Running retailer’s growth picks up the pace with Bristol store launch

Runners Need, the running specialist retailer, is set to open a new store in Clifton, Bristol.

The opening sees Runners Need pick up the pace in the city with its first standalone store – adding to a presence in Filton and New Broadmead as part of the Cotswold Outdoor Group’s multi-fascia sites.

The company said the launch is a response to the burgeoning popularity of running in Bristol. The sport has exploded in the city in recent years to establish itself as a running hotspot in the UK. This has paved the way for the emergence of several modish run communities and the ongoing success of the Great Bristol Run.

The Cotswold-based company will open the 139 sq m unit located on Queens Road in the Clifton Triangle, the central hive of shops and restaurants in the popular district.

Bristolians can expect in-store running experts and the latest shoes, running tech and nutrition from the industry’s biggest brands including On, Hoka, Asics, Brooks, New Balance and Garmin. The store will also stock outdoor footwear from leading brands including Merrell and Salomon.

The store will offer services such as gait analysis to help customers unlock improvements in their running and a walking boot and shoe fitting service to find the perfect fit for hikers.

Clifton will be the company’s 66th store in the UK.

Andy Dopson, head of retail at Runners Need, said: “We’re incredibly excited to serve the Bristol running community – one that has seen exponential growth in recent times – with the very best running and outdoor footwear.

“Located in a prime shopping area in Clifton, the store will serve the needs of runners of all abilities with a friendly and supportive service that will help customers get the most out of their running.