0117 Area Code: Bristol & Avon Dialling Guide

Received a call from an 0117 number? The 0117 area code belongs to Bristol — the largest city in South West England and one of the UK’s most economically significant cities outside London. With a population exceeding 470,000 in the city proper and over a million in the wider metro area, Bristol is a powerhouse for tech, aerospace, financial services, and creative industries. This guide covers everything about the area code for 0117, including which towns and neighbourhoods it serves, its history, and how to get a Bristol phone number for your business.

What Area Is 0117?

The 0117 area code covers Bristol city centre and extends across a wide area of the former county of Avon. As the dominant city of the South West, Bristol’s telephone code reaches into neighbouring local authorities and covers a mix of urban, suburban, and semi-rural communities.

The 0117 telephone code serves:

• Bristol city centre — the commercial core including Broadmead, the Harbourside, and the Old City, home to major employers in finance, law, and technology
• Clifton — the affluent neighbourhood famous for the Clifton Suspension Bridge and its Georgian terraces, a hub for independent businesses and professional services
• Bedminster — a vibrant south Bristol neighbourhood experiencing significant regeneration and growing appeal for SMEs
• Bishopston — a popular residential area in north Bristol with a strong independent retail scene along Gloucester Road
• Fishponds — an east Bristol suburb with a busy high street and a mix of residential and commercial properties
• Filton — home to Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and the former Concorde assembly site, a major employment centre in South Gloucestershire
• Keynsham — a historic market town between Bristol and Bath in Bath and North East Somerset
• Patchway — a northern suburb close to the Cribbs Causeway retail area and the Ministry of Defence site at Abbey Wood
• Bradley Stoke — one of the largest new-build developments in Europe, now a thriving town north of Bristol with a strong business community

The 0117 area code is notable for extending well beyond Bristol’s administrative boundary. Areas in South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset all fall within the tel code 0117 catchment, reflecting Greater Bristol’s true economic geography.

Towns and Areas Using the 0117 Code

Here is a comprehensive list of the towns, suburbs, and areas covered by the 0117 area code:

• Bristol city centre (BS1–BS16 postcodes)
• Clifton
• Redland
• Cotham
• Bedminster
• Southville
• Bishopston
• Horfield
• Fishponds
• St George
• Brislington
• Whitchurch
• Hengrove
• Filton
• Patchway
• Bradley Stoke
• Stoke Gifford
• Keynsham
• Mangotsfield
• Downend
• Kingswood
• Hanham
• Longwell Green

Some people search for the “01179 area code” — this isn’t a separate code. Numbers beginning 01179 are simply 0117 numbers where the local subscriber number starts with 9. The area code is always 0117, followed by a seven-digit local number (the o117 area code and tel code 0117 are different ways people refer to the same thing).

History of the 0117 Area Code

The 0117 area code was introduced on 16 April 1995 as part of the national PhONEday renumbering. Before this date, Bristol’s area code was 0272 — a four-digit code followed by a six-digit local number.

During PhONEday, the code changed from 0272 to 0117, and local numbers were extended from six to seven digits by inserting a “9” at the start. A number previously dialled as 0272 XXXXXX became 0117 9XX XXXX. This change was necessary to create additional number capacity for the growing Bristol area.

Going further back, Bristol’s original STD code was 272, allocated during the nationwide rollout of subscriber trunk dialling in the late 1950s and 1960s. Bristol was among the first cities outside London to receive STD capability, reflecting its importance as the South West’s primary commercial centre. The 0117 area code UK designation has remained unchanged since 1995 and there are no plans to alter it.

How to Dial 0117 Numbers

Here’s how to dial a Bristol number from different locations:

• From a UK landline or mobile: Dial the full number as written, e.g. 0117 XXX XXXX. You must include the 0117 prefix when calling from a mobile, even if you’re in Bristol.
• From within the 0117 area on a landline: You can drop the area code and dial just the seven-digit local number, though the full number will always work.
• From abroad: Replace the leading 0 with the UK country code +44. An 0117 number becomes +44 117 XXX XXXX.

All 0117 numbers consist of eleven digits in total — the four-digit area code plus a seven-digit local number. Calls to 0117 numbers are charged at standard UK geographic rates and are typically included in mobile and landline call bundles.

Getting a 0117 Business Number

A Bristol phone number gives your business immediate local credibility across the South West. Whether you’re targeting customers in the city centre, the tech corridor along the M4 and M5, or the wider Bristol and Bath area, a 0117 number signals that you’re a genuine local presence.

You don’t need an office in Bristol to use a 0117 number. VoIP and virtual number services let you set up a Bristol business number that routes calls to any device — your mobile, a laptop softphone, or a desk phone wherever you happen to be. Virtual 0117 numbers start from just £6/month with Hypercloud Hosted VoIP.

If you’re also looking for business mobile deals in Bristol, we compare the best packages from all the major UK networks.

Related Area Codes Near Bristol

Operating across the South West or wider region? Here are the area codes you’ll encounter close to Bristol:

• 01225 — Bath, the neighbouring World Heritage city just 12 miles east of Bristol
• 01934 — Weston-super-Mare, the largest seaside town in North Somerset
• 01275 — Clevedon and Nailsea, covering the North Somerset coast and hinterland
• 01454 — Chipping Sodbury and Yate, north-east of Bristol in South Gloucestershire
• 01179 — sometimes searched as a separate code, but all part of the 0117 area code

For guides on other major UK area codes, see our articles on the 020 area code for London and the 0121 area code for Birmingham. We also compare the best business phone line providers in the UK to help you find the right telecoms solution.

Frequently Asked Questions