This week thousands of us have descended upon Cabot Circus in search of a post-Christmas bargain or two.
But for some, the visit has been less than pleasurable – and it's not due to the crowds.
It seems many Bristolians struggle with vertigo when crossing the footbridge which connects the car park with the shopping centre.
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Posting recently in the Facebook group, Growing up in Bristol, Kim Cleave from Stapleton wrote: "Has anyone else had any problems with their balance/vertigo, walking across the pedestrian bridge, from the car park, at Cabot Circus, to the shopping area, in Bristol?
"I had extreme vertigo symptoms, trying to walk on this bridge. The design of sloping floor and walls were awful!"
Dozens of people commented in agreement, reporting they had experienced similar symptoms when crossing the bridge.
Sue Brown said: "I walked over with my sister and friend, they thought I was messing about but I actually thought I was going to pass out...I felt like I wanted to crawl across, worst experience ever."
Penny Neale added: "It was a horrible sensation and I will never walk over it again."
And on Bristol Live's Facebook page, Karina Hall said: "It makes me feel really sick. I can only use it if I can hold onto one of my family’s arm otherwise it makes me dizzy and I nearly fall over. I’m really not a dramatic person normally."
While Rebecca Reynolds said: "Makes me feel sick and off balance every time when walking on it - If I do go in it I have to walk dead centre and quickly to get to the other side."
This is not the first time that the footbridge has attracted negative comment. Back in 2012 Bristol Post reader Mary Jenkins contacted us with her views about the design, writing: "Every time I cross it, it has a weird effect and makes me dizzy – to the point that I now avoid this route.
"It might have looked good on an architect's drawing board, but it's not too nice in reality – and needs to be avoided by anyone prone to dizzy spells or vertigo."
There is even a Facebook group devoted to the bridge, set up by Bristol blogger Steve Crowley, called 'The wonky bridge in Cabot Circus makes me feel dizzy and sick.' The closed group has 229 members.
In response to a letter from Mr Crowley about the bridge's dizzying effects, a spokesperson for Cabot Circus said: "The Cabot Circus car parking link bridge has been signed off to all mandatory requirements and the centre has won numerous awards for its design and building efficiency.
"The feedback to date has been positive from a design and practical point of view so we do not intend on making any changes for the foreseeable future."
The footbridge was designed by structural engineering firm David Dexter Associates and architects Wilkinson Eyre to provide high-level access across Temple Way connecting the multi-storey car park and Cabot Circus shopping centre.
In 2009 the design received a commendation in the Steel Construction.org design awards, which recognises design excellence across the UK.
The judge's comment on the Steel Construction.org website states: "The bridge provides a striking pedestrian approach to this major centre. The sweeping form of the box deck, sculpturally curved and twisted, supports the glass enclosure. The careful detailing, masking of the deck splices, the integration of the services and the high quality fabrication, all ensure an impressively clean appearance.
"High standard of work has ensured an equally high quality result."
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