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Shopping |
Major Department
Stores
Harrods department store is one
of London's premier shopping experiences. Referred to as the ultimate
department store, it sells everything, and if they don't have it,
they will get it for you. They  even
have their own bank and a mortuary! The Food Halls are amazing in
themselves, from fresh flowers, vegetables, and an elaborate bakery,
to an enormous dairy, meat and fowl section.
Harrods has many departments, featuring museum-like rooms. For fashion-oriented
people, visit the Way In boutique, which boasts the latest in trendy
styles. Traditional British merchandise is available in abundance.
The store is located at 87 - 135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge.
Harvey Nichols was Princess Diana's
favorite luxury department store, specializing in women's haute couture.
Located on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW1.
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Peter Jones is another good, well
stocked department store, with moderately priced home furnishings,
fabrics, men's, women's and children's departments and other tasteful
merchandise. Located on Sloan Square, SW1.
Selfridges offers less variety
than Harrods, but contains an enormous selection of merchandise, at
a somewhat lesser cost. There is a food hall, and an extensive china
and glassware department that offers just about every pattern available.
Located on Oxford Street W1.
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Shopping
Districts
Chelsea is a haven for the latest
in trendy fashions, antiques, and stylish home goods. Walking along
King's Road, especially on weekends, will yield some of the stranger
fashion styles of London's young..
Knightsbridge, known primarily
for Harrods, has lots of boutiques and art galleries, as well as many
shopping streets in the areas of Sloan Street, Walton Street and Beauchamp
Place.
Mayfair is located between Oxford
Street and Piccadilly and features traditional British stores, like
Burberrys, known worldwide for their famous plaid . Other shopping
streets in the area are South Molton Street, which tends to have more
modern and carefree styles, and Bond Street, where you'll find the
European designer-label fashions, famous jewelry houses, and the prices
to go with them!
Piccadilly is another area for
chic British stores as well, such as Fortnum & Mason which offers
designer originals, in addition to having one of the most elegant
grocery departments in the world. You can also explore Simpson's Department
Store, and for books try Hatchards. The side streets lead to several
shopping arcades, the most famous one being the Burlington Arcade,
dating from the 19th-century Regency period, containing elegant and
expensive shops.
Oxford Street, probably the most
famous shopping street in London, is always crowded and is host to
such stores as Selfridges, John Lewis, noted for its fabrics and household
items, and Marks and Spencer, which specializes in their own clothing
lines for the whole family.
Regent Street has a slightly different
twist than nearby Oxford Street, featuring a variety of china and
fabrics. Other notable department stores such as Liberty - famous
for printed fabrics, scarves and ties and Wedgewood noted for their
porcelain. Other stores include Hamley,
the largest toy shop in the world, Moss Brothers for men's formal
attire, dress tartans and riding clothes, and the Reject China Shop
where one can find some good buys on some slightly irregular name
brand china .
St. James caters to men's accessories
and clothing with stores like Kent & Curwen, the place to find authentic
cricket caps, Henly club ties and similar clothing lines and John
Lobb, a world-renown made-to-order shoe store for men.
Shopping
Markets & Centers
Covent Garden is hidden
behind the Strand, the site of London's vegetable and fruit market
for over 300 years. The area is also famous for its scene in My Fair
lady, where a young Eliza Doolittle sells flowers to the people coming
from the Royal Opera House. The market has now been converted to a
shopping and entertainment center, including a bazaar, where craftspeople
sell their wares. Some booths are located in the original wrought-iron
trading stands of the original Covent Garden. The former flower market
has been converted to the London Transport Museum, housing a replica
of the first horse drawn bus and a steam locomotive built in 1866.
The central market building has been converted into London's first
permanent late night shopping area. Shops, pubs, wineries and restaurants
are among the places you'll find here. Take the tube to Covent Garden.
Hay's Galleria, owned by St Martin's
Property Investments Ltd., was opened in 1987 and is part of "London
Bridge City" a new commercial riverside development, formerly
Hay's Wharf.
In the mid 1850's, following the steady rise of the River Thames as
the commercial lifeline of the City of London, Sir William Cubitt
was commissioned to build a new wharf around an enclosed dock. Ships
from all over the world visited the new Hay's Wharf but the most beautiful
were the tea clippers from India and China. By the end of the century,
over 80% of perishable foodstuffs passed through the area, which became
known as the "Larder of London". The great Hay's Wharf complex
has been carefully restored to its former glory and those who visit
the Galleria today stand on the same spot where the tall tea clippers
edged their way into the dock 150 years ago.
The scheme also provides office space, a landscaped riverside walk,
tourist information office and pier. You'll find the Hays Galleria
has got it all, you can browse in attractive shops, enjoy lunch, or
just admire the panoramic river views of the Tower of London, Tower
Bridge and HMS Belfast.
Opening Times
Monday to Friday 9 am to 6.30 pm
Saturday 9 am to 6 pm
Sunday 11 am to 5 pm
Camden Town, namely Camden Passage
is lined with antiques and specialty shops. On Saturdays, pushcarts
and other vendors become part of a large open air market selling antiques,
curios, clothing and unusual and inexpensive gifts. Try to catch a
boater using the Locks which are still in operation on the waterway.
Located at Islington N1, take the tube to Camden Road.
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Portobello Road is famous for
its antique shops, junk shops and outdoor pushcarts. Saturday is your
best bet for silverware, curios, porcelain and jewelry. One of the
largest markets in the world, it can be very crowded and is a bit
"touristy". Located at Portobello Road W11. Take the tube to Notting
Hill Gate or Ladbrook Grove.
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Petticoat Lane has great knits,
good value fashions, leather goods, cameras, videos and other electronic
devices. Open Sundays only. Middlesex Street E1. Take the tube to
Liverpool Street, Aldgate or Aldgate East.
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Bermondsey Market, much less known,
has an eclectic assortment of goods, probably the origin of many of
the items on Portobello Road or Camden Passage. Get there early for
best buys. Friday only from 7am. Located on Tower Bridge Road SE1.
Take the Tube to London Bridge and walk over the bridge to Bermondsey
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