Kensington & Hyde Park
Garish and stylish in equal measure, perennially crowded Harrods is an obligatory stop for visitors, from the cash-strapped to the big spenders. The stock…
Must-see shopping in Great Britain
Kensington & Hyde Park
Steeped in literary charm and a perfect antidote to impersonal book superstores, this three-storey bookshop in an 18th-century premises inhabits its own…
Oxford
The most famous bookshop in the most studenty of cities, Blackwell’s is, with its vast range of literature, treatises and guilty pleasures, a book-lover’s…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The Sunday Upmarket (also open on Saturday) sprawls among the beautiful brick buildings of the Old Truman Brewery, on both sides of Brick Lane between…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Mismatched vintage reading lamps spotlight the floor-to-ceiling canary-yellow shelves at this delightful indie bookshop, where titles are arranged…
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North & West Coast
Amid the harsh beauty of the coastline, it's quite a surprise to come across this beautifully designed modern 'sculpture croft', where the resident artist…
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North London
Connected to the Camden Lock Market, the Stables overflows with antiques, Asian artefacts, rugs, retro furniture and street clothing. As the name suggests…
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Northumberland Coast
Coal fires, velvet ottomans, reading rooms and a cafe make this secondhand bookshop in Alnwick's Victorian former railway station wonderfully atmospheric…
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The Lake District
A prodigious selection of Lakeland goodies are available at this farm shop, just outside Kendal on the A590. There's also a farm trail and woodland walk…
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Notting Hill & West London
A cultural outpost of Japan in London, Japan House presents and celebrates Japanese art, design, culture, technology, craftsmanship and gastronomy in a…
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The West End
With its classic eau-de-Nil (pale green) colour scheme, the 'Queen's grocery store' (established in 1707) refuses to yield to modern times. Its staff –…
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The Cotswolds
A country-chic temple to the Cotswolds' organic movement, 4 miles east of Stow, the sprawling Daylesford operation was kickstarted 40 years ago when a…
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The West End
Trading since 1853, this grandaddy of travel bookshops and seasoned seller of maps, guides and globes is a destination in its own right. Polar explorer…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Brick walls, minimalist wood and metal fixtures, and pops of green from potted plants make this concept shop a delight to peruse. Indie brands abound in…
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Oxford
Appropriately enough, the shop at the Ashmolean reflects the scope and variety of Oxford’s finest museum. William Morris would certainly approve –…
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The Midlands & the Marches
A vast timber barn 1.5 miles northeast of Ledbury is packed to the rafters with retro, antique and industrial treasures – everything from Victorian lamps…
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Northwest England
Atkinsons is one of Britain's most prestigious coffee merchants, serving up all kinds of exotic beans and loose leaf teas since 1840. It has been at this…
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The West End
London's most legendary bookshop, where you can find even the most obscure titles. Once synonymous with chaos, Foyles got its act together and now this…
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Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog
The most famous and still the best, Booth's is a thing of beauty – from the exquisite tiling on the outside to the immaculately catalogued shelves within …
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Northwest England
Lancaster's historic market is one of the best in the northwest, a gathering place for local producers to sell their goodies. You'll find potted shrimp…
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Keswick
Quite possibly the most famous outdoors shop in the Lake District, founded in 1967 and still the place where discerning hikers go to buy their gear (even…
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Dartmoor National Park
Ripe, cheesy aromas wash over you as you step into this award-winning shop. The counters are stacked with oozing, crumbling golden delights. Many are made…
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Edinburgh
Independent bookshops don’t get lovelier than this. The Golden Hare boasts a top-notch selection of 'beautiful, unusual and interesting books', an…
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Fort William
As well as a good selection of fiction and children's books, this shop stocks a superb range of outdoor-related books and maps covering climbing, walking,…
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The West End
Forbidden Planet is a trove of comics, sci-fi, horror and fantasy literature, as well as action figures and toys, spread over two floors. It's an absolute…
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Glasgow
This cute place is one of Glasgow's best destinations for vintage clothing, with a great selection of brands like Fred Perry, as well as more glam choices…
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Northumberland Coast
Four generations have operated this traditional fish smokers; loyal customers include the Royal Family. It's best known for its kippers, but also smokes…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Traders have been hawking their wares here since 1638, and it's still one of London's best markets. Sundays are the biggest days, but Thursdays are good…
Cardiff
Every Sunday, the embankment across the Taff from Principality Stadium is lined with stalls for the Riverside Market. Independent producers show off their…
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North London
Not to be confused with Camden Market, Camden Passage is a pretty cobbled lane in Islington lined with antique stores, vintage-clothing boutiques and…
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Kensington & Hyde Park
A burst of colour and Gallic creative exuberance, Pylones is always such a breath of fresh air, despite the location in a mall up the escalators at the…
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Kensington & Hyde Park
The original design store (going strong since 1987), the Conran Shop is a treasure trove of beautiful things – from radios to sunglasses, kitchenware to…
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The West End
The flagship bookshop of the London Review of Books fortnightly literary journal doesn’t put faith in towering piles of books and slabs on shelves, but…
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Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop
The Lake District
In business since 1854, this famous sweet shop next to the village church makes Grasmere's essential souvenir: traditional gingerbread with a half…
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The West End
The fashion doyenne of the punk and new-wave aesthetic, Westwood has always had a reputation for being controversial and political. She continues to…
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North London
Right next to the canal lock, this section of Camden Market is the the place to go for diverse food stalls in the West Yard, as well as for several nice…
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Cumbria & the Lakes
This upmarket village shop developed the recipe for sticky toffee pudding – accept no substitute. You can buy it to cook at home and it also comes in…
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The West End
Outlet of the Soul Jazz Records label: explorers of wild, wonderful and often forgotten corners of black music who bring back gems for their legendary…
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The West End
An original Edwardian bookshop, with oak panels, galleries and gorgeous skylights, Daunt is one of London’s loveliest bookshops. There are several Daunt…
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Annie’s Vintage Costume & Textiles
North London
One of London’s most enchanting vintage shops, this high-end boutique has costumes to make you look like Greta Garbo. Many a famous designer has come here…
