Haven't been to this retail park, but was planning on going tomorrow(from Hereford), trouble is,…read morethe people who run the website are trying to keep the contents of their retail park a secret,it would be nice(and common basic sense!!!!) to list the shops that are on your retail park, if you want people to come.Personally when I'm shopping, I couldn't care less how many people live in the area or any of the other inane facts that they have chosen to list. If you have any input in this website, give me shout, I have a four year old nephew who can help you out!! OfftoBristolinstead of Hereford

This retail park situated in Cardiff Bay was once the site of the Ferry Road rubbish tip. Near to…read moreIkea it has many large shops to choose from. Firstly a large 24 hour Asda, large carpark and good choice of the normal food, homewares, electricals and clothing departments. Then there is a large car park with access to the rest of the shops which include Argos, this is an Argos Extra where you can collect items reserved online. Boots, a smallish Boots but well stocked. Pets at Home, BHS, McDonalds, JJB sports, Pizza Hut, Staples. I like this retail park as the parking is easy and free, much better than trying to get to town for the shops.

Quaint and kitschy - that's how I'd sum up Polka Dot…read more Much to my surprise, the shop, which appears diminutive from the outside, is actually situated on three floors and filled with crafts, stationery and other goodies like vintage-style home goods (I nearly bought the "My farts hospitalise small children" magnet but decided against it). I'd say this kind of shop caters mostly to tourists looking for a creative souvenir to bring back for their female friends, but that didn't stop me from eying up several items worthy of birthday gifts for my girls here in Cardiff - I dare you to walk in here and not find something you like! Polka Dot is definitely one of the better shops in Mermaid Quay, and a perfect place to buy a knick-knack that you admittedly may not need, but would be a sweet addition to your home or office.

Pop your head in an feel very uncomfortable. Half the stuff and I literally mean stuff, as in…read moreuseless tat, is everywhere. I read the previous reviews and so it seemed odd that it was popular, well at least to me. Yes if your a bloke and your other half drags you in kicking and screaming, your alternative is to check out a bar or pub for 30minutes while she looses all common sense. I couldn't see any real use for a lot of it, unless you want to live in la la land and pretend to have tea parties with your friends or should I say your stuffed teddies etc. Oh and please don't expect you can explain to me why it's so great. I'm sure for the girly girls out there you might enjoy this oddball shop, but for me I'm out! I ridicule in jest, but seriously there are limits.

Craft in the Bay really is a beautiful shop that encompasses all that has changed in the Bay…read more I often wonder around in the brightly lit, all glass store as it is almost a gallery rather than a shop. There is some fantastic sculptures on display is well worth a visit just for that alone. There is also a more traditional part of the shop that sells vases and smaller items, all seemingly hand made as far as my uneducated eyes can tell. Staff are also very friendly here and are always willing to detail a sculpture for you and help in any way they can. Always a pleasant experience upon visiting here.

This modern glass and wood building housing an art and craft gallery showcases contemporary work by…read moremembers of The Makers Guild in Wales, and also hosts a changing programme of national and international exhibitions. Only the best Welsh talent can become members of the Guild, as membership is by rigorous selection - so the work on display is of a very high standard. All of the exhibitions are free to explore, and you can also buy pieces of art and craft, ranging from ceramics to bags and even furniture. Kemi' s Café is housed next door to the gallery, overlooking the Millennium Centre, and is open from 8.30am-4.30pm serving up quality, wholesome food.

Italian furniture maker Natuzzi has opened a new store in Cardiff Bay, making it an ideal shopping…read moreMecca for the discerning furniture buyer. Only I'm not sure I'm taken with a lot of the stuff here (not like I'm really qualified as a "discerning home furnishing buyer"). The shop floor is expansive and well-presented, but shag carpets and leather sofas aren't really my style and smacks of desperate bachelor pad. In any case, the furniture and accessories appear to be well-crafted, and would more than likely outlast any Billy bookcase from IKEA down the road. The sales assistants here are helpful and willing to give you advice or equally happy to leave you alone. Please note there's no parking on site, but right across the street is a pay-by-the-hour car park (just don't park on Havannah Street as the meter maids will get you).

