Shopping centres
Bluewater (Kent)
Lose yourself in amongst 330 stores (www.bluewater.co.uk) that span across 53 acres! This leading shopping and leisure destination in Kent covers every price and style spectrum you can imagine. If it all gets too much, take your pick of over 50 restaurants, cafés and bars and extensive leisure activities such as rock climbing, golf, fishing, cycling, boating and cinema.
Meadowhall (Sheffield)
Be at the centre of a shopping universe (www.meadowhall.co.uk) in Sheffield. Major stores, specialist shops and designer boutiques attract 25 million visitors per year and with plenty of space you can dash from shop to shop in no time. Live fashion and stage shows are just some events forming part of the monthly calendar.
Victorian & Edwardian Arcades (Cardiff)
With some of the oldest shopping arcades lacing together the main streets of the city centre it’s not surprising Cardiff is better know as the city of Arcades. At least if the weather’s not on your side you can meander your way through speciality shops, including fantastic Wally’s delicatessen and the Neal’s Yard Remedy shop.
Trafford Centre (Manchester)
You can see why the Trafford Centre (www.traffordcentre.co.uk) in Manchester has been nicknamed the ‘Temple to Consumerism’ with its sweeping glass roof, smooth marble floors and dozens or designer outlets. A pure shopping heaven you’ll be mesmerised by the amount that the Trafford centre has to offer.
Brent Cross (London)
As the first large enclosed shopping centre in the UK and now with the development of 30 additional stores, Brent Cross (www.brentcross-london.com ) in London lives up to its fashion-led image by boasting high quality fashion chains such as Massimo Dutti, Reiss, Hobbs, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Jigsaw and Kew to name but a few.
Bullring (Birmingham)
Admire the glistening Bullring (www.bullring.co.uk) shopping centre in the heart of Birmingham city. This shopping experience truly is worlds apart. With its 15,000 aluminium disks covering its entire surface, you’ll be dazzled by the architecture of this state of the art building not to mention Selfridges opening its fourth store here.
Buchanan Galleries (Glasgow)
Buchanan Galleries (www.buchanangalleries.co.uk) is a ‘must visit’ for any shopper and tourist in
Glasgow, offering a superb choice of over 80 quality shops from John Lewis, H&M, Mango, Open, Next and Swarovski. Specialist jewellery outlets and toyshops are not to be missed.