space with specially curated shows across 2 rooms, which stick to our underground roots. Coroner’s will be a home for discerning music heads to party in an intimate setting with limited capacity. These shows will be truly unique, featuring regular smaller and grassroot music label takeovers and regular residencies.

To make full use of the building, it will also serve as a multifunctional event space, with the potential to provide an extension to our beloved club, making Lakota a massive 6 room nightclub. Allowing our larger scale events such as Rumble In The Jungle, Bris-Tek and Tribe of Frog to showcase all the diversity they have to offer.

The History

With the present building dating back to 1854 and its presence being traced back as far as the 13th century, the venue certainly has an interesting history. At this time it was the Office of the Coroner, where it was responsible for investigating and determining the cause of sudden or unexplained deaths which occurred in the city for over a century. Prior to this the building was originally a school.

The Building

The Bristol Coroners’ Court is a beautiful, historic building, featuring Gothic style architecture located in the heart of the city, in Stokes Croft. Its design is attributed to the architect Richard Shackleton Pope, who was responsible for many of Bristol’s most notable buildings. 

Equally as impressive, the Court’s interior, despite its ancient look, boasts high vaulted ceilings, oak-panelled walls, and large windows. An interesting, perhaps rather eerie feature is the central conduit that runs across the floor. Here, the blood from the deceased patients would previously pool and drain away, following autopsies carried out by the coroner. 

Fast forward to the 21st century, in recent years, the Bristol Coroners’ Court has undergone significant renovation to ensure that the building remains a functional and accessible space. However, its historic features and character have been carefully preserved, honouring the building’s rich history.

Coming soon…

This has been a very exciting project and we are over the moon to get Coroner’s Court up and running. Stay tuned for part two, for all the information you need with what to expect from the venue and its exciting future. We will be announcing a full list of shows on our social media in the very near future. 

Follow our Instagram here: coronerscourt

See what all the fuss is about: https://lakota.co.uk/spaces/coroners/

GALLERY COMING SOON

Danielle Dell 23.03.23