In the 1870s, the Brooks Dye Works opened on the edge of St Paul's and became a major local employer, leading to the construction of terraced houses.

[7] The riots were quickly blamed on race, but both white and black youths from both Irish and Jamaican backgrounds and some English fought against the police and the problems are thought to have been linked instead to poverty and perceived social injustices, predominantly the Sus law and anti-Irish feelings from IRA activity on the mainland.

In 1990, St Paul's politician Kuomba Balogun, chairman of the Bristol West Labour Party, was reported in the Bristol Evening Post of 2 February, as saying: "We make a public plea to the IRA to consider ways of strongly giving some assistance to the armed wing of the ANC in the same light as Colonel Gaddafi sought to assist in the liberation of the people of Ireland."

[8] This area of the city has also suffered from gun violence, reaching a high point in the early 2000s decade when rival Jamaican Yardie and drug gangs such as the British Aggi Crew fought turf wars over territory.

[citation needed] The Black and White Café was closed in March 2005, and has been demolished to make way for houses after a compulsory purchase order.

Portland Square and St Paul's Church (completed in 1794) are fine examples of Georgian architecture; both were designed by Daniel Hague.

[citation needed] In May 2007, proposals were announced to build about 753,000 square feet (70,000 m2) net of homes, offices and businesses, in the St Paul's area.

[15] As of October 2022, updated plans for the Dove Lane site in St Pauls were unanimously approved by Bristol City Council.