Data Centers in Bristol

Bristol – Regional Hub for Resilient UK Infrastructure

Bristol serves as a key regional data center market for South West England and Wales, offering a resilient alternative to the denser London ecosystem. It is an ideal choice for enterprises requiring low-latency performance for local operations and for disaster recovery sites that need geographic separation from primary London deployments. This market provides reliable connectivity and infrastructure in a lower-risk environment.

Bristol: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: The Bristol market includes 7 data centers operated by 3 providers, as of September 2025. This provides foundational carrier-neutral options for redundancy and choice, connecting to the UK's national fiber backbone.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: There are no direct public cloud on-ramps within Bristol's data centers, as of September 2025. Businesses connect to all major cloud providers, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, via high-speed network links to the primary UK interconnection hub in London. Private network connections offer secure, dedicated access.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): While major public peering is concentrated in London and Manchester, local data centers offer private peering arrangements. Access to the London Internet Exchange (LINX) is available through carrier network extensions, enabling efficient traffic exchange.

Bare Metal: Bare metal server options are available in the Bristol market, providing dedicated compute for performance-sensitive workloads. Providers like Hivelocity and phoenixNAP offer solutions that can be deployed locally or in nearby connected data centers.

Power Analysis

Average Cost Of Power: Industrial power prices are approximately £0.17/kWh, as of September 2025. This rate is consistent with the broader UK market, allowing for stable and predictable power budgeting for colocation deployments. The UK power mix includes roughly 40-50% renewables, 35-45% fossil fuels (primarily gas), and 10-15% nuclear energy.

Power Grid Reliability: The power grid serving the Bristol area is well-engineered and stable, typical of established UK commercial zones. Data centers in the region are supported by redundant power feeds from multiple substations, ensuring high levels of uptime for critical infrastructure.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers in Bristol are strategically located to serve the city's thriving aerospace, technology, media, and financial services industries. This proximity provides low-latency connectivity essential for local research, development, and digital media production.

Regional Market Reach: Bristol is perfectly positioned to serve as a digital hub for South West England and Wales. Its infrastructure provides primary connectivity for millions of people and thousands of businesses in the region, avoiding the need to backhaul all traffic through London.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: The United Kingdom's tax system offers stability for businesses investing in digital infrastructure. While no specific incentives target data centers, the country's predictable corporate tax structure and business-friendly environment support long-term investment planning.

Natural Disaster Risk

Bristol has a very low natural disaster risk profile, with an INFORM Risk score of 2.1 out of 10, as of September 2025. This indicates a stable and secure physical environment for critical data center operations.

The primary environmental factors to consider, though still rated as low-risk exposures, include:

• Coastal Flood: The highest individual risk score (8.3), reflecting the region's proximity to the coast, though specific data center locations are sited in low-risk zones.
• River Flood: A moderate consideration (5.7) related to the River Avon, managed through modern flood defenses and strategic site selection.
• Drought and Tsunami risks are minimal.
• Earthquake and Tropical Cyclone risks are negligible.