City Life is a similar magazine in some respects to Cardiff Life in that it caters for the higher…read moreend of the market in both editorial and advertising. However, there are some very distinct differences. For one, City Life is free... (although, so is Cardiff Life essentially... if you read the advertisers section you'll realise that it's delivered to 7k homes for free and then given to a further 3k establishments around the city... they have a production run of 10k). City Life Magazine is also produced in Cardiff... check out the three line address! There's three Cardiff's in there... one for each line! The ethos of City Life is also a bit more transparent... they use a William Foster quote to sum it up: Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.

This is a great little convenience store and news-agent, and being the only one in the immediate…read morearea, it's a real blessing that it is quite as good as it is, despite the fact that there's no competition! They stock a really good range of wine and alcohol in general, as well as all of the basic foods that are well complimented by some exotic extras. The Indian couple that own this shop take it in turns to man the counter. I like both of them, but really enjoy a chin wag with Mrs... oh no... I have forgotten her name... so sorry! (All of a sudden I don't want her to read this... how embarrassing!) City News stays open really quite late, as do all of the little businesses in the immediate vicinity, including Whispers, the internet shop next door. And that's another thing... Whispers is about to have a change of name, and the owner, whose name eludes me, told me what the new name is going to be, and guess what? Yep, I've forgotten it! Do you think I should carry a notebook and pen!?!

A childhood memory is this place to me, as I used to go here many times with friends. There is so…read moremuch cheap choice there too. It is almost an old fashioned sweet shop it has sweet; sugary, juicy different flavoured mice, lollies, and there all kinds of chocolate and many other sweets there. The prices are just right and the staff are really friendly and very welcoming. I recommend it as the best sweet shop in town, and it is one of the best arcades within town. I love this arcade because it is amazing what neat, smaller, old fashioned shops that you discover down here. I also love it because it reminds me of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter, fantasy novel series. Apparently Cardiff is known for being the city of arcades representing perhaps the only images left that tell us of the wonderful and interesting history of the Victorian and the Edwardian heritage. It was in 1858 when the Royal Arcade in Cardiff's city centre was built; before that the 1790s only beheld twenty five retail shops known as 'market stalls.'

Fine Chocolates is an extremely well positioned shop on the corner of The Royal Arcade where it…read moremeets St Mary Street, allowing it a sizeable shop front on both, whilst retaining the prestigious address of The Royal Arcade. The chocolates are exquisite, but with a price tag to match, and so I have only ever bought them as gifts for other people, munching out on the less expensive, ubiquitous mass produced Belgian chocolate when I have a chocolate attack. I think that this is probably what most commonly occurs. With a selection of modern gift boxes, which are all finished off with presentation ribbons by the staff, it's clear that the gift option is a popular one. (This doesn't mean to say that it's not possible to prize the box open and snaffle a couple before you present them, somewhat apologetically, to their intended owner. And, this way you can announce with authority, as you hand the goods over, that the contents of their gift are really very good!) The shop also stocks soft drinks and a few lower cost items, like cake, that you can eat in at the tables provided. They also do great ice creams. I guess it is the sale of this kind of stuff that subsidises the chocolates, and justifies having such a large retail space, (otherwise there would be no point, and it certainly wouldn't be affordable).

The Miniature Music Press is the brainchild of Aimee-Jade Hayes of See Monkey Do Monkey Recordings,…read moreand musician and promoter Rowan Liggett. The first issue was released ten months ago, and has already established itself as the essential guide to music in Cardiff. Featuring page after page of no-nonsense listings, this free, A5 zine-sized, full-colour, music magazine ticks a lot of boxes. Featuring new releases, live reviews, and the latest music news, as well as offering free downloads with each issue, it's not surprising that The Miniature Music Press has already earned itself a readership of 30,000. And check out J/M Strange's regular feature at the back! Guaranteed to bend your head out of shape and provide you with some well-earned escapism of the most delicious kind! Each month sees an increase in size of the magazine. Issue 8, released in May, was 42 pages long, and the June issue has grown to 48. That's an increase of just under twenty percent (or there abouts... I've never been too pedantic when it comes to doing the math). Whichever way you look at it, with this kind of growth rate, we can expect it to be fatter than a telephone directory in a couple of years time. That's phat! Next months magazine will be the festival issue, featuring the best of what's on offer in the summer, including Croissant Neuf in Usk, Green Man in the Brecon Beacons, as well as some of the smaller gatherings and city-based summer-loving and frivolity... You can pick up a copy at pretty much any venue in town, as well as at loads of shops and pubs. Failing that, check them out on-line... www.theminiaturemusicpress.com/ www.seemonkeydomonkey.com/ www.thenorthstarcardiff.com www.save-the-vulcan.blogspot.com

The local music scene in Cardiff isn't exactly thumping right now and, unfortunately, it hasn't…read morebeen for a long time. There are the occasional flares of success that sprout up, but these are few and far between. However, that's not to say that it doesn't exist; it's there, but it's discreet. It's hidden. Playing dead until something fresh and amazing comes along to give it something to live for. And that's where the Miniature Music Press comes in. In its scant few pages are listings for each and every music event and happening going on in the next month. With regular interviews, editorial articles from the local Cardiff scenesters and comprehensive gig listings, MMS seems to be building a scene all around itself, getting the information out there on exciting new music coming out of the city in a way that hasn't been seen in years. Our city has a diverse and wonderful collection of bands and music aficionados. What it hasn't had in a long time, is a community. The Miniature Music Press looks like it may be the cure to this problem.

