Bristol attraction set for upgrade after complaints of 'terrible stench that's not nice for overseas visitors'

The museum on the Harbourside explores how Bristol developed from a medieval port to the diverse city of today, but often receives complaints about its stinky loos.

Bristol City Council is planning to spend £1,045,000 on the M Shed, to improve interactive exhibits and the toilets. The plans also include making the building, a docks warehouse built in the 1950s, more accessible too. The money is coming from nearby property developments.

The upgrade is expected to be approved by councillors on the strategy and resources policy committee on Monday, December 15. A committee report detailed the common complaints about the M Shed, which frequently mention the stench of the toilets.

One visitor said: “The stench in the downstairs urinals is terrible. I heard other visitors complaining about it as well, in German.”

Another visitor added: “It’s filthy in the ladies’ toilets, not nice for overseas visitors.”

The warehouse became the home of the Bristol Industrial Museum, which then closed and later reopened to the public in 2011 as the M Shed. Exhibits highlight Bristol’s maritime and industrial heritage, as well as the city’s involvement in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans. A double decker bus is one popular exhibit, although recently access to this has been restricted.

A committee report said: “When M Shed opened, visitor numbers exceeded expectations, meaning that many elements of the exhibitions have suffered from extreme wear and tear, with no access to the bus being the top complaint. The second complaint is that many physical interactive exhibits are broken and digital interactives are coming to the end of life.

“The proposed refurbishment of M Shed’s visitor facilities is driven by the age and intensity of use of the existing amenities, which are now over 14 years old and among the most heavily used public toilets in Bristol. This high usage has led to significant wear and tear, resulting in persistent maintenance challenges and frequent negative visitor feedback.”

The M Shed will close for building works between January and March 2028. But when the museum reopens, visitor numbers are expected to increase by at least 15 per cent. Access to the double-decker bus, popular with lots of children, will be reinstated.