BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture English Culture Fave UK Shops?

I'm thinking about compiling an e-book for the best places to shop in England. Of course, I'll be posting articles on this topic too. I would just like to get some opinions of favorite shops and products.

My personal favorites: Lush, Clark's shoes, New Look, FCUK. And since this doesn't have to always be about clothes and cosmetics, I love Thornton's chocolates! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Ay-up, cousin! (Sue told me you were here!)

My fave British shop? In London, if it's still there, there's a *huuuuuge* Dr Marten store in Covent Garden. I could live there!

Up in the Manchester area, they have these stores call The Mill Shop. They sell woolens from England, Wales, & Scotland (blankets, sweaters, etc), as well as *very* inexpensive wax jackets. Cheap, yes - quality, yes, as well! The one I currently have, I've had since '95, & it's still goin strong.

Will we see you at the reunion? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Lin

Ah. Hi!!! *waves*

I thought you might be one of my Ohio relations, but I wasn't sure until I saw this post. Sue has been pimping me like crazy. HAHAHA.

Excellent suggestions. I will add those places to my ever-growing list.

And yes, I will be at the reunion. Shall I bring pictures of my travels?

You'd better!! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Okay! A lot of them are digital and I have burned on CDs, but I have those up online if you ever want to look at them.

http://hauptstrasse.livejournal.com

That's my travel blog and links to the pictures. I can see about getting my photo album in my suitcase when I go home too, though those are only the travel pictures from 2003 & 2004. I got my digital camera a year ago.

Tescos - Great for cheap cakes. Also Greggs, the bakery chain - great for cheap cakes, and of course Sainsburys - great for, well, you know what I'm talking about ladies so I shall say no more. What I meant to say was a really good shop to go to in the UK is B&Q. No cakes, but a mega-rock-and-roll trouser snake of a DIY* store. It's true, I'm not lying. No cakes but fabulous for doors and windows, cement, nails, drills, pelmet clips, oh lordy they sell all sorts** Wish there was one handy here so I could get my trailer***, I mean apartment windows fixed.... oh sorry, wrong forum.

* Home improvements (do it yourself = DIY)
**look it up if you don't beleive me
*** forget about this

Okay. I got Tesco on the list already...Sainsburys too. I'll add Greggs. Not sure that tourists would have need of a B&Q store, but I guess you never know.

And how could one forget good ol' BOOTS?!

And, even though it's *waaaaaay* past obvious, we can't forget Harrods! Cripes, you can buy *anything* there, for any price! I had my hair trimmed there just for kicks many moons ago, & the salon is drop-dead *gorgeous*! You pay for it, though! Need a pr of boxers or a t-shirt for 5 quid? You got it. Have a pressing need to order an elephant? Sure, why not! And the food hall..... <drool> I also got the coolest existing pr of black riding boots in there. I took them to Kazakhstan 2 yrs ago when we adopted our kids, & they did me great the entire time, whether I was slogging around in slushy snow, or doing dressed up court stuff.

Great topic! Ok, I'm babbling now!

YES! I love the food court at Harrod's. When we were in London last summer, I took Lance in there just to see that! He thought it was amazing, and he is so not a foodie at all. I am a total foodie. I'm obsessed with ethnic cuisine and spices and gourmet this that and the other thing, so it was like heaven for me. I had been to Harrod's on my first trip to England. I included it on the list, believe me.

And Boots as well. On our last trip to London, we had a Boots down the street from our hotel (and a Sainsbury's) and we visited both on a daily basis, more or less. They were both right in the tube station, so we passed them multiple times daily. There was a nice little mall at that particular tube station...we were staying in Chelsea.

Okay, here's the list I have so far. Feel free to add to it. You can see that I'm missing a section for electronics. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I'm mainly looking for actual retail stores, rather than catalog or online shops.

Clothing & Accessories:
Next
East
Evans
H&M
Elvi (plus-size)
Dorothy Perkins
Top Shop
Burton (men's)
Oasis (eco-friendly)
New Look
FCUK
Sock Shop
Miss Selfridge
TK Maxx
Matalan

Department Stores:
Harrod's
Debenham's
Marks & Spencer
Tesco (groceries and more)
Asda(groceries and more)

Shoes:
Faith
Clarks
Dr. Martens

Books:
Waterstones
Ottakar

Drugstores:
Boots

Bath & Cosmetics:
Lush
The Body Shop
Crabtree & Evelyn

Grocery Stores:
Waitrose
Sainsburys
Morrisons
Holland and Barrett (health food)
Netto (co-op)
ALDI
Greggs (bakery)

Household Items:
The Pier

Music:
Virgin
HMU

The Mill Shop (apparently, there are several of these throughout England, and they seem to all be a bit different)