The Podium is possibly the strangest shopping centre I've been to. Situated in the heart of Bath,…read moreit contains a real mash of shops leaving it with no real identity. Inside you'll find several restaurants, a Waitrose, an art gallery, a cosmetics shop and a couple of children's toy shops. I'm not entirely sure who their target audience is? It's hard to think that such a small shopping centre could pack so much in! But I guess you can say that there's certainly something for everyone here. The Podium makes for a relaxing shopping experience as there's rarely a large crowd hanging around here, and the shops are all relatively quiet. And if you ever need some R&R, there's a place to have coffee on each of the two levels.

The short stay car park signs for Bath took me here. It is a good convenient central location to…read morevisit the main tourist attractions in Bath. The Roman Baths are only a 5 minute walk away. The main reason for my posting though is to warn you that the maximum stay at this car park is 4 hours. So if you need any longer, it may be a problem. 4 hours costs £5.50, which is isn't bad compared to city car parks in London. However, all the payment machines would only take coins today, so make sure you have enough change

3.5 stars. This location is ok. They don't have the biggest clothing section and the last few times…read moreI've been to the food court they've been out of items. I went for specific clothing and food items today and the food was out of stock and the clothing isn't available at this location (which I should have checked before but was going by anyway). They pricing on the sushi shelf also didn't match what I paid for. It was £1.10 more expensive!

I've continued to avoid Starbucks for my coffee since I was charged 5 pence for a plastic cup of…read moretap water in Starbucks, Portsmouth, England. As we tour this 'green and pleasant land' we suss out M&S cafes for coffee. They are our trusted go to brand at home. The staff - just like here in this store in Bath centre - are mega polite, the cafe tables are kept clean (not Starbucks greatest strength) the coffee is darn good, there's always toilets and if you are there after 3pm there's a coffee and cake deal running now with any coffee and a slice of cake £3. I got a slice of delicious Victoria sponge with my cappuccino and they cheerfully served up iced tap water that was not only free but it was plentiful too. The coffee and cake deal after 3pm is cheaper than a tall cappuccino in Starbucks too. We noticed too that M&S is now selling other brands like Clarke's, Smiggle and Jaeger. There are two fundamental truths in business - the only constant is change and customers make pay days. Go M&S.

Jolly's might look like an old fashion British department store from the outside, but it is…read moreactually a part of the House of Fraser group. But even though it's part of a chain, House of Fraser should be commended for making it look as though it's an independent department shop. Spread over three levels it's a one-stop shop for ladies who love retail; there's fashion, cosmetics, homeware and a cafe to sit down after an exhausting shopping session. It may all seem a bit middle class but look closely and there's plenty for younger girls too. There's an Oasis, Benefit, MAC and All Saints to name but a few stands. Not the cheapest of places, but a lovely place to go if you're trying to please a whole family of shoppers. They also hold weekly one-off events so make sure you pop in to see what's happening in-store.

Proper higgledy-piggledy department store of old, lots of steps and staircases making it unsuitable…read morefor shopping with a buggy. Ladies clothes - lots of concessions, Planet, Paul Costelloe, phase eight etc plus House of Fraser own brands linea and platinum. Good undies section, and leather handbags and gloves. All the major perfum people are there - use the top entrances to get straight to these. Homeware a bit hit and miss, always worth a look when it's a 20% off day. Staff are either very young or old (some of the ladies in the clothes area must be over 70 - lovely people, not so hot on the till technology) and are ALWAYS pushing the storecard.

Rossiters in my opinion is what is good about England. This department store is a Bath institution…read moreand has been around for years. Twenty years ago I used to frequent here before I emigrated. I am pleased to see that it still exists.

I have bought a few things here in the past, including a lamp, bedside cabinet and a throw for the…read morecouch (which my girlfriend made me get, even though the infernal things always fall off and are more hassle than they're worth). However, it's not all that cheap here, as is the case with a lot of the Bath stores, I guess, but the quality is unquestionable. The staff are always on hand to show you where things are, but are pretty clueless about actually recommending anything. It's a good place to browse if you need some extra furnishing for a new place, but don't expect to be overwhelmed with desire.

One of two Bloomsbury shops in Bath, this store specialises in the more expensive and exclusive…read moreitems they have to offer. There's jewellery, furniture and limited edition books to be had at this outlet, located just a two minute walk away from its sister shop! This Bloomsbury on Quiet Street is just that; quieter, slicker and a bit for refined. You don't the 'thrown together' fun that you get from the other store but the quality of the jewellery here is significantly better. Be expected to pay anything upwards of £60 for a necklace and £30 for cufflinks. The staff are slightly more pretentious at this shop, but are equalling willing to help. There are some lovely pieces here, so check it out if you've got a birthday coming up or you want to treat yourself to something a bit special.

I love this jewellery shop and it is definitely my favourite in Bath! It is sister to Bloomsbury's…read morelovely gift shop a street away and has a similar quirky attitude. You won't like this shop if you are a fan of chain store jewellers. The store has a very modern look and sells the work of mostly British jewellery designers - lovely hand made items. Despite some quite pricey stock the shop is not at all intimidating and the staff are friendly and helpful.

If you're in need of a small pair of scissors for trimming facial hair, nails, etc. then look no…read morefurther - Boot has you covered! I discovered no less than THREE different types of Lilliputian-sized scissors fit for such activities. Priced at around £2 with both conventional and self-checkout options, this Boots won't hurt your wallet or your busy schedule checking out the Roman baths in... Bath. Ah, I get that now.

The store is quite big and the normal staff seem helpful…read more The reason I'm reviewing is because the Pharmacy staff were appalling! I recently went in with a rash on my hands, to see if they had any advice or suggestions as to what it might be. The woman simply said, "I don't know what it is so don't know how to treat it". She didn't take a good look at my hands, or ask me any questions, she just didn't seem to care at all. I thought she was very rude and unprofessional. With that, I went to Superdrug's pharmacy staff for assistance, and they couldn't do enough for me. If you are looking for brilliant customer service from a pharmacy, I would highly recommend Superdrug.

A new addition to Bath's shopping district, All Saints makes a welcome change from Marks & Spencers…read moreor Jack Wills. The edgy fashion they stock here is exactly what Bath needs to drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. This particular outlet stocks men and women's fashion and, even though it's only been open a few months, has some unbelievable sales. Sadly I wouldn't be able to shop here without 70% off their extremely pricey prices. But if you're looking for a statement piece of clothing and are happy to spend a little more - here's the best place to go! The only things that let it down are the staff and the sizes. The sales assistant are a little on the snobby side, so I wouldn't be inclined to ask for their help and the sizes don't tend to go up further than a size 14.

Just read your review of All Saints and could not agree more with your comments regarding its edgy…read moreside, its just what Bath has needed. Bath has become all too familiar with the traditional styles of Blazers and Shirt combinations due to its Rugby image and Public school history. This store changes that with unique cuts rarely seen in the high street. I came here for Christmas Shopping and was hugely impressed with the service. They set a stylish example and covered all grounds of customer service. I fully expected them to be snobby but they were actually extremely helpful and the gentleman on womenswear really helped me with my purchase of a coat. So much so i felt only right to respond to here and encourage Bath and its surrounding area to enter the new year with a visit there and enjoy its vibe.