Best gift shops in Redland, Bristol

It can be a bit of a struggle buying presents for people but we're fortunate enough here in Redland that there are plenty of gift shops, so much so that we needn't venture into Bristol City Centre. Once more, the obvious places to head are Whiteladies Road or Gloucester Road, but there are some good places in between too, to suit a whole spectrum of pockets.

First up we have Soukous on Cotham Hill. You can't fail to spot Soukous, it's the big bright pink shop which breaks up the run of Cotham Hill charity shops prefectly. Soukous is an Aladdin's Cave of cards and gifts. Independent through and through, you won't find mass produced tat here but everything is carefully selected. There's a mix of stuff from the raunchy/joke items to classy/sophisticated gifts. Iota on Gloucester Road has a similar fare of items, though is slightly more home-focused.

Also on that stretch is Amphora Aromatics, where you can pick up some nice aromatherapy type gifts - possibly more of a woman's present. For men, try Corks of Cotham, which stocks a great range of beers, ales, ciders and spirits as well as an impeccable wine selection. And don't rule out the charity shops where you can pick up some one off items, books, records and tankards etc. The St Peter's Hospice Shop, Clic Sargent and the Oxfam Book shop are well worth a look. Music lovers would no doubt appreciate a gift from one of the many record shops in Redland, such as The Beat Goes On or Plastic Wax Records.

If you're after gifts for foodies, head to Scrumptiously Sweet on Gloucester Road, where you can get old fashioned sweets by weight in bags or jars. They also have a good selection of lollipops, pre-packaged sweets and other confectionary. The Better Food Company on Whiteladies Road is a great place to put together an ethical food hamper and for some lovely birthday cakes you really want Hart's Bakery, just off Cotham Hill.

When buying for fashionistas, Cox and Baloney's Vintage Boutique is a good port of call for one off pieces which won't break the bank. In a similar vein, there is also Re-Psycho on Gloucester Road, which has plenty of one off pieces, band t-shirts, woolly jumpers and discontinued footwear. Nearby Beast stocks a modern range of slogan t-shirts and other gifts, which are more male friendly.

For more elaborate gifts, such as jewellery, you've got Alexander Parkin on Cotham Hill, at the top end and the more down to earth Bamba Beads on Gloucester Road. At Bamba Beads, you can get all creative and make your own designs - which shows a bit more effort has gone into the present. They have thousands of beads to pick from and are there to help you out along the way. Of course, they have ready made items too.

We've covered a lot of bases there, from traditional gifts to foodstuffs and booze to books and records as well as clothes and jewellery so that next time your stuck for something to buy for someone, just have a look at all the wonderful businesses around you in Redland and Bristol.

Photo by ChatiryGirl via Flickr