One of the many things I love about Gloucester Rd is the huge range of independent shops and…read morebusinesses. There are few other parts of Bristol where you can see fresh local talent really shouldering its way in. Just over a year or so ago now two local lads Sam and Logan started up their very own clothing label. Focussing on the growing styles of snowboard and skate clothing they've come on in leaps and bounds. A lot of the clothing designs have deep roots with local graffiti artists and as a result the prices can be a little steep. Rest assured however that this money is paying for quality and shelf life, and the money is going back to the kids that deserve it, not some fat cat corporation. As big supporters of local up and coming 'urban' music Avalaan get about, getting involved with nights out and local festivals. This is a great shop to pick up some original bits of clothing but you really get the feeling that this goes beyond just a clothes shop - it's a lifestyle.

Avalaan may specialise in sports and ski wear but they're also a great place to stock up with…read morewinter essentials. Heavy duty gloves, woollen gloves and scarves are in abundance here, and it's the perfect shop to protect yourself from the cold. This flagship store also has a great range of t-shirts, posters, shoes and jump suits. The prices are fair for the quality of the clothes, and the shop assistants always smile when you walk through their doors. A lovely shopping experience - better for boys than girls.

This place seems to change it's name very three months or so, which is a tad confusing, but it's…read morethat massive sports shop by the entrance to Cabot Circus which always has a bucket of balls, a selection of white socks and some golf umbrellas sitting outside the door. Although I wouldn't recommend it as a fashion outlet, if you actually play sport, this is a great place to stock up on the cheap. No one wants to spend more than they really have to on stuff that's just going to get muddy, broken and smelly, and you can get football boots here for £15, shinpads for around a fiver, and tracksuit bottoms for less than a tenner. This place is the perfect antidote to 'sports' shops that don't actually sell proper sporting equipment; and it's also worth occasionally checking out their range of largely horrible but very cheap trainers ( I once picked up a pair black Adidas shells for £30 when they cost £50 everywhere else).

I've been to other sports direct and had an okay experience so this two star rating is quite…read moresubjective but hey my experience today was shocking. Firstly I was in the shop with my pushchair and found it impossible to navigate round the shop. More than 50% of the aisle were to narrow for me to go down turning the whole shop into this frustrating maze. The fact that it was busy didn't help the situation. I then found my way to the lift and went to the top floor where the children's shoes were located. By this point my son had had enough of being pushed so I set him loose while trying to find him some trainers. I quickly found a pair and gave them to the staff member on duty who said they'd find his size. He disappeared behind a door and literally didn't return for 10-15mins!! What the hell he was doing out there I don't know, but I'm sure it cant take that long to locate a pair of shoes. By the time he did return my son and pulled and twenty different things off the shelves but I thought oh well serves you right! He wasn't apologetic either. I should add the trainers were really nice and a bargain so I'm sure I'll be back but definitely minus the pushchair!

With a mum called Betty, how could I possibly resist going into a shop with a name like this? I was…read morehoping to find plenty of branded goods for me to buy in an attempt to make my mum giggle. And I was in luck - there's pink branded EVERYTHING to be had here from flasks to towels. Quite obviously not a gym member, I felt pretty self conscious next to the other die-hard sport fanatic customers who seemed to be very seriously whilst buying sportswear. The shop assistants, however, were lovely and politely laughed while I explained the significance of the Sweaty Betty umbrella I was buying. The clothes in SB were feminine and practical but carried a hefty price tag. Only worth a visit if you're serious about sport. Or have a mum called Betty too.

This place scares me a tad. Not just the abhorrent name, but the extremely, fluorescent pink lycra…read moreoutfits that line the window in the Triangle shop. Inside, the approach is far friendlier and more feminine than JJB sports - with whopping price tags to match. A miniscule muscle vest will set you back the price of a monthly gym membership - so I'd say it's for posers more than anything (although there's nothing wrong in wanting to look stylish whilst working out). If you're after upper class velour tracksuits (vaguely chavvy still) and yoga wear/mats, plus girl dumbells or training shoes then head up to Sweatybetty. Beware, you'll share floorspace with some quite snooty sporty types and leave with a considerably lighter wallet.

