THE FIRST specialist cider shop has opened in Bristol in time for Christmas selling anything and everything to do with the West Country's favourite drink.

Despite the region's strong associations with cider – including several cider-heavy bars and boats – the city was lacking a specific cider shop.

And business partners Peter Snowman and Nick Davis are hoping to plug the gap in the market.

December was always going to be the right time to launch the venture for Mr Snowman, who lives above the new shop on Christmas Steps in the city centre.

"I've had a few suppliers saying 'hang on a minute' when I say my name's Mr Snowman at 7 Christmas Steps," he said. "But it was accidental, I just saw the property and fell for it."

The store will stock over 50 varieties of draught and bottled cider and perry, as well as a wide range of other cider-related products including books, CDs and hampers.

Traders such as online business ciderpunk.com and local producers like Thatchers promote or run cider shops near Bristol but before today there were none in the city itself.

Mr Snowman, a 38-year-old events manager and Mr Davis, a 36-year-old tree surgeon, have given up their previous jobs to run the store and hope to expand after Christmas into cider tours, drinks events and running stalls at festivals.

"We were in the orchard one day and it suddenly occurred to me there wasn't a specific cider shop in Bristol, which is a bit ridiculous," explained Mr Snowman.

The owners promise all the ciders they stock are made in the UK and sourced direct from farms in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and South Wales.

They are also selling draught cider in quantities from a pint to a barrel so locals can stock up on more than enough to keep Grandpa in song this Christmas.

It will be open Monday to Saturday from 11am-7pm, with late night opening on Thursday nights in December until 8pm.

For more information, go to www.BristolCiderShop.co.uk.