For me the JD brand and its stores has always been heavily associated with the 'chav' culture which…read moreseems to have engulfed not only Liverpool but the country as a whole and as such this meant I was not a fan. I have to say that having seen the JD branch in Liverpool One I have had a dramatic change of heart so much so that I have made several purchases from the establishment. From the exterior point of view the store looks modern and cool and it really entices you inside with its sleek decor and slick appearance. Once inside the display layout of the store just makes you want to peruse all of the produce and there is some quality stock on offer. My only real qualm with this place is the fact that the prices are high and the staff seem a bit distant but this is something which can be expected in large establishments everywhere.

JD Sports is another one of those places, I've seemed to have forgotten to review, I've visited…read morethis store multiple times since it opened around this time last year, inside the former WHSmith unit of the Manchester Arndale, although the store is larger having used the previous JD Sports unit of the mall. An expanded, modern branch of JD Sports in Manchester, to fit in to the brands identity and reputation in terms of stores was definitely needed, with the previous branches in town being nothing short of disappointing, an old, oddly shaped store (where this one used to be), a depressing store below another sports shop (in Halle Mall which also has been vacated to make way for food units) and a pop-up shop you could barely move in on Market Street (which was built during the renovation of this store before it opened) The store is quite large, and is perhaps one of my favourite sports shops in town, competing with another large store in Sports Direct, but this store for me is better because it is brighter and modern. The staff here seem friendly enough, but sometimes they have seen a little rude, for example I've visited this store a few times now just to buy a bag, as I like the style of bags JD Sports have for carrying my items, most of the time there's been no problem, but around once or twice now they've just plain refused and awkwardly left me to carry a bag which had completely ripped into two, with no apology or sympathy as it's "against rules." The slightly confusing way of picking up orders also lets the store down, you have to go to a different queue in the sports section, which I also found out after queuing in the regular till which was annoying, this should be clearer and I don't understand why it isn't possible to do everything at the same, one and "main" checkout. Most items in the store are priced reasonably, and there is a decent selection on offer, especially of trainers which JD Sports of course pride themselves in with the slogan "King of Trainers" A much-needed improvement has been delivered with this branch of JD Sports, although it certainly isn't without its flaws it is a nice, modern, large store and deserving of a three-star rating, issues with bag gate, occasional price issues with non-sale items and picking up online orders do let this store down, I also sometimes find the choice of music to also be a little tacky and let the store down too, and make it a place to run the hell away from, rather than go in to shop and look at the sportswear, so I feel only a three-star rating is possible for Manchester's JD Sports.

The store has been relocated to an old administrative building of the club. I think the location is…read moresmaller but still plenty of stuff to go through. Also a ticketing department ajoins it.

I tend to still shop from their website for the odd piece as they often send out regular offers and…read morediscounts in their emailed newsletter but occcassionally it's nice to pop into the flagship accessories store in the Trafford Centre (though I loathe the place as a whole) for the signature pieces, eyewear and shoes. The staff aren't always that helpful and are often in a world of their own which is a bit of a shame. It'd be nice to see them a little more enthusiastic. But the designer label speaks for itself. ...Once again I went in to make a purchase and found the staff completely ignorant. Think I'll stick to the website.

Vivienne Westwood is classed as an iconic designer and I'm sure she is but in the day to day I…read morecan't see how her prices are really justified. The shop itself is lovely as a bit of a museum, a bit of window shopping and the designs are pretty but I can't justify spending that much money on anything when you can buy a perfectly acceptable bag / pair of shoes / coat anywhere else. So, as much as this shop is nice I don't think it's really my sort of thing - I am more of a Marks and Spencers than a Vivienne Westwood! The staff though are lovely so it is worth a look.

This branch of Sports Direct is located over three floors (albeit the first floor is mainly for the…read moreescalators and lifts), it is located on Victoria Plaza in Bolton town centre. The overall store isn't great, it's quite typical of Sports Direct in terms of being slightly cluttered, with the overall space in the store being quite narrow, unlike in some shops and supermarkets, there didn't seem to be isles of the sort. The staff here seemed slightly more helpful than in other branches of Sports Direct, yet due to being located over two floors, the layout was slightly confusing and there didn't seem to be a store guide of any kind, which was disappointing. I came in looking for the new Manchester City away shirt and to take a quick browse at the sportswear, I didn't end up realising there was a second floor until I'd got down the lift, and ended up going up first (before I left the store), only to realise there was another floor, as mentioned above lack of signage and a store guide is an issue. This store is okay, perhaps in terms of selection it is slightly above average, in terms of overall feel and being cluttered, it isn't the best of places to shop, yet the service I found to be okay, so I feel this store does at least warrant a two-star rating.

I really do love a good old Sports Direct. Obviously I wouldn't wear sports wear on a normal,…read moreday-to-day basis (though if you want to, fair enough - that's your choice), but I do love a bit of sports equipment. I mean, if you're going to take up badminton on a whim then you may as well have the right kit to do the job. Thankfully, Sports Direct makes indulging in these kind of whims less expensive, we're their dead cheap but trustable branded sports gear. I challenge you to find a sports shop that has as much equipment or is generally as cheap. Sports Direct is great for cheapness and good quality. It is still the man to an extent. Check out its comical re-naming of St James Park stadium in Newcastle. Bad times.

Pretty small compared to their other stores but JD Sports' Macclesfield town centre branch is OK…read more The selection is limited compared to the larger stores, but the selection wasn't bad, they still had football jerseys from the Carabao Cup champions Manchester City and Manchester United of the Europa League, with both teams being based around 20 miles away that makes sense. I always get confused at JD's larger stores selling jerseys from teams at the opposite end of the country, even in smaller towns too which would get little tourism. The checkout area is pretty compact, there was only one staff member working so there was a slight wait, it's a shame they didn't get another staff member to come on the till to help the growing queue as one customer was handling returns, the staff member who served me was friendly though. 3* - Decent store, a nice brand to have in Macclesfield, the click and collect facility is more useful due to the limited selection in-store, meaning you can order online to collect.