Veron Ikon

This is another of those beautiful buildings in Bristol that is a pleasure, and is worth a visit as it feels like a slice of history. oh dear, I feel a bad pub coming on about taking a trip back in time. well it certainly worth a visit for the beautiful clocks on display here too. It stocks a range of elegant contemporary clocks which would make wonderful present for someone moving home, getting married. It also sells a range of lighting which are nice but not as stunning as the range of clocks. The clocks are all handmade and for the price, I think represent excellent value.

This eccentric little Alice in Wonderland shop sums up the ethos of the Christmas Steps. Over the front door the address is painted in white letters: «The top house, Christmas Steps». And with lots of different clocks in the window, along with little lights in arty designs, it’s thoroughly odd-​looking, and thoroughly appealing.
It’s somewhere you’d only really go into if you had been looking specifically for it; it’s quite easy to miss, and also looks distinctly closed quite a lot of the time. There might well be someone lurking in the back of the shop — one hopes a friendly wizard or hobbit might come to the door to greet you — so it would be worth knocking on the door if you are determined to go in and have a look.
Getting past the fairytale aesthetic of the place, let me remind you it is actually a shop, selling clocks. They are designed and hand crafted by Bristol designer Robert Byrne. He even sells them online from the shop’s website; it’s all much more contemporary and «real» than the Christmas Steps building would suggest!

Not the friendliest of the arty Christmas Steps shops, but don’t let that put you off. The main shop is dedicated to Veron Ikon’s clocks — crazy spring-​loaded shapes. There is also space for work by Meryl Till — she makes delicate porcelain lights that have holes in to project dots around the room. Like a grown-​up night-​light I guess! Very specific but if that is what you need then this is the place to go…