We purchased a sofa from this store last week, Angela was very knowledgeable, helpful - and patient…read morewith us! We've ordered a beautiful Natuzzi domino and cant wait for it to come.

The Co-op Pharmacy, located on the Mermaid Quay end of Bute Street, is a well-stocked and…read morewell-presented medicine dispenser with pleasant, knowledgeable staff. I've gotten a few prescriptions filled here, and the lovely ladies behind the counter are quick (less than a five minute wait) and cheerful, which is always welcome when you're ill and in need of a friendly exchange. I like the ethos of the Co-op Pharmacy, so I try to shop here whenever possible. They often have sales on a range of items, sometimes making it as cost-effective as shopping at Asda (my beloved bought Johnson nappy wipes here for only £1 a pack, which is really reasonable). If you head toward the back, right in front of the till, you'll find their marked down/clearance items. I found a few face masks priced at only 50p each and a nasal hay fever remedy that was half off. Bargain! I just wish they were open on weekends, but if I ever need a prescription that badly, there's always the Queen Street Boots, which is open until 8pm most days.

I seem to spend most of my time in pharmacies at the moment, though now that I have got this new…read morebrown steroid inhaler I'm hoping it will all turn around. This pharmacy is actually one of my favourites, though the reason why is quite hard to put my finger on. After all, it doesn't really provide either much more or much less than any of the (many) others I've visited. I think that part of it is just seeing how clean it is. I always feel that pharmacists who work in a clean shop will be able to help me better. Secondly, I like the Co-op as a business; the way it treats its suppliers, customers and employees. Maybe the sun was shining particularly brilliantly on it that day; I don't know why else I would have walked past Boots to get to this other pharmacy. But I'm glad I did.

This isn't just your typical fancy dress place catering to the needs of the weekend hen party, no…read morethis place is a huge warehouse of costumes with anything you can probably imagine dressing up as. A lot of what they do is costumes for Film, TV and theatre so they pretty much have costumes that represent every period in history. The ladies who work there are fantastic, they can make you an outfit or source something specific your looking for if they don't have it. They even offered me tea and biscuits while I waited to pick up a load of costumes. There is also a selection of outfits and wigs to buy. Its not in town and has plenty of car parking space too so its easy to access by car and only a 5 minute walk towards the bay from the train station.

Well, what can I say about a mini market?…read more Docklands, the corner shop within arm's reach of Century Wharf, is perfect for anyone out in the Bay area in need of light bulbs or sweets. Bizarrely, all of the candy is propped up behind the counter, making me feel as if Fruit Pastilles were on par with Penthouse. I might add that this certain shop doesn't have any issues of Penthouse (or any of its equivalents - the magazine selection here isn't one of its strong points). Anyway, everything else is just where you'd find in other corner stores - I was pleased to even find hand-held fans, along with fresh fruit and a selection of household items like toilet roll and tinned food. Every time I've been in here, even if I come out empty-handed, the sweet-natured proprietor always calls out, "Thank you" after me, which sets it apart from the usual shop where a grunt comes standard with your change.

It's so handy this branch. I was catching a train the other day from here (not the shop but from…read morethe platform) and with only 5 minutes to spare and my 7 month old son in my arms I just had enough time to rush in and grab something as long a the queue wasn't too big. There was a bt of a queue but the staff got through it in no time and before you know it I was on my train munching my triple decker sandwich and cheddar cheese and fancy onion crisps. Ok there are cheaper sandwich shops but they simply not as nice.

