First confusion is the sign says Staple Hill Carpets - that's moved up the road. The sheer amount…read moreof stuff that isn't carpet outside the shop should give you a hint that it is no longer stocking carpets. Second confusion, yes they have moved from one side of the road to the complete opposite side! Third confusion - surely they can't stock EVERYthing? Well yes, yes they can. Lightbulb with a vintage fitting in green? No problem sir. Skirting board tacks hand made by virgins in Argentina? Third aisle at the back. One of those squeaky balls my dog lost in the park and now he won't play with anything else? You mean this one? *squeak*

I'm a bit of a novice to say the least when it comes to DIY. Since moving to the area I've used…read moreStaple Hill Stores twice. Although on both occasions I knew I had a DIY problem I needed to fix, I didn't really have a clue what I was going on about and it probably sounded like I was asking for various 'thingies' in broken English. However both times the shopkeepers have been really helpful and pointed be in the right direction straight away, the items purchased were fit for purpose and good value. On the last visit I wasn't to sure which colour thingy to go for and the shopkeeper advised me to take the ones I thought were right and bring them back and exchange for a different colour if need be. Just the sort of friendly service you want from a local hardware store! I'll definitely be returning if I need to purchase any other thingies.

Bristol Tools is a no nonsense store specialising in hand tools, but stocking a whole lot more. I…read morebought a spade here for £6.99 the other day, and so can vouch for the affordable prices they charge. But it's the sheer choice of products that impresses you most, many of which possess a latter day charm as well as a price tag to match. I'm sure that if I looked hard enough I'd find gold mining pans and twin handled lumberjack saws! If you can't find it here, then you won't get it anywhere else. Services include key cutting and blade sharpening, although if you bought your tools from here you won't need to use the latter so often. All of them are made using the finest steel and come replete, in most instances, with finely crafted wooden handles; there's no shonky steel and badly matching plastic moulded handles at this store - you'll have to go to Rajani's for those.

Much like the varnish they sell in their shop that does exactly as it says on the tin, if you need…read moreany tool in Bristol - Bristol Tools will have it. Having been on the same corner since 1973 the guys in here are incredibly knowledgeable. Every bit of DIY and every odd job about the house has always led me here. One of the things that really sets this shop out above the rest for me is how it is customer focussed in every sense. Their priority is getting you what you need. If they don't have what you want, for example, they'll call other hardware shops in Bristol before ordering it in. If they do have to order it in, it's always within 24 hours. The guys here are also very proud that they haven't 'sold out' to specialise in power tools. Like many businesses in the area they keep it traditional, local and very hands on.

Always helpful. If they don't have what you want they will tell you where to get it. If not in…read morestock they will order it or find a substitute .

I have lived and worked on the same street as Clifton Hardware so I truly understand just how…read morevaluable and useful this shop is, especially as it's located in what can only be described as the least practical place to live anywhere on earth. I mean if you want flowers, crockery, antiques, jewellery or trinkets you're living in the right place. However, I was a 20 year old boy. I don't think I have bought a more diverse range of items from any shop in the world. Even when I used to work in a nearby pub and the manager had affection for strange lamps, with exotic light bulbs, no matter just how odd the light bulb I needed was, Clifton Hardware would stock it. I have gone to them for door stops, spray paint, screws, TV aerials, glue, probably everything at some point or another, including a kitchen sink. It even smells like al lovely old hardware store, and these shops used to be the cornerstone of every high street. I challenge anyone to find a B&Q that smells as good as this place Clifton Hardware can stand there proudly as the last bastion of usefulness in Clifton Village... Just don't ask them for Four Candles.

This Robert Dyas, located in the Galleries, is where I always end up coming whenever a fuse blows,…read moremy toaster dies or my very last light bulb gives out. It's not what I would call a particularly fun shopping experience, but it does the job and I don't think I've ever come out of this place empty handed. They've got pretty much everything you could wish for in terms of household necessities in this store and the staff are very helpful when it comes to helping you find what you're after. It's not the cheapest of places - if you shop around a bit I'm sure you could find yourself a better bargain for some items at Wilkinsons or Argos, but if you don't fancy spending your entire Saturday morning shopping for a new vegetable steamer/hoover/junior hacksaw, then head to Robert Dyas. You should find everything you're looking for within a matter of minutes.

A great place to find some hard to find cleaning items. They sell some very cheap mops, and also…read moresell alot of kitchen items, such as toasters, kettles and grills. Definitely a good place to shop. Staff are friendly,a nd alwasy pleased to help a confused customer.

Definatley bargains galore to be had... as long as you know what you are looking for!…read more with carpets, screws, bamboo and scissors you can see that almost anything can be found. This is the sort of place where you can hardley see the cashier for all the stuff on the counter because they try to cram as much as they can into the shop, but fear not, you can actually see the cashier in this shop! Helpful if you want to renivate a room on a bit of a budget.

Now this is a hardware store that encapsulates for me what such a store should be. Conjuring up…read moreideas of a Dickensian shop or something from Wind in the Willows, this is one of those wonderful places where bits and bobs are literally spilling on to the street. Everything one could possibly desire from bins to bin liners, to doormats to drain pipes, to sweets and chocolates, to gardening gloves and hats - this place has it all, and as the name would suggest, at very reasonable prices. If you need something, anything - try this place first.

