Cabot Circus: Does it live up to the hype? (Cabot Circus Shopping Centre (Bristol))

Member Name: stuntpilotx

Product:	Cabot Circus Shopping Centre (Bristol)
Date:	19/01/09 (250 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The facelift Broadmead needed.

Disadvantages: Too many expensive shops. Odd layout.

Cabot Circus opened in Bristol in September 2008 amidst much media hype, having been ten years in the making, but does it live up to the hype?

-Location-
Cabot Circus is located just off the M32, which is adjoined to the M5 North and South and the M4, so it's reasonably easy to get to by car. The car park is literally just off the motorway and is huge! Although quite expensive at around £3 per hour!

Bristol Temple Meads is a 10-15 minute walk away, or you can get the number 8/8A/9 buses that go right into the heart of Cabot Circus for £1.55. Although in rush hour and on Friday afternoons it probably takes half the time to walk!

-Shops-
There is a vast number of shops to choose from in Cabot Circus, including:
Zara, Warehouse, La Senza, Top Shop, H&M, Next, House of Fraser, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, Dorothy Perkins, AWear, Republic, JD Sports. And many many more. There's well over 100 stores, the House of Fraser is GIANT, and makes the centrepoint of Cabot Circus. Extending into the town centre is an Apple Store too which is brilliant!

The hyped up Harvey Nichols is a big disappointment. Many people cannot afford to buy things there, and it's actually quite small. It's definitely not the focus of the centre that it was made out to be.

-Eating-
There's more restaurants and cafes than you can shake a stick at in Bristol as it is, and Cabot Circus has just added a lot more! A Gourmet Burger Kitchen, YO! Sushi, Giraffe, Zizzis, Pret a Manger. Many of these places exist in other places in Bristol already, so it's not the eating metropolis it has been made out to be, but there is a great choice of places to eat between shops, or before/after a trip to the huge Showcase Cinema on the top floor.

-Getting Around-
Needless to say, it's a good job that there's plenty of Cabot Circus staff around at all times, as at best this place is a nightmare to navigate! You go in on one level, and find yourself on the second floor. The escalators are far apart from each other, and you often find yourself having to walk the long way around as the walkway becomes a dead end. It is a little confusing, but thankfully the staff are helpful and the maps are very useful!

The only issue may be mobility - there only appears to be 3 lifts in the entire place, and there is a lot of walking involved in a visit to Cabot Circus.

Summary: Makes Bristol a hot contender for nearby shopping areas. But it is a trek and gets very busy.