Central London
Great department stores:
Oxford Street: John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser, and, at Marble Arch, the flagship branch of Marks & Spencer: all brilliant for everything from fashion for every age to household accessories. Selfridges is in a class of its own – its food hall alone is worth a visit. On Regent Street, Liberty is Britain’s flagship design department store – if you’re looking for original furniture, fashion (including Liberty’s famous floral prints) and accessories in a wood-panelled setting, here’s where you’ll find it – and you might even spot a few celebs into the bargain.
Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus
Round the corner, in Bond Street, are exclusive designer stores, the smart hotel Claridges (ideal for afternoon tea) and a large branch of the upmarket Fenwick department store.
Nearest Tube: Bond Street
At the southern end of Bond Street, in Piccadilly, the Queen’s grocer Fortnum & Mason purveys everything from breakfast tea to harissa paste in stately chandeliered splendour – well worth a visit. Further along elegant Piccadilly, you can take afternoon tea at the Ritz hotel, another London institution not to be missed.
Nearest Tube: Green Park or Piccadilly Circus
Covent Garden
The old fruit and vegetable market at Covent Garden has been converted into a charming space full of quirky speciality shops, craft stalls, restaurants and cafes, with a lovely central piaza. Sit back with a drink and enjoy the high-quality street entertainment here.
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden
As a British retailing institution, Harrods needs no introduction. You’ll find it in Knightsbridge, along with the fashionista’s favourite, elegant Harvey Nicols.
Nearest tube: Knightsbridge
Grocery Shopping
There’ll certainly be a supermarket conveniently placed, wherever you live in London. The major UK names are Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and Waitrose, but if you don’t fancy the weekly schlep to the supermarket, all make home deliveries. Log onto www.sainsburys.co.uk, www.tesco.com, www.waitrose.com, or, for Waitrose, www.ocado.com, and specify a time-slot for delivery of your order. There are numerous specialist grocery retailers who’ll also deliver to your home; the most notable (and fashionable) of these are the organic and wholefood internet retailers. All the companies listed below offer organic fruit and vegetable boxes in various sizes, organically produced meat and poultry, and a selection of dairy and bakery produce. You just order via their website or phone them and they’ll arrange a convenient time to deliver. Organic retailers include: www.abel-cole.co.uk; www.organicdelivery.co.uk; www.riverford.co.uk; www.westcountryorganics.co.uk; www.freshfood.co.uk.
Unmissable Markets
Camden Market runs at the weekends from Camden Lock to Chalk Farm Road – a lively mix of second-hand and vintage bargains, clothes, jewellery and crafts.
Nearest Tubes: Camden Town, Chalk Farm
Portobello
Famous antiques market in the smart Notting Hill area of town that runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Perhaps not the best place to find a bargain, but – with so many treasures to peruse – it makes for a great morning out.
Nearest Tube: Notting Hill
Greenwich Market
Another weekend treasure trove of antiques, vintage and bric-a-brac a stone’s throw from the river.
Nearest Tube: Greenwich
Borough Market
Revamped over the last ten years, Borough is now London’s premier food-lovers’ forum, with everything from bread to chocolate, fruit, cheese and fish on offer.
Nearest Tube: London Bridge
Docklands Sunday Market
Held at Royal Albert Dock between 9am and 2pm, selling a huge range of products from food to bikes and clothes to bric-a-brac, on a 26-acre site.
Nearest transport: Royal Albert Dock DLR
Mall Shopping
If you would rather find everything under one huge air-conditioned roof, rather than trawl Oxford Street and environs in the rain or the humidity of an English summer day, then the one-stop shopping complexes dotted around London could be what you’re looking for.
Westfield London, located in the White City/Shepherd's Bush area, is the city's latest shopping attraction, having opened in 2008. It is said to be Europe's largest in-town shopping and leisure destination, and its shops and restaurants are open from early in the morning until late at night. Its five anchor stores – Debenhams, Next, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser and Waitrose – are joined by a further 265 luxury and high-street retailers, around 80% of whom are selling fashions.
