I love this building. This 1930's Art-Deco designed building was refurbished by The Office Group…read moreand they have created a lovely sustainable office space. The Office is a pretty unfortunate name to call your business, not exactly got the greatest of connotations. The Office or Office Group provides flexible managed office space which is very handy if you aren't prepared to tie yourself into a long office lease. The building has a large meeting space and communal break out areas for all the office staff. It also has a lovely roof terrace. It was a bit windy and cold when I was up there in February but I could certainly see the potential of this place in summer. A great serviced office space, the lift is a little bit scary but otherwise the space has been refurbished to a high standard.

Campions are a small lettings agent on Chandos Road in Redland. Although it's small, it's up there…read morepunching its weight with the best of the small competition around town, like Moorfields, Rents Direct, Absolute Unlimited and Right Home, to name a few. They have property mostly in the immediate vicinity of Redland and surrounding neighbourhoods, and have a large amount of both professional and student properties. If you're a landlord, they won't charge you a finders fee, making them appealing to a large number of potential landlords. They do have some appealing property on their books at the moment, so check them out. They seem fairly well run and efficient, with all the professionalisms that you would hope to expect from a lettings agency.

I wasn't expecting much from this small letting agency on Chandos Road, and tended to feel more…read morecomfortable going to the bigger agencies on Whiteladies. However, i needn't have had this feeling, as i was very pleasently suprised by Campions. For such a tiny venue, they covered a fairly large area and had a lot of properties available. First -time property hunting students may find the process overwhelming, but Campions is a sure bet. Redland is a very sought-after area for students, so which better place to find a house/flat then Campions, which has extensive knowledge of the surrounding area.

This bathroom and plumbing supplies merchant is mostly known only to plumbers and builders, but…read morethey have recently opened their own showroom so that customers can come in, browse and choose their bathroom furniture. Having used their service to obtain all our bathroom bits, I'd recommend them highly. Here's why... First of all, we would never have heard of this place if it were not for our builder and bathroom fitter, who recommended we pay them a visit. The showroom is small, and it's not easy to find: tucked away on the Badminton trading estate, on the left as you drive across the railway bridge entering Yate from Bristol, it took us a couple of wrong turnings to get there. (Incidentally, the map insert on Yelp was not accurate when I looked just now). Anyway, we sat down at the desk and were looked after by Rob, and that's the first reason I'd recommend this place: personal service. Although the showroom is small, their product range is enormous, and so is their knowledge. Bathrooms, it turns out, are more complicated than I thought. You have to know which products go together, what everything measures, even what wattage a towel rail will output when your heating runs at 70ºC... Rob knew it all. What's more, he was patient and worked hard with us over several visits / phone calls / spreadsheets exchanged via e-mail to make sure we specced our bathroom exactly as we wanted, and in a way that would all fit. Second reason I'd recommend them is value for money. With a complex project like a bathroom, it helps if your supplier has the market knowledge to advise you where you can save money without losing out on quality. It also helps if they can be as creative as necessary with pricing, pointing out which manufacturers are open to more negotiation than others. Our visit has culminated in us buying a bath, shower, taps, shower tray and door, Showerwall (instead of tiling), washbasin, WC, vanity units and radiators. We feel we have a great quality bathroom suite at an excellent price. What's more, they're supplying our fitter directly so there is less for us to worry about and the communication is working out well. If you're considering re-fitting a bathroom in Bristol or South Gloucestershire, I'd highly recommend giving Marcliff a call--and you can either introduce your fitter to them, or ask them to recommend one to you. Either way, it's bound to be better than B&Q!

