Aiming to get there for 9am. Will it be horrible? Need to get back for the game obviously. Would we be cutting it fine?
Is the right answer.In the morning its not too bad at all. The secret is to know what you want, then get f*ck out of there. You'll be fine.
The best tactic for the Bristol Ikea at weekends is ensure you're parked up before opening time - there might well be a small queue of fellow shoppers there too.
Get in, pick up what you want, don't linger and head straight to the tills - you should be in and out in no time before the madness really begins.
And as for Bristol, it's so horrible in pretty much every way, I'll never go to that one again.
I've been to three of them - Croydon, Southampton and Bristol.
Southampton in West Quay is by far the best of them - it's massive and rarely gets as crowded as the other two. I think it's on 3 floors (not two) but you have to pay parking (which you are refunded if you spend £20 or more).
Wozza's exit entrance tip is handy at Croydon. I don't mind the Croydon one, but well worth avoiding at peak times, if only to avoid the absurd levels of congestion on Purley Way.
And as for Bristol, it's so horrible in pretty much every way, I'll never go to that one again.
They are all hell because theres parents of toddlers who seem to think I should find their offsprings antics adoreable, running around and getting under peoples feet.
We go to the one at Lakeside instead, a bit further to drive but it means you don't have to drive up Purley way and all the traffic around there getting in and out.