Probably in an effort to modernise the shopping experience, Clifton Down Shopping centre has seen a…read morefew refurbishments in the last few years. Situated at the bottom of Whiteladies Road, just before the descent into proper Bristol centre, it has a large glass architectural feature at its front, with its name highlighted. The biggest shop in the centre is Sainsburys, which is very useful for all in the area as the next big supermarket is quite a distance away. With free parking for half an hour, it's a really convenient place to get a bite to eat or stock up on your way home from town. They recently re-did the inside as well, adding some flat elevators that can take you (and your trolley) up to the car park level. There's mostly chain shops in here, with WH Smith, Specsavers, Boots and O2, but there's also a local flower shop, key cutters and sports shop. Although not strictly still the shopping centre, there's a nice row of shops outside as well, housing another mix of chain and independent stores.

Shopping centre? Really?…read more Well there is a selection of shops, and a massive sainsburys but wether or not that constitues a shopping centre is something I feel is still up for debate... Nothing particualry special to draw in the people, other thsn some rain cover, this relativly newly refurbished centre lacks in any pullling power. However saying that they do have them falt escalator things that can take you and your shopping trolley up a level! They are pretty brilliant!

Looking out onto The Downs on Blackboy Hill, is the Gyle's Brothers' Sports Shop. Unlike other high…read morestreet sports shops, this one is less fashion oriented and more enthusiastic about delivering a friendly and personal service. They don't sell trendy sports kits particularly, but instead offer good quality equipment and spares, and are really knowledgeable about everything that they are selling. They are slightly out of the way, but if you do need to drive there, they have a customer car park, which is really handy.

I remember going into a 'sports' shop with a mate once and him getting really exasperated because…read morewhen he asked for some strings for his squash racket, they replied that they weren't that kind of sports shop. Gyles Bros is the antidote to this type of place, where they sell proper sporting equipment, not garrish tracksuits and Man Utd calendars. It's the sort of place where, if I'm about to play football on the Downs and realise I have a stud missing, I can jog over here before kick off and they'll screw one in for less than a quid, saving a telling off from the ref. With an emphasis on functonality over fasion, Gyles Bros is part of a sady dieing breed and a friend to the amateur sports enthusiast.

This place seems to change it's name very three months or so, which is a tad confusing, but it's…read morethat massive sports shop by the entrance to Cabot Circus which always has a bucket of balls, a selection of white socks and some golf umbrellas sitting outside the door. Although I wouldn't recommend it as a fashion outlet, if you actually play sport, this is a great place to stock up on the cheap. No one wants to spend more than they really have to on stuff that's just going to get muddy, broken and smelly, and you can get football boots here for £15, shinpads for around a fiver, and tracksuit bottoms for less than a tenner. This place is the perfect antidote to 'sports' shops that don't actually sell proper sporting equipment; and it's also worth occasionally checking out their range of largely horrible but very cheap trainers ( I once picked up a pair black Adidas shells for £30 when they cost £50 everywhere else).

I've been to other sports direct and had an okay experience so this two star rating is quite…read moresubjective but hey my experience today was shocking. Firstly I was in the shop with my pushchair and found it impossible to navigate round the shop. More than 50% of the aisle were to narrow for me to go down turning the whole shop into this frustrating maze. The fact that it was busy didn't help the situation. I then found my way to the lift and went to the top floor where the children's shoes were located. By this point my son had had enough of being pushed so I set him loose while trying to find him some trainers. I quickly found a pair and gave them to the staff member on duty who said they'd find his size. He disappeared behind a door and literally didn't return for 10-15mins!! What the hell he was doing out there I don't know, but I'm sure it cant take that long to locate a pair of shoes. By the time he did return my son and pulled and twenty different things off the shelves but I thought oh well serves you right! He wasn't apologetic either. I should add the trainers were really nice and a bargain so I'm sure I'll be back but definitely minus the pushchair!

It's a given that the people of Clifton love to ski. (Imagine if it snowed in Bristol enough to ski…read morefrom the downs to the bottom of Park Street.. wheeeeeeee!) This expensive winter sports shop is well placed here amongst the expensive furniture shops, craft shops and upmarket restaurants. Outside in the window, they publish regular updates of the skiing conditions in all of the major resorts in Europe and America. Surprise surprise, all show excellent piste conditions. Time to buy a new ski suit, methinks...

Get your snow jacket on and go for a ski - once you've popped off to the Snowboard Asylum, that is…read more Pretty much anything snow, ice, or generally cold and extreme sports related the Snowboard Asylum will be able to sort you out. In a decent sized shop on Whiteladies Road their well trained and knowledgable staff will be able to assist you with whatever item you need. It's not cheap, though, but I advise cashing in on their sales - I got a really good deal on a big warm jacket last year, and I'm sure the same will go for the rest of their products. They stock all the main relevant brands; Burton, Saloman and Matic to name a few. Also, maybe take a look in at festival season - the tents in here will really sort you out in all that wet summer weather.

