The Galleries — Local services in Bristol

Not a great shopping experience, just ok.

Not a great selection of shops either, not even the "usual" selection of designer shops. No newsagent in the galleries or broadmead (there is one bottom of Union Street, as you go towards the bus station... That's it for the whole of town).

Talking of a lack, there is ONE tech shop in town, it's in Cabot Circus, and small.

The food quarter, is soo basic.

As for disabled shoppers, the 2 lifts are so slow, and take ages to come. The escalators are always out of order, and take ages to get fixed.

Don't rush down, there's not much point!

UPDATE JUNE 2022

MARKS SPARKS, DEBENHAMS, CARPHONEWAREHOUSE, all gone.

The single newsagent, has gone.

You still can't enjoy a coffee in the dry outside.

Not a single part of the shaping of BROADMEAD we all liked back 10+ years ago has happened.

There's a total lack of big companies in Bristol shopping centre.

I think the ratio of closed units is soon going to reach ⅓. The biggest units have closed already.

After COVID, and now the most expensive time on utilities, food, shopping, is going to see a load more shut before the year is out.

Oh, at Christmas time we have 50 sheds of sht, or rather over priced euro gifts which for 11 months of the year are on discount somewhere.

Anyways, it's our city, regardless of how shty it is, and eventually it's got to...

Just want to say, I think I've figured out the secret that will breathe life back into The Galleries and make it a choice destination for shoppers all over the south west.

Install some sort of really fun ride, for adults AND children in the galleries. My thought was some sort of glass tube thing, a little like in Futurama, that you go shooting around in but I imagine that might be tricky from a technological standpoint. But don't hold back, invest in this thing. Make it something people would actually travel to ride on. Capacity needs to be high as well, can't have hundreds of people waiting around for hours because only one person can ride at a time and each run is like 3 minutes long. This thing could give you views of Bristol, allow you to wave at your friends and family as you ride it, be a photo opportunity and more! The main thing is make it worth visiting.

People then flock from all over to see this, but as they are passing through, notice the offers on at Robert Dyas or remember they need to buy some some luggage bags or go to Gregg's or something. The value of each unit then also shoots up as it becomes prime real-estate because of its proximity to the ride and the traffic the ride brings.

Anyways,...

It's no great secret to see that The Galleries imminent demolition (for more expensive flats) has been on the cards for a few years now, which is such a shame for the people of Bristol. Since the 90s, this was the thriving central shopping centre of Bristol, and whilst it has been let to run down a bit, it still sees a massive footfall of customers every day of the week.

This shopping centre spans 3 floors (ground, first and second) has a huge carpark, lifts, escalators, toilets, and still a good selection of shops, all under one warm roof (unlike the drafty, leaky Cabot Circus). There's still a Waterstones, Boots, Argos, Robert Dyas, Claire's Accessories, Jewelry Shops, Beauty Shops, Clothes Shops, Cafes and Eateries, a W.H. Smith and a Post Office, a Games Arcade, Poundland, The Grape Tree, a Wedding Dress Shop, and many more. Also, the toilets are more accessible than other local shopping centres are there are much less queues.

If you want to shop somewhere warm and with a great variety of shops then take a trip here before it all disappears! Especially if you want a bit of 90s nostalgia as it feels like you are walking back...