Whiteleys in Queensway W2, is an extensive shopping centre anchored by a major branch of Marks & Spencer. In addition to excellent shopping facilities, it boasts an integral car parking facility – a rarity in London – and an eight-screen Multiplex UCI.
Nearest Tube: Bayswater
Brent Cross shopping centre, in Hendon, north London, was the first large enclosed shopping centre to be built in the UK. Anchored by Fenwick, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, it is pretty huge and also has major branches of Boots, H&M, Waitrose and WH Smith, as well as numerous other high-street names. Brent Corss can be accessed most easily from the A41 (near the junction with the M1) and the A406, but also has its own tube station.
Nearest Tube: Brent Cross
Bluewater – this retail and lifestyle destination at Greenhithe, in Kent, is anchored by John Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, with a host of aspirational lifestyle names for company, including Whistles, L’Occitane and Space NK. It houses numerous restaurants offering all styles of eating, from burger bars to Chinese and Italian food, and a multiplex cinema with its own bar and café. It can be accessed from the A2, just south of junction 2 of the M25.
Lakeside shopping centre, over the Thames in Essex, is anchored by Debenhams, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, supported by almost 300 other shops, including Boots, WH Smith, Gap, Argos and Next. Again, there are numerous places to eat or enjoy a coffee and a multiplex cinema to keep rebellious shopaphobic spouses and offspring amused. Lakeside Business Park, which surrounds the shopping centre, is home to even more retailers, such as IKEA, CostCo, TK Maxx and more – making Thurrock bargain-shopping heaven. Lakeside can be accessed from junction 31 of the M25, just north of the Dartford Toll Crossing.
Towards the suburbs…
North London
Islington is the shopping mecca of north London. It has all the high street names, but with an injection of quirky specialist food and fashion shops. Hampstead and Primrose Hill are home to upmarket, expensive aspirational specialist retailers and numerous bars, cafes and restaurants.
East London
The Docklands development incorporates many shopping areas. Cabot Place and Cabot Square, in Canary Wharf, provide excellent shopping areas with grocery, fashion and homewares retailers. Other concentrations are at Harbour Exchange Square, Isle of Dogs, and Wapping High Street. Hay’s Galleria, in Tooley Street, south of the River, close to London Bridge stations, is based on two restored Victorian warehouses joined by a 100-foot high glass barrel-vaulted roof, and there is a wide range of shops here, plus bars, cafés and a craft market. The modern undercover Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Lower Road, Rotherhithe, provides a host of shops and stores anchored by BhS and Tesco – including Body Shop, WH Smith and JD Sports.
South London
The main shopping venues in South East London are Bromley and Bexleyheath. Bexleyheath’s Broadway Centre is formed around a central pedestrianised, landscaped square. Its malls contain a wide selection of well-known stores, including Marks & Spencer, BhS, TKMaxx and an Asda superstore. Smaller specialist shops continue along the Broadway, away from the shopping complex, towards Crook Log. Bromley has excellent shopping provision around The Glades and The Pavilions shopping complexes in the town centre, boasting a host of top names like BhS, Habitat, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer (one of the largest in the UK). Richmond is designer heaven! Its historic cobbled streets are home to a good mix of high-street regulars, specialist retailers, designers and antique shops.
West London
Notting Hill and Portobello Road are havens for smart bohemian types, with lots of quirky, if pricey, retailers, and, of course, the market. Hammersmith has more high-street names.
Shopping in Northwood and Ruislip is mainly along the traditional-style high streets. Out-of-town retail parks are to be found at South Ruislip and at Hayes and Cowley. The St Ann’s Shopping Centre, in Harrow, contains a number of well-known high-street stores, including Marks & Spencer, WH Smith and Boots, as well as independent fashion retailers and jewellers. Specialist shops are located in the adjacent St George’s Centre, and also along the traditional shopping streets of St Ann’s Road and part of Station Road. Pinner’s shopping centre is attractively styled, with additional high-street shopping options on offer at Hayes, Yiewsley, West Drayton and Ruislip.