Wet & Windy is Bristol's best watersports shop, with friendly and knowledgeable staff selling a…read morewhole range of gear and offering expert advice on both the sports and the kit you need. They sell wetsuits, dry suits, sailing dinghies, boat spares, repair kits and buoyancy aids - as well as surfing and body boarding gear, snorkelling and swimming kit, technical clothing, and footwear. What's particularly nice about this shop is the passion the staff clearly have for the various sports they're involved in, and their enthusiasm is contagious! If you've been considering taking up sailing or another water-based sport, it's as good a place as any to start finding out how to go about it. They also know about all the local courses and tuition available. You can find it just by Sainsbury's on Winterstoke Road in Ashton - but check it's open before you make a trip there, because it doesn't have the usual 9-5, Monday-Friday hours!

If Carlsburg made running shops, then they would have made Easy Runner!…read more It's a huge double fronted shop and is like a runners' heaven. I could have easily spent an hour in here just looking at everything. The people there know what they're talking about, clearly love running, and will discuss all your running needs with you. It isn't cheap if you're looking for just a plain old bog-standard t-shirt or joggers, but if you happen to have a passion for running and have the contagious money spending to get motivation thing (I'm sure having nice new things helps me run further and faster) or are looking for something a bit more specialised then Easy Runner is the place for you.

Though in a slightly peculiar location at the bottom of St Mike's Hill, this is a great little…read morerunning shop serving the whole of Bristol. They sell everything the budding runner may require, and also offer a sports massage service. Trainers start at around £50 (some currently on sale for around £30), but, as every jogger knows, a good pair of shoes is the place to start. In addition, you can find a vast array of other running attire; tracksuits, tops and even underwear. They have a friendly attitude towards customer service, offering one on one service and can give information and guidance to professionals, casual runners and beginners alike.

As you walk into Henleys, the luxury sporting clothes shop, you are happy-slapped in the face by a…read morewall of noise blasting from the sound system. Head-banging garage choons, which I think are designed to confuse and disorientate you into spending all your hard-earned dough. At least that's what I hope - because if there was no clever psychology behind it, it was just extremely off-putting. As for the clothes, it's a Paris-Hilton-cum-Vicky-Pollard dream. Velour, hoodies and diamante bling are splashed all across the store as well as t-shirts, jumpers and dresses all unashamedly sporting the Henleys name across the front. The boys section was a lot more interesting than the girls, with preppy American sweaters and Ralph Lauren style shirts. The boys behind the till were too-cool-for-school (or Henleys for that matter) and barely acknowledged the people they were serving. Not a fan!

There doesn't seem to be a page for the Bath location but they had a great selection of women's…read morewalking boots. They're mostly reliable brands so they're pretty much all over £100, which I don't mind for a decent pair of boots. I was able to get an extended warranty (3 years) and the spray protection was only an extra £4.50 (nothing when you're spending £150+ on boots)! All 3 staff members were really friendly and Julia was a great help (again at the Bath location).

Excellent advice and service from "Scott" at the Bristol store. We had a good idea of what we…read moreneeded, but Scott really helped us to understand the technical differences of the products available and the practicalities of each. Unfortunately one item of the purchase got left behind, but they have promised to sent it on by post. Thats what i call service.

One of the many things I love about Gloucester Rd is the huge range of independent shops and…read morebusinesses. There are few other parts of Bristol where you can see fresh local talent really shouldering its way in. Just over a year or so ago now two local lads Sam and Logan started up their very own clothing label. Focussing on the growing styles of snowboard and skate clothing they've come on in leaps and bounds. A lot of the clothing designs have deep roots with local graffiti artists and as a result the prices can be a little steep. Rest assured however that this money is paying for quality and shelf life, and the money is going back to the kids that deserve it, not some fat cat corporation. As big supporters of local up and coming 'urban' music Avalaan get about, getting involved with nights out and local festivals. This is a great shop to pick up some original bits of clothing but you really get the feeling that this goes beyond just a clothes shop - it's a lifestyle.

Avalaan may specialise in sports and ski wear but they're also a great place to stock up with…read morewinter essentials. Heavy duty gloves, woollen gloves and scarves are in abundance here, and it's the perfect shop to protect yourself from the cold. This flagship store also has a great range of t-shirts, posters, shoes and jump suits. The prices are fair for the quality of the clothes, and the shop assistants always smile when you walk through their doors. A lovely shopping experience - better for boys than girls.