Maidenhead Aquatics Southport

If you're keeping fish, or thinking about it, Maidenhead Aquatics on Meols Cop Retail Park is your best bet in Southport. It's part of a chain, sure, but the staff seem to know their stuff and they've got a decent range of, well, everything you need. They do aquariums, all the filter bits and bobs, plants, and obviously the fish themselves – tropical and coldwater. Google reviews are pretty solid too, 4.7 stars from 55 reviews last time I checked.

It's not the cheapest place, so be prepared for that – price range is probably in the middle. But for specialist advice and a good selection, it's worth a look. It's open late most days, 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and then a shorter day on Sunday (10:30am to 4:30pm). I've used them for years and they’ve never let me down.

They're easy to find, just off Scarisbrick New Road and there's loads of parking outside the retail park. It's on the same site as Currys and PC World, so you can't miss it.

Give them a ring on 01704 569701 if you're after something specific, like a rare breed of goldfish, just to make sure they have it in stock.