Shopping
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Shopping can be as adventurous and creative as you like, and England's cities are some of the best places in the world to track down exactly what it is that you're looking for. They'll throw up plenty of surprises too.
The airy dappled light of Salts Mill in Saltaire, Bradford, makes for a refined shopping experience, complete with gentlemen's tailors, antiques, textiles, books and a variety of art galleries (Salts Mill houses the world's largest collection of David Hockney).
Spend, spend, spend
When it comes to shopping for fashion, Manchester is hard to beat. Rub shoulders with the Wags in the designer stores of Exchange Square and New Cathedral Street, where Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and other top designer stores sit side by side. It’s a city also known for its hip, independent fashion stores, from classic vintage to up-and-coming local designers. Afflecks Palace is a four-storey labyrinth of the non-mainstream, from joke shops to Japanese kitsch. Down the road, music aficionados will find even the most obscure tracks at the second-hand Vinyl Exchange.
Retail therapy
Shopping and history go hand in hand on the Shambles – the best-preserved medieval street in Europe and the centrepiece of historic York. Originally lined with butchers, the Shambles is now a great place for arts and crafts, jewellery and collectors' items. Also worth a bit of time is Central Market House, full of modern-day artisans, craftspeople and specialty food stalls.
Meanwhile, in Brighton head down to the beachfront Artists' Quarter to pick up an original oil painting, or amble through the 17th-century Lanes for quirky takes on interior design, jewellery and designer clothes.
Sand between the toes
For some serious shopping therapy you won't do much better than MetroCentre in Gateshead, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in Europe. As you wend your way among the 330-odd shops, stop by the award-winning Whisky Shop and learn a thing or two about drams and single malts. Then round off the day with a movie at the 11-screen multiplex, or choose from 50 restaurants for dinner.
Birmingham's Bullring, a landmark building clad in 15,000 aluminium discs, gives MetroCentre a run for its money; here jaded shoppers can kick off their shoes and feel the sand between their toes (quite literally, thanks to the Bullring Beach, which opens during the summer months). Meanwhile, at Portsmouth's Gunwharf Quays – home to dozens of cut-price factory outlets – shoppers can take a break from the bargains by climbing the iconic Spinnaker Tower for fantastic views over the harbour.
World shopping capital
London, or course, is unmissable as a shopping destination. The city has always been a magnet for shoppers, many of whom cross continents for the privilege. Its various shopping enclaves are legendary – Oxford Street for mainstream chain stores, Bond Street and Mayfair for luxury goods, Covent Garden and Monmouth Street for cutting-edge designer ware – as are its department stores, from Harrods and Selfridges to Liberty and Fortnum & Mason.
But don't miss London's myriad alternatives, either. Hop onto a river boat and float downstream to the famous weekend craft markets at Greenwich, enjoying the great sights of London along the way – Westminster, Tate Modern, HMS Belfast, the Tower of London and the Docklands developments. Or take inspiration from the latest designs at Spitalfields Market, where London's up-and-coming young designers show off their work. For the latest in street fashion explore the streets and boutiques of Hoxton, or revisit Carnaby Street, which has seen a big revival in recent years with an influx of new designers and quirky, offbeat shops.
Shop back in time
For something of a shopping time warp, make your way to tiny Jermyn Street near Piccadilly, home to shirt makers and traditional men's haberdashers, many of whom have been trading for centuries. Compare notes with the famous Rows in Chester, a series of half-timbered buildings fronted by long galleries, which look for all the world like a Tudor shopping mall. Or browse for handicrafts and antiques on the Historic Quayside in Exeter, once an international port for the wool trade.
Finally, don't miss the historic potteries of Stoke-on-Trent, home to some of the world's finest ceramics. You'll get the best prices if you head straight for the factory shops themselves – among them Wedgwood, Royal Stafford, Emma Bridgewater and Spode.
If ever there was an excuse to kit out your wardrobe this must be it. We've compiled a list of the best shopping centres located by region throughout the country.
Go shopping