This is one of those shops where although the stock is modern and up-to-date you really get a feel…read moreof a time gone by. Complete with old style writing of the name on the frontage, this place takes things at a more traditional place. It is your guaranteed one stop in the area for all your DIY and gardening desires. From light bulbs, to compost to gardening gloves it's all down here. As you can imagine it's been here a while so it's not just seeds and slug pellets you can get here - but valuable knowledge and advice too! A wonderful little shop.

Like stepping back in time to 1950, you feel like Gary Sparrow (IMDb it), just don't go thinking if…read moreyou get two different woman pregnant it's not cheating just because they are in two different decades... Anyway, where was I...pretty classic, brilliant hardware store, where the staff (owners?) are always willing to help you, however DIY disabled you might be. I went in looking for a mop and after a long and thrilling discussion about whether to go for the 'Ferrari' of mops, made from cloth, or the 'Old-world' mop, made from string...I bought a sponge. The point of that story is, just imagine trying to have a conversation with the staff in a larger cooperate hardware store; some 16 year old moped driving rude boy would be as much use as a wet fart on laundry day. But it's not just mops and mop chat, oh no, I don't think any shop could pack more stock into a space this size. Spray paint, brass door knobs, hinges and a key cutting service all delivered by a fatherly bearded man. Perfect.

Kellaway Building Supplies are a family run business and have been around for 25 years. They have…read moreexpanded in the recent years to 8 branches around the South West. The branch in Fishponds is fairly large by local standards and stocks a large variety of DIY goods. In addition, this branch also sells a range of paints, plumbing materials and other household products. There is also a small yard to the back of the building which contains a few heavyside building materials. From the roadside, Kellaways does look a little unprofessional. There was a number of random things dumped on the pavement and it was a bit of a mission to get to the front door! Nonetheless, once inside the vast number and range of products is impressive. I was told that they house over 9000 products and also offer delivery on certain items. Furthermore, I found the shop very easy to navigate around which is an achievement for someone who rarely visits these types of shops! I found the staff really nice and informative, and I would recommend this business for general DIY needs.

The handy man's dream- Travis Perkins sells everything you would need to build a house, or repair…read moreit at least. The oddly placed trade counter sits next to dominoes back from the street, and usually has a lorry backing out. This is your best spot to find tools and materials if you have just moved to in or are repairing some gone wrong DIY.

Looks a bit like a yellow mess sat there on North street, in actual fact sells everything you've…read moreever needed and some things you haven't. By definition it's a hardware store, they describe themselves as selling 'all those thingummy bobs and what-you-ma-call-its' like brooms, cloths, screws, paint, brushes, bolts, polish, pet food etc, etc. Their DIY section including quality branded tools and ironmongery is second to none, with prices that surpass B&Q and knowledgeable staff to go with it. A good combo. Despite it's very traditional appeal and seemingly like it's stuck firmly in the 1970s (Open All Hours, anyone?) it's also a good place to get fireworks all year around (should you need them).

As you'd know if you read an earlier review of mine you could tell i'm a massive fan of shops like…read morethis. This one is especially brilliant because it feels like it's going to implode at any moment. I went in the other day and they had two people working in the shop and there were just 3 customers inside (me included) and I asked the chap inside if he had any Yellow electrical tape (at this point in my life I needed about 30 roles of the stuff! ... don't ask!). So there was this brilliant choreography as the 5 of us in the shop moved around each other to let the guy look for the electrical tape, it was crazy, messy, unmanigable, unthinkable, but boy, oh boy was it a joy to behold! Unfortunatley he wasn't able to find any electrical tape, but I was so pleased to have discovered this gem of a shop, I ended up buying a really thick bristled broom. Maybe I felt like I needed to offer some sort of thanks to the effort he had gone to in order to move around his shop to find an obscene amount of yellow electrical tape, or maybe I just needed a thick bristled broom...

Bell Tools is the name and Makita is the type of power tool they sell. That took me about a week to…read moresort out. Now I have however I can really appreciate the store for what it is - nothing short of amazing. Be it woodwork or metalwork all the cramps, drills, screwdriver, bits and saws you could need are all stacked up neatly in here. Like the shop, their shiny glistening appearance reflects good vibes of professionalism and high quality. Step ladders, wheel barrows and more hardcore drilling and digging equipment has over flowed onto the streets outside. This is again one of those shops you won't really be going to unless you have a specific wish list but it's all such good gear you'll probably end up buying a bit more than you planned for!

Bell tools is an absolute belter of a tool shop. They sell all sorts of tools, both powered and…read moreotherwise. Makita has always been their main line, and if you ever go onto a building site you'll realise why. They are a firm favorite amongst trades people for both price and quality. They do sell other power tool brands now including, Dewalt, Bosch, Hitachi and Milwaukee. I've bought pretty much all my power tools here and they've always been exceptional at any repairs or servicing. As a trades person myself It's great to have a physical point of contact when it comes to something so essential to your work. They seem to stock endless amounts of other tools and stock pretty much all the top brands as well as some of the more budget brands too. I've often found some very obscure tools, drill bits or blades that I would not have know existed if it wasn't for the treasure trove of bell tools. They are always extremely helpful with trades people as well as members of the general public who perhaps arent so clued up about what they need. Prices vary and if you're going in with something in mind it may be worth checking how much you should be paying first. I've found items that are cheaper here than anyway online, but also found things that seemed a little high. They always tried to be as competitive as they can though.