I wonderful indie record shop in a age when they are getting more and more rare. Like all great…read morerecord shops its has a wealth of records and cds plus interesting magazine, fanzines and various free music papers. Worth seeking out when it town for those 12" singles and Bruce Springsteen boxsets!

Badlands is one of the shops that my friends and I would pay a visit to every Saturday as teenagers…read moreand was always a pleasure to visit browse and buy from. they stock a good selection of newq and used music and have some listening points scattered around. They have the feel of a music store for people who really love music rather than just your run f the mill music chain and as a consequence, the people behind the desk really know there stuff and are happy to offer advice and help if needed. The store itself is located just off the lower high street down a little side road. Look out for the gambling shop and the road is right nect to it with a Badlands sandwhich board outside.

My experience from staff member Joanne was nothing but a racist attack on black people…read more I walked into this branch without my mask on, Joanne (5ft 2, glasses, slim with short dark greyish hair) was instantly full of attitude towards me as she rudely gestured for me to put my mask on. I continued with my shopping and went to wait in the queue, my phone rang and I answered pulling my mask down. Joanne charged at me with complete fury telling me to pull my mask up, after a heated exchange I looked around and noticed two white girls without masks, they were then served by Joanne with no questions about their face masks. Shoppers then began to approach me about this woman's behaviour towards me which then led her to shout at me from across the till in rage. This then led to another showdown between me and the racist Joanne which was held in front of a store filled with customers and I left feeling upset and hurt. I had two white friends go into this store after my ordeal, neither of them wearing masks and one so happened to be served by Joanne, nothing was mentioned about him not wearing a mask. Which leads me to know this; Joanne is a racist, she truly believes she is entitled and wanted to try and degrade me as a black woman. I have resided in Cheltenham for a number of years and never have I ever endured anything like I did that day. I would like to thank Wh Smith head office for taking my two letters of complaints seriously and having the issue addressed.

In Cheltenham, W H Smith is located in the busy High St, opposite Boots Pharmacy and a short walk…read morefrom a few banks (I am changing banks, so the proximity thereof is something of an important factor for my assessment of any street in any given town). Cheltenham's Smith stocks a fantastic range of magazines on what seems like all possible subjects, something I can mostly compare to Manchester's Arndale. The top floor has a marvelous selection of books and maps, as well as a post office. I still don't know what to think of these occasional merges of W H Smith and HRH Post Offces, but it seems to make sense...