While World Cup teams could be coming to Bristol in 2018 in search of the biggest prize in football, the fans that follow them to the city could be investing in trophies of their own.

Bristol blue glass is famous across the world and the company behind the resurgence of the age-old art believe the city's ambition in bidding to be a host venue for the 2018 World Cup will increase trade for all Bristol's businesses.

The Romans may have brought glass making to Bristol but the capital of the West, with its trade links along the Severn and across the Atlantic to America, soon became one of the most important centres in Europe for the art in the 19th century.

The discovery of cobalt oxide to create the unique and widely collected blue glass propelled Bristol's glass makers into supplying the aristocracy of the continent and demonstrating their talents to the world at the Great Exhibition in 1851.

By the 1920s though the last firm had shut as a great recession took its toll and the glass trade to the States petered out.

In 1998 the industry saw a revival in the South West with the Bristol Blue Glass factory re-establishing an art synonymous with the city for the past four centuries.

And general manager Paul Williams is sure an ambitious Bristol, aiming to secure events such as the 2018 World Cup, will help boost and secure such industries for the future by providing a showcase to the world.

Mr Williams told the Evening Post: "You saw the Banksy exhibition and what that's brought in and it is ridiculous. A World Cup would be incredible for business in Bristol.

"Just look at how the businesses on Park Street have benefited from Banksy.

"I'm a real Bristolian. People should know where Bristol is, and about its history and Bristol blue glass, but they don't. Yet we've got as much as Manchester or Liverpool.

"I think Bristol in the past hasn't pushed itself," added the 48-year-old businessman from Chew Stoke. "You have got to be out there and to win it you have got to be passionate about it and fight for it."

His company, based in Brislington and now with 12 employees, has made special trophies for both Bristol City and Bristol Rovers and most recently for the 2009 Bristol Half Marathon.

The glass makers use tools and techniques which barely differ from Roman times and the factory is open seven days a week for visitors to see how the glass is blown.

In 2005, to celebrate England's spectacular Ashes victory, they presented Somerset opener and Bristolian Marcus Trescothick with a blue glass replica of the Ashes urn.

"Hopefully we can do a similar thing is Bristol wins the right to stage (2018 World Cup) games," he said.

"It would be fantastic. All the pubs and the shops would be full. And businesses like ours would have many new opportunities."

Bristol is one of 16 cities applying for inclusion in England's bid to FIFA to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

The England 2018 team will decide in December which cities will be part of the bid.