As a youngster, when I was old enough to be allowed to go to Southport without adult supervision,…read morethe old Arcade Sports shop down Cambridge Walk was a place we regularly visited. I've always wanted to learn how to skateboard but I always thought that by the time I was fascinated by it, I was too old to start learning and all the cooler (and younger) kids who were good at skateboarding would laugh at me. So, instead of this, I would go to places like this and just look at the skateboards and other gear and sort of pretend I did have a real interest in it all (it wasn't as sad as it sounds, honest). Unfortunately, the shop had to shut down a few years ago; I assumed this was due to lack of interest in recent years, but I recently discovered that they had actually opened a shop nearby on Hoghton Street. They still sell the same good range of sporting goods that you wouldn't get in the other big sports shops in the area, such as bowls, in-line skates and cricket gear, all available at very reasonable prices. I guess you could kind of look at it as an alternative sports shop to rival the JJB and Sports Direct giants that currently rule the roost. So if you're looking for something sports-related that is a little more specialised or unusual than football, tennis or rugby, then Arcade Sports is well worth checking out.

You have a sports shop, right? And you decide to open it in Southport, right? So what do you call…read moreyour business? Why, Southport Sports of course! Their name doesn't mean they sell equipment for sports that are exclusively played in Southport though, don't worry. As its name suggests, Southport Sports is a shop that sells a modest but decent range of different sporting goods, including equipment for the usual favourites such as football and rugby as well as the less popular other sports like tennis, cricket and squash (that aren't as good in my opinion). The shop itself is quite small and its range of stock pales in comparison to the bigger sports shops in the area, but if you're looking for a personal service and some helpful advice then Southport Sports definitely has the edge over its rivals and the staff there and friendly and happy to help you in any way they can.

From the outside, Romida Sports looks rather dated and bland, with the shop hidden down the side of…read morea local Morrisons in Maghull village nestled between a collection of other small shops. I expected to see perhaps a small selection of various sporting goods and equipment as well as maybe a few pieces of sporting apparel. However, when I entered I discovered that Romida only sells equipment and apparel related to cricket, much to my surprise. Apparently Romida is renowned for its selection of cricket gear in the sporting world, so I guess that shows just how much I know or care about cricket (always found it a bit boring, to be honest). Whilst I didn't find the equipment and products they sold particularly useful personally, I was impressed with the very extensive selection of gear available, which makes Romida a good place for any avid cricket players to visit if they need any equipment at a reasonable price. For those of you that don't fancy venturing out to the shop itself, there is also a very useful and easy to use website from which you can order all your gear too.

As a keen cricketer Romida is like Alladin's cave for me. It is absolutely fantastic. They are…read moredefinitely leading the field when it comes to anything and everything cricket related. The service I must say really is second to none. Online orders are processed as quicker than any other online store I've ever visited. If you do venture into the store the consistency in great customer service is like a breath of fresh air. If only all retailers treated their customers like Romida do, oh what a great world that would be. Clearly the service comes from the passion of the owners which seeps through to all members of staff. They genuinely all love cricket and it shows, as they are able to offer you great advice. If you are a cricket lover or player, Romida is the only place for you!!!!!