Joe- they're fine for "kit" in fact it's rare I'll buy kit from a running specialist, quite often they'll rip you off. I'd suggest
www.startfitness.co.uk for running kit at a reasonable price or any high-street sports store. For running shoes unless YOU know what you're on about (in which case there are some real bargains to be had with good name trainers on the shelves at cheap prices in some of these stores) go to a running store, but don't necessarily buy there, if you're sneaky (don't do this myself as I almost always buy online), then work out what shoe you want and then check online. Even online there is a massive variation in price, the pair I've got arriving were £30 on one site and £65 on another, and a different pair I was also looking t were £40 on the previously cheaper site and £30 on the more expensive one! I only think this is fair if you haven't had much help from the staff, if they've done the whole gait analysis or spent a fair amount of time talking to you, it's only fair to buy from there.