The Hayes is in the perfect location in the middle of Cardiff and I've got a knack of passing it…read morejust as I run out of cigarettes or fancy a drink and a paper on a warm day. It's pretty small and has everything you'd expect. I tend to look at the price of a pack of cigarettes when comparing newsagents and corner shops. I know that's little basic but it works and this one is certainly not as highly priced as Spar and other alternatives. I wouldn't expect it to last too much longer as the modernising of the Hayes area engulfs all and sundry with its power. But enjoy this place and the convenience it provides while it lasts as it's the most well placed newsagents in town.

Something missing from city centres are traditional Newsagents. It really is annoying that you have…read moreto go into a big department store etc to pay for over priced drinks you know you could pay alot less for if there just a damn newsagents around. Luckily Hayes provides this service. It's just a typical newsagents in all honesty, fairly cheap prices compared to changed stores, mags, sweets etc etc it's all here and a very nice member of staff that will always make you live with a smile.

This is another newsagents like Here's News, further up Albany Road, in the sense that it offers…read moremore than the newsagents that I am used to. Rather than just a chocolate bar and a magazine, like I remember, you can instead pick up a little book! How odd. However, I kind of like it. Not that there were any books I really wanted and the fact that it is primarily a newsagent means you don't get a good selection. Then again you still get everything you could possibly want, and get served by a lovely person. What else is really negative about it? I'm trying really hard to think about something! I would say it's prices aren't great. But that's good too! Damn you, A J & B Dudden!

A J & B Dudden Newsagent are somewhat of a rarity these days. They are an independent newsagent…read morethat haven't sold out to the Life Style Group or some other such chain. Good! This means that they can carry the stock that they want, and decide how things are going to look, and essentially do things their own preferred way, making A J & B Dudden Newsagent unique as a consequence! Unique and quirky I should say! They carry items that you wouldn't automatically expect a newsagent to stock, such as board games and books, (mainly Welsh in theme, such as guide books etc.), to compliment the national and full range of regional press and their good selection of magazines (which again reflects their desire to stock titles that you can rarely find elsewhere, unless you go to a large WH Smiths or a chain of similar stature). This of course, means that they can look after their dedicated loyal locals who consistently patronise the shop, allowing them to buy in items that have been requested. This shop is run by a lovely family who never consider anything too much trouble. Being small, they can't arrange the same level of bulk buying discounts that the larger chains are able to negotiate, and so their prices are a little more expensive. But I hope that this doesn't put too many people off using them. We run the risk of losing our independent corner shops, with their individual identity and their lovely quirkiness. We need to carry on shopping there and at other shops just like it if we are going to see them survive.

This newsagents shop is so much bigger than it looks from the outside!! I visited it twice today on…read moretwo different occasions (the first time to buy a paper and the second to browse) and I was impressed by the good service and very large selection of newspapers and magazines. Everything is laid out so nicely too in a very eye-catching way with unusual curved display racks going down the centre of the floor space. In addition to papers and mags, there are plenty of local books, stationery (including school/college items), and, around the corner at the back, good quality greetings cards. Some jigsaws for sale as well and a full range of confectionery.

It's a great newsagents,well stocked and displayed nicely , equipped with everything one needs, yet…read morethe staffs curt and standoffish behaviour is less desirable. They are so rude,inpolite and miserable that they made my partner & myself feel very uncomfortable.NO please & thank you's were mentioned ,it takes nothing to show a few manners especially whilst dealing & working with the public. How do these people get jobs? they make victor meldrew look happy. It's a shame as the shop itself is very good,but the employee,s have really put me off.

Women, beware. As the title may suggest, this is a publication for 'ladies' only, so don't go…read morethinking it's for the types who take a nice practical Regatta backpack into work, or for those who wear comfy trainers for a trip to town. Oh no! This is for the pampered kind of babe who wants their pore size to be reduced by 80% within a month, who want a new clutch bag every weekend, or wouldn't be able to survive a day without her Lancôme moisturising lip-gloss. Consequently, Ladies First is all style but sadly no substance. It's a good quality magazine, and a nice, colourful little thing to carry around with you and open up in the odd queue. However, it won't change your life and it won't entertain you for longer than it takes to make up a vanilla latte. URBAN CHALLENGE: Rip up the magazine and refashion it into a holdall. Now that's what I call stylish.

This has to be the cheapest newsagent in the city. Do you remember when Mars Bars were like 26p and…read morechewing gum was 19p then it started to creep up until in recent years it has clambered so high that you won't even get much change from a pound for a lot of choccy bars? Well, this shop is thankfully bucking the trend selling choccy bars for the 35 - 50p mark, crisps and even drinks the same. What's more, the staff are really lovely and polite. I've just got a job near this shop and I'm sure I'll be saving loads ever month because the stock is reasonably priced (I used to work near McColls on Temple Way). Avon News also has a good mix of newspapers and magazines and greetings card for that last minute panic when you realise you've forgotten your mum's birthday (never done it myself, thankfully).

Avon News is a well rounded little newsagents, boasting the usual range of newspapers, magazines,…read moreconfectionery, stationary and the like. Staff are friendly and welcoming and like to chat.

I'm not a smoker as such; I mean I enjoy the occasional cigar with a snifter of port at Christmas…read more Shave and Coster is fantastic for that occasion and I have bought many a cigar from them for all types of occasions. They have a wide selection which ranges from the cheap cigars up to the specially imported Cubans. The staff are very knowledgeable and can tell you exactly what you would like to know about the cigar. It can be quite strange because when you ask the staff about a particular tobacco plant the staff will talk about the cigars as though they are talking about a fine wine. It can be quite interesting but also slightly strange when someone talks about a cigar being 'creamy'. They of course also sell cigarettes, lighters and other smoking paraphernalia. This is a true gentleman's store and is worth a trip particularly if you (like me) are partial to the odd celebratory cigar.