Oh, I was so incredibly happy when this place opened. And I still am. M&S Simply Food is enough…read morehappiness for a lifetime. Marks & Sparks stock only their own brand of food and drink. This could be a bad thing in terms of choice, but it's not. There's too much choice in the M&S range as it is already. I spend ages every time just staring at the selections of sandwiches and salads. Then another age choosing juice. This store is in an incredibly handy location for anyone who commutes in and out of Cardiff Central, as it's right there in the station. It's also great as a place to stop into before going to Vue Cinemas; here you can get healthy and yummy snacks instead of salty cardboard hot dogs. In short; the food here is fantastic, if not cheap. Great for a healthy snack or treat, not so great for stocking up on basic before you head home (although, maybe if you're on a better wage then me, you'd be alright).

Toys 'R' Us always reminds me of being a child so I'm bound to love it. This store is fairly new…read morewith a large free car park for easy access. Its massive inside and has a range of stock to suit everyone from babies to teenagers. What i've always loved is that they have lots of toys on display too so you can see what things are like out of the box and I always remember skating down an aisle or my brother n a little bike trying to mow me down! It makes it fun for the children and adults as well.

Toy's R Us is arguably one of the biggest toy companies in the world. Since the old Toy's R Us got…read moreknocked down in Cardiff a few years ago, a sad day was had by all. No longer would we go to the store to pick up a lightsaber and pretend to be in Star Wars and no longer would we experience the joy and happiness that filled our hearts.... Until now! Toys R Us is back and better in a new location down Cardiff Bay I must admit that I was never a big fan of the other Toy's R Us because it seemed dark and unfriendly. But now there have been some big changes to the current store filled with the brightest lights and the bubbliest of people. This is a gigantic store that a child could get lost in for months. It has such a fantastic variety of toys and I can live my dream once again and pretend to have a lightsaber fight in order to defeat the dark side. The number of aisles are staggering but there is always an assistant prepared to help if you need some help about an item or just finding your way around the store. Toy's R Us has the renovation it needed. It is now a happy and bright place that is filled with all the toys in the world along with excellent service. What more could you need from your favourite toy store?

Only open between Thursday and Saturday, Jacob's Market (aka Jacob's Antiques) is a collection of…read morevery small specialist collectors' shops under one roof. Mostly it's second-hand stuff though there is also brand new furniture to be had. There's a certain novelty to it- such as the stuffed badgers in the entrance (will anyone ever buy those?) and the sci-fi stall upstairs with its sort-of-full-sized TARDIS. All kinds and eras of 'retro' are covered, old clothes (a bit dusty), old signs, old kitchen appliances, old military memorabilia (there's quite a bit of this and some of it's quite scary). It's worth a browse round, though I would say you could have done it all in less than 2 hours, it won't take all day. Prices vary but some things are not as cheap as you'd like them to be, as some sellers are adamant that there is an 'antique' value. The cafe is a small anteroom, seating about 20 people, where one person will knock up cooked brunches on demand using a little oven and grill. The prices are dirt-cheap and the portions very very generous, the only problem is that since it's cooked from scratch when you order you may have to wait a while, not too good if you've just popped there for lunch.

This indoor market sprawls across several floors in an old red brick building at West Canal Wharf,…read morenear Cardiff Central Station, and for the last couple of decades it has been creating a welcome distraction for Cardiff's lovers of antiques, vintage and novelty goods. It is a great place to spend a lazy few hours browsing around aimlessly. The 50 or so different stalls sell a huge array of different wares, including antiques and collectors' items, vintage household goods, second hand clothes and books, jewellery, and all sorts of other knick knacks. When you walk in through the entrance, for example, you're faced with some rather alarming and fusty-looking stuffed badgers; carry on and you might stumble across vintage Bakelite phones, military memorabilia, or leather jackets - while an exploration upstairs will offer you an encounter with a full-sized Dr Who tardis. Some stalls have more reasonable prices than others, but for vintage and antique items with a higher price tag you really need a bit of knowledge to know whether it's good value. The café, on the other hand, has very reasonably priced food and HUGE portions!