Bristol is on track to have its busiest year for outdoor advertisement planning applications in recent years, with 99 applications filed in the first seven months of 2026. This increase of 11% from the same period in 2025 is based on data obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
Applications for digital advertising installations, including digital screens and displays, are becoming more common, with 31 filed in 2026 compared to 47 in all of 2025. In 2023 and 2024, only a dozen such applications were filed.
Digital Advertising Applications on the Rise
Robbie Gillett, co-founder of the campaign group Adblock Bristol, attributes the surge in applications to the desperation of advertising companies to monetise public space. Adblock Bristol campaigns against the effects of outdoor advertising on neighbourhood aesthetics, public health, and the environment.
More digital advertising applications were approved in the first seven months of 2026, with 21 approvals, than in all of 2025, when there were 17 approvals. As of the end of July, 68% of 2026 applications had been approved, compared to 30% in 2025.
Gillett expressed concerns that the increase in digital screens would detract from the city’s character, saying “Our public spaces aren’t improved by lots of digital screens vying for our attention.” He also noted that Broadmead is already awash with advertising panels.
Concerns over Advertising in Public Spaces
In March 2026, the city saw a significant spike in advertising and signage applications, with 14 digital displays approved around Broadmead and the Horsefair. All 14 free-standing units, designed to show moving images, were approved.
The council acknowledges the increase in digital advertisements and has outlined measures to minimize their harmful impacts on local character and amenity, including restricting operation hours and capping luminance levels.
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Gillett argued that the presence of digital screens is unwelcome to many residents and that Bristol has a tradition of pushing back against corporate power. He also expressed concerns that the reliance on advertising revenue could have negative consequences for the city and have knock-on costs for the NHS, particularly with regards to fast food advertising and obesity.
Proposal for Digital Advertising Screens Refused
A recent proposal by the Bristol Hippodrome to install digital advertising screens on the theatre’s frontage was refused by the council. The decision was welcomed by Adblock Bristol, with Gillett saying that while the theatre’s need to advertise events is recognized, the proposed screens would have been bright, garish, moving imagery that would not have improved the streetscape.
Historic England had also objected to the proposal, citing concerns that the illumination and scale of the digital signs would harm the character and appearance of the conservation area. The Theatres Trust, on the other hand, considered bold show signage to be a recognisable and integral element of theatre design.
The council’s decision notice stated that the proposed digital advertisements would have been overly large and dominant, resulting in incongruous and unjustified clutter. The council expects any advertisement proposals in conservation areas to demonstrate how they will conserve or enhance the setting.
Adblock Bristol has been working with the council on its new advertising and sponsorship policy, which bans advertising for polluting sectors from sites owned by Bristol City Council. Deputy leader of Bristol City Council, councillor Heather Mack, said that the council does not want Bristol to be a billboard for polluters while working to improve health, air quality, and nature in the city.
Gillett praised the council’s willingness to consult and acknowledged that Bristol City Council has taken a positive step in addressing concerns over outdoor advertising.