Bishopston Hardware

We’ve recently moved into a new flat so I’ve had lots of random reasons to visit this hardware store recently. The most recent was for some paint to upcycle an old table and chairs. We walked in about 5 minutes before closing and took that 5 minutes to choose the 5 colours I wanted them to mix for me. They didn’t grumble even though I know this would have disgruntled them, in fact we had a bit of banter about how much of a pain I was being!
The guys in there (of which there seem to be loads) all seem to know their stuff and have a good sense of humour. The one who was serving us got to work on mixing my paints in this device that looked like something from honey I shrunk the kids and they advised us on which brush was best.
The shop itself is pretty basic but tidy and has a good range, and smells like wood (which every hardware shop should!).
It is a smidge pricey but supporting local business is important and you get what you pay for, I think.

Another great hardware store on Gloucester Road.
My girlfriend and I wanted some paint to paint a table we acquired. We popped in as I was sure I’d seen tins of paint last time I went in. Turns out they’ve got a full Dulux paint mixing machine with a paint chart — sorted!
We picked our colours, gave them to matey-​boy and then had a mooch while he mixed his magic.
The shop is full of nic-​nacs from flower bulbs, paint brushes, toilet seats, taps and washing up bowls. if you need it, they’ve probably got it.
There always seems to be a lot of staff. Probably because they get asked lots of silly questions by people like myself, but there was no waiting around. All of the guys were really helpful. One had just come back from his stag do and was covered in fake tan — David Dickinson style — oh how we laughed!
Bishopston Hardware is a great shop with great staff. It’s so handy that it’s at the end of my road!

Sometimes I find it is difficult to get the random essentials that one needs for the home and garden living in the centre of Bristol so Bishopston Hardware is a gem of a store. I came in here looking for some waterproof paint to jazz up some wooden chairs I wanted to use outside.
Not only did Bishopston Hardware stock plenty of waterproof paint it also has everything you could need to fulfil your DIY dreams. Timber, nails, paint, kitchenware all have a home here and the staff are helpful too. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for I was pointed in the right direction and they even suggested a slightly cheaper brand than I was looking at and gave me advice on how to prep my furniture.
Great shop, great for advice and products and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to spruce up or fix their home or garden.

Bishopston Hardware and DIY Centre is a great compliment to Bristol Tools just a little further up the road. It sells all kinds of gadgets and fastenings, as well as gardening and building materials… and of course, hardware for the house and home.
I was first introduced to Bishopston Hardware under pretty trying circumstances. I had just been burgled and was desperately in need of a hasp and padlock to temporarily sure up my home. They had a good selection of quality products, and I ended up taking their advice, spending a little extra on a Yale padlock (with a concealed bridge), and sturdy hasp.
This shop is not as cheap as the pound shops for everyday products like washing up bowls and mops, but their prices are reasonable and the quality of the products is far superior, probably making them more economical in the long run. What makes them outstanding is the sheer breadth of knowledge they possess about their stock, which must run into several thousands of items and covers a broad range of products.
I’ve had cause to visit them a few times over the years, and always look forward to my visit, safe in the knowledge that I’ll emerge with what I need. As everything seems to be haphazardly stored I don’t even bother trying to locate what I’m looking for, instead I head straight for the counter and ask for assistance. They don’t mind in the least, and seem to enjoy wandering off and poking around in the shop, re-​emerging with a handful of different options. Great!

Mary Poppins would’ve been in her element in this little hardware store — I’ve never seen such a diverse array of brooms in my life! Bishopston Hardware is probably guilty for much of the household clutter which resides in the houses of local residents. Mops, brooms, buckets, pots and pans can all be found here at bargain prices. And the variety of each item is immense — you could probably purchase a different bucket for every day of the year! Very impressive, if you’re into hardware…

This place is a bit of a jumble sale. They say that they are a hardware and DIY centre but they sell an awful lot of useless crap such as buckets, plastic boxes and mops. However, they do sell some bathroom appliances and other household furniture but they are not cheap. I just find it odd how they can charge a couple of quid for a broom and at the same time expect to sell a tap for £99, and cater for the same type of customer.
Staff were few and far between for a large shop with so much in it, so expect to do a lot of walking and head pivoting before you can find someone to help you.

Anything of a DIY nature will be found in Bishopston Hardware. An excellent shop, with a massive array of items. It is surprisingly big, and stretches back even further than the shop itself, with a workshop at the back where they can alter or make you up pieces of wood to measure.
It’s split into two parts — you walk into the shop in the left part, which has household items such as mops and buckets, whilst the right side is the longer, far reaching part, which houses all manner of things DIY– from paint to nails to door handles, they stock just about anything you’re likely to need. It’s been here many years and is part of the local community, and a hundred times better than its corporate rival (the one with two letters…) up the road.

Like a tardis inside… it goes on and on and is stocked with magical gadgets and gizmos you just can’t purchase elsewhere.
The outside area is littered with plastic boxes, dustpans and brushes, plants, screws and other bits n bobs — and the theme is continued inside too. They call themselves a DIY centre and I have to say, I’d so much rather visit this shop, in all its disorganised glory, than spend a Saturday afternoon at B&Q.