Notting Hill & West London
This fine, rather small, general bookshop – the inspiration behind the bookshop in Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts' monster rom-com Notting Hill – still sees…
Must-see shopping in The United Kingdom
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
This much-loved shop sells a quirky collection of coffee-table books, magazines, card games and stationery, most on the themes of typography, graphic…
The West End
A whiskey shop that has achieved iconic status over the half century it’s been around. Every bottle is handpicked by the passionate staff, with prices…
Cardiff
While there's been a market here since the 18th century, the current iron-framed covered market dates to 1891. Stalls sell everything from fresh fish to…
Oxford
Originally built in 1972 on the site of Oxford’s medieval West Gate, this enormous mall expanded in 2017. Like Alice it seems just to keep on growing,…
The West End
Taking a commendable stand against tacky souvenirs, We Built This City sells locally themed merchandise that the recipient might actually want – most of…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
It's no longer directly associated with the legendary record label (home to the Smiths, the Libertines and the Strokes, among others), but this huge…
Oxford
The name says it all: this fascinating and quaint shop is piled high with useful household objects and tools to make each day easier. Everything is…
Cardiff
If you're after a properly Welsh souvenir that isn't too cheesy, this shop in the Welsh cultural centre is a great place to look. Named for the Welsh for …
Edinburgh
Annie Smith’s back-of-the-shop studio creates beautiful and original contemporary jewellery in silver and 18-carat gold, with beaten and worked surfaces…
Cardiff
St David's is central Cardiff's biggest and slickest shopping centre. All the famous chains you could name have a home here, along with a smorgasbord of…
Notting Hill & West London
All the recipe books from celeb and nonceleb chefs you can imagine are sold here – perfect for more adventurous cooks or for those looking for ‘exotic’…
The West End
The price tags might make you more dizzy than the alcohol content in this aptly-named fine wines and spirits boutique in Mayfair: its two floors are…
Notting Hill & West London
This Notting Hill butcher shop, run by a Kiwi couple, prides itself on its quality, free-range meat – the beef is grass-fed and the lamb comes from the…
The West End
Specialising in lesser-known literature by mostly women writers from the mid-20th century, Persephone Books has carved out an interesting and valuable…
Cardiff
The world's oldest record shop, founded in 1894 (when it sold wax phonograph cylinders), Spillers stocks a large range of CDs and vinyl, and prides itself…
Leeds
The dramatic Corn Exchange, built in 1863 to house grain-trade merchants, has a wonderful wrought-iron roof that today shelters a fine collection of…
Notting Hill & West London
The heady smell emanating from the Spice Shop says it all: from run-of-the-mill curry powder and herbs to Sichuan pepper (£5.99), other rare spices and…
Notting Hill & West London
Achieving an almost surreal level of quaintness, Biscuiteers is a Notting Hill cafe specialising in hand-iced treats, ranging from biscuits to cupcakes to…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
This small bohemian bookshop grew out of community initiatives and has been a fixture on Brick Lane for more than 30 years. Among the usual popular titles…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
If you love the feminine silhouette of the 1940s and the pin-up look of the 1950s, you will swoon over Collectif's vintage-inspired dresses, shirts, coats…
Leeds
Trinity is Leeds' biggest shopping mall – a soaring glass and steel temple of consumerism. As well as all the usual high-street outlets, look out for…
The West End
Make a beeline to this place for all your fastening needs. It’s been in business for more than 60 years and is creaking under the weight of an absurd…
Notting Hill & West London
Once home to the eponymous post-punk label, this compact shop offers vintage and alternative vinyl and puts on the occasional gig too. Head downstairs for…
Cardiff
This relocated Victorian shipping warehouse is the retail showcase for the Welsh Makers Guild cooperative, selling a wide range of ceramics, textiles,…
Notting Hill & West London
A nirvana for vinyl junkies, the erstwhile Record & Tape Exchange has been around since three years before Jimi Hendrix died (a short walk away in…
North York Moors National Park
A beautiful home and clothing boutique in Robin Hood's Bay's old town that has shot to fame for its heritage gansey jumpers knitted to a traditional local…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The world's first pop-up mall, Boxpark is a shopping and street-food enclave made from upcycled shipping containers. Fashion, design and gift shops…
Bath
The reason to visit this branch of Bath Aqua Glass over the one in the city centre, is that here you can see the glassblowers at work. Both outlets…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Before checking out of the V&A, stop by the ground-floor shop facing the Cromwell Rd entrance and rummage through a stirring and very sharp display of …
Bath
The click-clack of a tabletop loom is likely to greet you as you enter this shop showcasing the skills of artisan weaver Katherine Fraser. The exquisitely…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Over three floors, Peter Harrington has a huge collection of first editions, signed modern art prints (Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley,…
Notting Hill & West London
A lovely spot for colourful, eclectic and handsome crockery, imported from more than a dozen countries. There are Japanese eggshell-glaze teacups, serving…
North London
One of London’s leading wine shops, this brilliant place allows you to sample up to 80 different wines before buying. Just load up a smart card and use it…
Notting Hill & West London
Owner Juyan – from Zhejiang in southeastern China – offers pointers in the world of Chinese tea at this bijou specialist shop in Portobello Green Arcade…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Turn past the smoky food stalls and the cavernous Tea Rooms to find the hidden-in-plain-sight Backyard Market. Stalls selling clothes, jewellery and…
Notting Hill & West London
Lutyens & Rubinstein is a tremendous, discerning and compact (ground floor, slender mezzanine and basement) bookshop. It's a squeeze, but its small size…
The West End
Follow your nose through the historic Burlington Arcade to this classic British perfumery. Attendants enquire about your favourite smells, take you on an…
The West End
Set in a grandiose column-flanked Grade II–listed structure, Selfridges has been innovating since its doors opened in 1909. Its wacky, ever-changing…
Birmingham
Birmingham's stylish canal-side shopping experience, the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office, comes complete with designer hotels, a…
