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.

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!

From Running to Rugby, and Badminton to Bouls, there is prety much any piece of sporting equipment…read moreyou could want from this shop (or the website if it's not in stock) I find that alot of the central sports shops only deal in the more mainstream sporting goods and equipment, more specifically football and semi casual sports wear. Doug Hillard is good if your after something that is a little bit more specialist. Also for all the budding and fresh new teams out there they also do a design embroidery service. So you can design your own team logo and email/give it to them and they can see what they can do in terms of creating it and placing it on some sports wear/equipment. Go on, get that proffesional look for your team!

I enjoy sports to a certain extent. I like a bit of squash or rugby for instance, and I don't mind…read morewatching a bit on the TV. An entire shop, however, dedicated to sporty stuff is a bit much for me. For those that aren't too overwhelmed and are in need of some good quality kit, head down to Doug Hillard's. From swimming to soccer to cricket all the kit, balls, bags and supplies you could ever need are all down here. They keep it local too supplying local teams with their kit and some Bristol Rovers merchandise. If it's kit you need they run a little T shirt printing bit on the side, make an already able store a little better.

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!

Y C Sports provides sporting goods and accessories. The business has had a renovation and the…read morequality of products is excellent. Products range from football to more unusual sports. The staff really knows what they're talking about, so if you need advice check them out. When you really need an accessory and you can't wait to have it delivered go to Y C Sport and get it instantly.

Amazing Shop !!! Especially The Gentleman John, who showed me the tennis rackets and accessories. I…read morewalked in THINKING of buying a racket and left with a racket. Babolat Pure Drive Play was amazing!! The quality of the strings and they are basic are outstanding!! The RRP for this product was £250 and the gent bumped the price down :) Such an amazing store, My go to shop for tennis stuff 10/10, youll be seeing more of me.

With a mum called Betty, how could I possibly resist going into a shop with a name like this? I was…read morehoping to find plenty of branded goods for me to buy in an attempt to make my mum giggle. And I was in luck - there's pink branded EVERYTHING to be had here from flasks to towels. Quite obviously not a gym member, I felt pretty self conscious next to the other die-hard sport fanatic customers who seemed to be very seriously whilst buying sportswear. The shop assistants, however, were lovely and politely laughed while I explained the significance of the Sweaty Betty umbrella I was buying. The clothes in SB were feminine and practical but carried a hefty price tag. Only worth a visit if you're serious about sport. Or have a mum called Betty too.

This place scares me a tad. Not just the abhorrent name, but the extremely, fluorescent pink lycra…read moreoutfits that line the window in the Triangle shop. Inside, the approach is far friendlier and more feminine than JJB sports - with whopping price tags to match. A miniscule muscle vest will set you back the price of a monthly gym membership - so I'd say it's for posers more than anything (although there's nothing wrong in wanting to look stylish whilst working out). If you're after upper class velour tracksuits (vaguely chavvy still) and yoga wear/mats, plus girl dumbells or training shoes then head up to Sweatybetty. Beware, you'll share floorspace with some quite snooty sporty types and leave with a considerably lighter wallet.

I contacted Imperial sports supplies to get a quote for my football teams new kit and they were…read morereally friendly and helpful from the start. The quote was really competitive so we went with them and even after we'd made the order I was still able to negotiate a further discount! I paid a deposit and was told my kit would be ready in 3 weeks...this is where things went a little wrong. Firstly the kit was late, buy about 2-3 weeks!! I also had infrequent communication from them and a couple of emails completely ignored. It's a shame really as when the kit turned up it was AMAZING and they even threw in our very own kit bag with our name on. So I would definitely recommend them just a shame they couldn't keep me updated or deliver the goods on time.

The only sports shop in Keynsham. The stock is perhaps not as varied as you would like it to be…read morebeing the only place to come to in the area, but it does more than surfice I feel. They specialise in sports wear for all the local schools, and have a very impressive childrens wear section. The adults section has enough for your basic sporting needs, but if you are after something for a speciality sport then I wouldn't really come here. The lady I spoke to in the store was very friendly, and as soon as I walked in was on hand to offer help and assistence.

A very well stocked sports shop selling a good range of sporting equipment. I was looking for a…read moretennis racquet and was pleased to find they had a good choice in store. For those wanting to head off for the beach they had body boards for sale at £6.99. Although I'm not a fan of Crocs, I know plenty of people who are (they must be mad!) an they did have a good range availible. They also stocked Barbie active girls wear, which I'm sure is very popular with the under 7s!

Visited the Bristol store on the off change we could get a ski boot fitting on the day,…read moreappointments were limited leading up to our ski trip. We had failed to get an appointment when visiting the ski dome in the Tamworth for a number of weeks. My partner has always struggled with finding comfy boots, however Will was incredibly knowledgeable and managed to find him the perfect ski boot. Unfortunately the store didn't have my suggested boot in my size. Will offered to order them in but due to limited time before a trip I ordered them to be sent to my home address. The boots actually arrived quicker than stated so I booked an appointment to get them checked/ any adjustments. I saw Ferg on my second visit and once again I cannot fault the service. Ferg was extremely knowledgeable and custom fit my boots for me. Both team members are a huge asset to the Bristol branch and you've gained our business for life. Thank you team Bristol!! *just to note we visited large ski chain that also offers boot fitting in Filton a few weeks prior and we walked out of the store. The customer service and poor attitude didn't sit well. After failing to get an appointment at the Tamworth store we searched other branch locations and Bristol is our closest store.

Ellis Brigham can be found on the steeper part of Whiteladies Road and just a few doors down from…read moreit's rival mountain sport shop, The Snowboard Asylum. It's slightly less appealing from the outside, compared to it's lime green competitor, but inside is just as packed with essential items one might need on a winter sports holiday. Like all sport shops (especially winter sports shops) this retailer is very expensive, due to the nature of specialist items they sell. The staff are really knowledgeable though, and can help you find the perfect gear for you.