Deep within the Galleries, you can find this surf shop next to TK Maxx on the top floor. One thing…read moreI like particularly is that the person on the counter (some fit hippy/surf bird normally) near the door always says hello whenever you walk in. There are some really nice clothes contained in this shop, especially the shirts, jumpers and jeans, but the only problem is that it's sooooooo expensive. There's no way I going to be able to shell out 50 bar for a shirt or 70 for a jumper - and even if I could chuck out such cash as small change, I'd feel all wrong inside about it. So, I normally walk round, admire this and that, then leave without even having bought so much as some board wax.

As you walk into Henleys, the luxury sporting clothes shop, you are happy-slapped in the face by a…read morewall of noise blasting from the sound system. Head-banging garage choons, which I think are designed to confuse and disorientate you into spending all your hard-earned dough. At least that's what I hope - because if there was no clever psychology behind it, it was just extremely off-putting. As for the clothes, it's a Paris-Hilton-cum-Vicky-Pollard dream. Velour, hoodies and diamante bling are splashed all across the store as well as t-shirts, jumpers and dresses all unashamedly sporting the Henleys name across the front. The boys section was a lot more interesting than the girls, with preppy American sweaters and Ralph Lauren style shirts. The boys behind the till were too-cool-for-school (or Henleys for that matter) and barely acknowledged the people they were serving. Not a fan!

Dutty is an interesting new(ish) shop on Cheltenham Road. Its primarily a clothing shop and aims to…read moremix art, music and fashion, with ranges of exclusive handmade garments, hand-printed T-shirts and hoodies. They also stock a good selection of spray paints. The fashion is a little 'out there' but if you are looking for something a bit different and unique then Dutty is definitely worth a visit. The shop currently lists over 25 local designers, so if you are interested in getting some of your designs sold then get in contact with the owners. The owners (who I am guessing were art students) were pretty knowledgeable when we visited to get some spray paint. They sold a can for roughly £4 which isn't bad.

This shop always looks closed! It might be the abundance of stickers and drawings on the windows…read moreand the fact that the door is always closed, but the next time you walk by, make sure you check the sign on the door (they are mostly open most of the time!) and head on in. I really love their stock in here; they sell vintage clothes, reworked vintage, and local designer duds, and boy are they good. Prices are really affordable too; especially if they are having sales! They have a great selection of jewelery, half of what's there is handmade by the owner sitting in the store, behind the counter with a sewing machine in front of her, working on clothes and other bits throughout the day. They stock graffiti markers and spray paints too. A lovely, lovely shop that's awesome.

Visited the Bristol store on the off change we could get a ski boot fitting on the day,…read moreappointments were limited leading up to our ski trip. We had failed to get an appointment when visiting the ski dome in the Tamworth for a number of weeks. My partner has always struggled with finding comfy boots, however Will was incredibly knowledgeable and managed to find him the perfect ski boot. Unfortunately the store didn't have my suggested boot in my size. Will offered to order them in but due to limited time before a trip I ordered them to be sent to my home address. The boots actually arrived quicker than stated so I booked an appointment to get them checked/ any adjustments. I saw Ferg on my second visit and once again I cannot fault the service. Ferg was extremely knowledgeable and custom fit my boots for me. Both team members are a huge asset to the Bristol branch and you've gained our business for life. Thank you team Bristol!! *just to note we visited large ski chain that also offers boot fitting in Filton a few weeks prior and we walked out of the store. The customer service and poor attitude didn't sit well. After failing to get an appointment at the Tamworth store we searched other branch locations and Bristol is our closest store.

Ellis Brigham can be found on the steeper part of Whiteladies Road and just a few doors down from…read moreit's rival mountain sport shop, The Snowboard Asylum. It's slightly less appealing from the outside, compared to it's lime green competitor, but inside is just as packed with essential items one might need on a winter sports holiday. Like all sport shops (especially winter sports shops) this retailer is very expensive, due to the nature of specialist items they sell. The staff are really knowledgeable though, and can help you find the perfect gear for you.