Couldnt agree more! There is nothing more off putting than people staring at you while you look at cricket equipment. The thing is when you are spending a lot of money on equipment as you do on cricket stuff you expect to be able to touch and feel things. Brighouse usually let you have a go with a mallet though, have you visited the Rochdale store? They seem to be better in there although they did look abit annoyed last year when i wanted the expensive softs and bags down from the high shelves at the back of the store!
The attitude at Brighouse has stopped me buying things before but for some reason I think you tend to get that attitude a lot of cricket stores. Best ones I have been to are Barrington sports who were very good and Cricket World at Bolton is pretty good too.