Adams Ironmongers is one of those little shops that seems to have been there forever and has never…read morechanged because its never needed to - it even gets away with still having an 021 phone number displayed on its sign. It sits quietly on a corner next to Holland House Infant School, plying its trade. Adams is a bit like a Tardis - it's certainly painted the right colours - because when you go in what looks like a tiny shop you find it to be an emporium of pretty much anything you could need in the course of your DIYing - or even your ironmongery. Shelves and boxes filled with screws, bolts, nuts, washers, drill-bits, locks, latches, gaffer tape and most more (anytime the snow comes, they immediately start selling orange plastic sledges - I had one when I was little and it was great, especially when it snowed) are presided over by friendly and dilligent chaps who know what they're talking about even if you don't.

The man running this shop has the only available key to a gate that blocks access & egress to an…read moreadjacent school & nursery. It caters to children from birth upwards. To my knowledge he has no connection to it other than proximity. He appears to open & close the gate purely at his convenience, oblivious to the needs of parents there & the often very young children with them. I had my 2-year-old twins there for a playgroup which they very much enjoyed. I normally take them in a buggy but it had broken so I was driving. I'd gone to pick up a parcel on the way home when I realised I'd left my shirt & the parcel card in it at the Nursery. I drove back & retrieved them. When I turned around to drive out there was a locked gate blocking our exit. I was told that this man had the key so I asked him nicely to unlock it. He refused. When I pointed out that I had very young children in the car with me who had been away from home for over 2 hours he responded: "So go & look after them then!". Even the Nursery management were unable to talk sense into him. After half an hour, by which time my poor children were very fed up, hungry & in need of a changing, at his convenience he eventually decided to walk all the way out of his small shop & the 4 feet to the gate & let us out: us & many other irate parents with their children. He seemed to find it all very amusing. A man who appears to take pleasure in detaining & distressing small children & their carers is not someone that I would ever want to do business with.

With its tasteful displays outside, wide aisles and several bargain baskets on offer, this small…read morehardware store appears very enticing as you're passing by. Don't be fooled. Once inside, the prices aren't half as great as you'd expect them to be (Small hammers were on display for £8.99! I have a similar one at home that cost me £3.50!), most of the stock inside is covered in thick layers of dust and the floors look as if they haven't been cleaned in years. The cut-price items outside the store may look attractive, but again, be warned! The staff leave their products outside even in awful weather (I saw this with my own eyes on my wet and windy visit) and you'd be hard put to find anything amongst this lot that doesn't look as if it originally came from a pound shop. Staff are grumpy and ignorant towards customers unless directly prompted, most items are overpriced and the whole atmosphere inside is very unpleasant. I'd definitely recommend buying your household and hardware products elsewhere.

When it comes to DIY or building then I haven't got a clue and prefer to leave it to the…read moreprofessionals. I recently paid a visit to E H Smith Builders Merchants to get an idea of what was involved with a DIY job i needed doing. I was impressed with the comprehensive range of "stuff" on offer. Much better than the chains of DIY stores like B&Q or Homebase, E H Smith are experts at what they do and that comes across when you speak to any of the knowledgeable staff. Building materials, timber, paving and landscaping, plumbing they seem to have it all here. So next time you're off to a DIY store try E H Smith

From the owner: Well established in the construction industry as specialist in bricks and timber, we pride…read moreourselves on our excellent customer service, knowledgable staff and comprehensive range of building materials.

Massive warehouse and a great, accessible spot to find home and garden essentials you need quickly,…read moreand in one place. Staff are helpful and friendly. and will give the advice you need if you take the time to ask instead of wandering around aimlessly (as I tend to do).

This B&Q store is really big and has a fantastic selection of goods and is a diy enthusiasts dream…read more Its really well lit and very clean and has ample staff to help with your queries. On a recent trip I was shopping for some wall tiles and had my heart set on a certain type but there was none on the display stand. I was lucky enough to find a customer assistant who went out of her way to locate and unpack the tiles from one of their huge deliveries, anyone who has worked in a shop like this will know the stuff comes in on pallettes and can be a nightmare to unpack but she did and came back with a smile on her face, this was customer service above and beyond what is expected. In a lot of stores they say come back when the delivery is unpacked, which if like me your impatient is not an option and you end up going to a different store. There really is everything you could possibly need diy wise under one roof and a few extras thrown in, pictures , curtains and rugs. Definately worth a visit.