This place reminds me of shopping for school shoes with my parents and trying to convince them to…read morelet me have Kickers...aah those were the days. Sole Trader has always seemed a bit random to me. They sell mostly trainers and then a limited selection of leather shoes and boots too. What troubles me is that I'm not quite sure what they're going for...they can't seem to commit 100% to being a trainer shop, and they lack the range of styles stocked by Size? or Offspring. They have a pretty good selection of Converse and they have selected styles from most of the other mainstream brands: Nike, Adidas, Fred Perry etc. Although they might have what I'm looking for, I personally prefer to head to Offspring, where I feel I've got all the options in front of me. Saying that, if you are looking for a non-trainer shoe, Sole Trader is worth a look, as although the selection seems a bit random to me, some of the styles are pretty on-trend. Equally, some of them aren't so trendy...who knew Red or Dead were still going?

If you're planning to try your hand at skateboarding for the first time, you'll need a pair of Vans…read moreor Converse for your feet. Located in the entrance of the Churchill Shopping Centre, Soletrader stock about a dozen different pairs of each for around £30-£40. You can choose from checked or plain Vans in slip on or laces whilst they have classic Chuck Taylor, Star Player, All Star and Double Tongue Converse in trainers and hi-tops. Colours range from white, red and blue to timeless black and even better, neither Vans or Converse ever give you blisters. If you're looking for other shoes or boots, I find Soletrader's range a little pedestrian - so would recommend checking out their nearby competitors Office and Sssh.

These guys really are committed to looking after kids feet. I like their catch-phrase; 'feet have…read moreto carry us through our lives - we only get one pair'. The staff are out of this world here. I went with my friend and his toddler who is a bit of a fidget merchant and quite enjoyed running up to the many shoe displays, grabbing what he could and lobbing it at his dad. The staff, as I did, just laughed and put the shoes back. Prices are probably cheaper in somewhere like Clarks but the effort they go to here to make sure your kid has something that's not only going to look nice but will look after their feet is highly commendable.

A good place for pricey shoes but excellent ranges and advice.read more

This company have a good reputation for selling top quality footwear. I have visited several…read morebranches and there seems to be no deviation from this policy. This particular branch was subject to a mystery Shopper visit and came out with top marks.especialyy their attitude and service. Well done!!

Great service, similar shoes in the childrens department as Clarks, but without the queueing! Staff…read moretrained in measuring and fitting childrens shoes, often a lot of sales on, so could get a bargain if lucky!Good care and attention.

I'm not usually prone to depression but the idea of working or shopping in Shoe Zone is enough to…read moremake me feel close to the edge. The bright orange and blue branding gives me a headache and the racks and racks of bad shoes, boots and slippers crank it up a notch. All the footwear here seems to start about £4.99 and go up to around £24.99 with the emphasis being on plastic looking slip on brogues, lace up shoes, work shoes, trainers and boots. Some look less offensive than others but none look well made or long lasting. They also have a whole aisle of ugg boots - which just cements my dislike of the place.

Another branch of the bargain shoe store, selling a vast range of cut price shoes, boots, sandals…read moreand trainers, all stupidly cheap albeit sometimes at stupid quality. I've always shopped in Shoe Zone as it's so cheap, but have been stung a couple of times by the poor quality. A pair of boots I'd worn into the ground finally decided to give up the ghost in the middle of town as the zip broke, rendering them unwearable, and a pair of nice wedge pumps I bought for work lasted an impressive four weeks until the heel literally cracked in half all the way up to the sole. Nevertheless, what you see is what you get with any bargain shoe store, and nine times out of ten they last long enough. The staff are always very friendly and happy to help, and ask no questions if you need a refund or exchange. I didn't have my receipt for my work shoes but they happily let me pick another pair (I went for the rubber heeled wedges instead of the plastic ones this time), and they're still alive today.

Dont go in here often but been once or twice with my mum…read more Found the sale assistants to be abit snooty but a nice range of shoes on offer although if not in the sale they do seem rather expensive. They sell mens, ladies and kids shoes in this shop. Have various styles but not loads as the actual shop aint all that big. Would only visit here if i wanted to be fitted out for shoes as dont really like the styles they probally suit the over 50,s.

Schuh is a strange name for this shop, as I think actually it looks more like the phonetic spelling…read morefor the sound a Dutchman/Sean Connery would make when they have a fly flying about their head's. If I was naming this shop I would personally call is Shoo, which I think is snappier, and less confusing for Sean Connery and/or Dutch people... Always a decent selection of fashionable numbers from all your favourite sports makes, such as Nike and Adidas, and constantly updated, so always with the times. However this means Schuh can be too expensive, if you just want a pair of trainers and your not too bothered by how new they are, I would recommend going elsewhere.

There's nothing sophisticated or high fashion about Schuh. It actually sells some of the most…read morehideous shoes I've seen in my life. We're talking mulit-coloured sandals, three inch platforms with ankle-twisting wedges and purple suede boots Marc Bolan would have thrown out of the window. The reason I still go there however, is because they also stock a huge selection of more tasteful shoes, heels, boots and trainers. There's at least a dozen different Converse hi-tops as well as fresh sneakers from Etnies, Adidas, Fred Perry and Onitsuka Tiger. If you're looking for something more formal, they also sell shoes by Rocket Dog, Red or Dead, Irregular Choice, Sketchers and Iron Fist as well as their own Schuh designs. I spent a good fifteen minutes trying half the shop on Sunday and eventually settled for a fabulous pair of off-white leather ankle boots. I know winter is the wrong time to buy white boots but what the hell... it was my birthday!

This is shop is usually empty when i go in, unless there is a sale going on. the quality of their…read moreshoes are reasonable, but I would say more fashion-wear than classic long lasting shoes. the service is OK and can be improved by training the younger staff. the shop itself is quite small and narrow, making it difficult to navigate through to the back of the shop. i believe they also specialise in children's shoes, which means your not stuck for choice in Clarks.

Clarks shops are basically the same all over the UK so there are no surprises - you'll find a great…read morerange of sturdy kids shoes (and adults too, but we always go here mainly for the kids !)but the prices are relatively high. You do get what you pay for though. The staff are friendly and competent, they know how to put the children at ease and are quite happy to spend time measuring feet and checking sizes. Unlike some shops, if they haven't got the right size, they'll send you away empty handed rather than trying to fob you off with the nearest size they do have. The ticket system is handy to avoid stressful queuing as it can get busy.

Shop is within the Arndale Centre so parking available at a cost. They have a good range of…read morechildrens shoes and a number ticket to pull out so you get served in order. Kids enjoy the step on electronic device to measure their feet. Good range of ladies shoes and leather handbags. Expensive to good to go in the sales!