A refreshing change from the sales driven model of the multinationals…read more I first visited NBPS in their humble beginning. Back then they were based in a small industrial estate just off the A38 by patchway. They had a store the size of a sweet shop and just as many treats too! Skip forward 4 years and they've certInly grown somewhat, the sweet shop now a large warehouse and filled with even more treats for tradesmen. It even includes a bathroom showroom now. Sadly, it is now a little further away from Bristol, located still on the A38 but in Almondsbury now. It is still well worth the trip nonetheless. They have always manage to keep the shop as open possible, the fittings are all on display and you are free to wander around at will. You aren't relying on having to explain what you want to some (often) clueless shop worker like you do in some places. So if you forget something, you really only have yourself to blame. They have a firm focus on service rather then sales and when the **** hits the fan, whether it's your fault, theirs, all their supplier(s), you know they will work as hard as they can to get it sorted for you. Jeff, the owner is a life long tradesmen and plumbing wizard. He really is a fountain of knowledge and what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing. He's more then happy to divulge this knowledge of you can catch him on the shop floor. The main man on the shop floor though is Scott, he's probably the most competent person I've met. If he says he is going to do something you can rest easy knowing it's going to get done. All in all Nbps is a top place full of top people.

It can be very difficult finding somewhere to live... and even more so if your a student, there is…read morea certain snobbery attached in some rental properties: "Oh, your a student... no... this just wouldn't be for you!" 'Unite Student living in Bristol' take alot of those worries out and will find that perfect property near park street, or that beutiful house in bedminster and even that cool crib in clifton! There is a good selection on the window outside to gibe you an idea what you would be paying and what sort of property's you will be looking at, and they are very helpfull inside. The website also has a very good search to look through.

Very friendly and helpful staff. It's definitely worth popping in here for a chat if you are…read morelooking for rental oppotunities. Their website is also really handy for getting a general jist of the properties they offer but I would definitely recommend going in and seeing the people themselves as they have some great advise in relation to transport links, local supermarkets, bars etc....

Lucky are those who are rich enough to enjoy their university years at Goldney Hall! Aside from…read moreproviding wonderful accommodation to wealthier students, Goldney Hall plays host to venues and functions from outside the university bubble. The grounds are spectacular- you could spend all day exploring the waterfalls, underground caves, ponds and statues. One impressive statue is of Hercules and his mighty club! Many photo opportunities abound. If you wish to have somewhere sophisticated and able to provide a stunning backdrop, then Goldney Hall gardens are a perfect choice.

This is part of the University of Bristol's student accommodation facilities, but some of it is…read morealso hired out as a function venue. This is the carnation in which I visited Goldney Hall last summer for a friend's wedding reception. The function room we were in was pretty standard - very posh, but nothing particularly out of the ordinary. However, the garden outside was great, lots of water features and freshly mown grass - perfect for a summer evening. I don't know how much hiring this place out costs, but if you're looking for a venue in the centre of Bristol with a bit of class, then this could be just what you're after.

Opus is a glass makers shop based on Chandos Road in Redland. They deal with a wide range of…read morebusiness - from making ornamental glass objects (see picture) to taking on commissions for things like stained glass windows and specialist lights. It's a small shop, but it has a really good artistic atmosphere, and when I went in, although I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I had a lengthy chat with the assistant. They run glass making courses, where you can create an object of your own making under their guidance, which sounds like an appealing idea. They deal with both residential projects and large commercial ones - they've installed a number of stained glass pieces in a few restaurants and office buildings. This is a really interesting shop - just pop by for a chat if nothing else.

Opus is a quirky shop that makes you question its location on Chandos road. Surely there can't be…read moreenough people in the surrounding area with a desire for wonderful hand made glassware? Well it survives and them some...the staff are extremely friendly and showed me their pieces. I imagine some of them would look exceptional in a contemporary kitchen or bathroom. The colours are vivid and you know that you are getting something unique as all the pieces are made lovingly by the two owners and the two owners alone. This is the sort of local business that deserves your support, so go on the website, have a browse and start looking at that dingy bathroom that could do with a bit of decorating!

Fancy moving house but can't afford to?…read more What about a conservatory instead? They're a local, independent company, which is always nice and you do get the feel that the are assessing your individual and personal needs and gving a choice of options to suit you, rather than just banging in the same as every house on the road! Whether you want a high end sort of extra space or slightly lower end, Corom can help, and whatever your budget work will always be carried out to the highest standard. Of course, you get a free, non-obligation quote as well as the knowledge that they use only the latest technology!