Best Shopping Places in London

London is truly a shopper’s paradise making it an ideal shopping holiday destination. Most people who visit the city for sightseeing or for business just cannot resist the temptation of going on a shopping spree whenever they get the time. The city abounds in all types of shopping places that offer all types of shopping venues ranging from thrift shops to luxury department stores. The main shopping streets, markets, shopping malls, department stores and market pop-up shops are being described below:  

Shopping Streets

London is home to some of the most famous shopping streets of the world including Oxford Street which is considered to be the busiest shopping street in Europe and comprises of more than 300 stores. Starting at Marble Arch at the northeast corner of Hyde Park, it runs all the way east to St Giles Circus at the intersection with Tottenham Court Road. It is full of department stores many of which are flagship stores for whole chains. It would take you a few days to cover all the shops on this street and as such it is advisable to choose a couple of them before visiting this area. Some of the popular ones include Topshop located at the corner of Oxford Street and Regent Street and famous for being the largest fashion store in the world; the headquarters of Selfridges on the corner of Oxford Street and Duke Street; the Primark Store on Oxford Street & Park Street which is an Irish clothing retailer famous for being most affordable; and the flagship store of Marks & Spencer that offers everything from clothing to luxury food products. The other famous shopping streets in London include Regent Street, Carnaby Street, King’s Road, Knightsbridge and Jermyn Street.

Famous Markets

London is also famous for its open-air markets with the most popular ones being Camden Market which is located in the northwest of the city in Camden Town. It comprises of many small stalls and shops that sell clothing, crafts, vintage items and food. It is a unique colourful market near the Regent’s Canal with most of the smaller shops being closed during the week. A full experience can only be had during the weekend but the crowds can be surging on Sunday. To reach the market, you can take the London Underground to Chalk Farm station or Mornington Crescent station and walk to Camden Market instead of Camden Town station which may be partially closed due to the masses. The other important markets in London include the Portobello Road Market which is famous for its antiques collection every Saturday; Borough Market under the arches of London Bridge Station which is a great farmers market offering fresh produce; and the Covent Garden Market which is ideal for a rainy day as it is an indoor food market located in the heart of the city.

If you are visiting London and are staying at Hotel Shaftesbury Hyde Park Hotel you will find it very convenient to move around the various shopping places as it is located close to most of them. Moreover, you would be staying in a luxury hotel that offers all facilities and conveniences.

Shopping Malls

Also ideal for a rainy day, there are many shopping malls in London especially the Westfield Stratford City in the east of London near the Olympic Park which is famous for being one of the largest shopping malls in Europe. Its other attractions include a massive John Lewis department store, a Marks & Spencer, a big Waitrose supermarket and a large Vue cinema. Besides the Olympic Park, the other worth-visiting places include Westfield London located just west of Notting Hill, Brent Cross Shopping Centre and the Whiteleys shopping centre which offers stores such as H&M, Toys R Us, Victory Vintage, HMV and an Odeon movie theatre.

Business travellers visiting London can find plenty of corporate hotels located close to most of these shopping places so that they can indulge in shopping along with taking care of their business commitments.

Department Stores

London’s most famous department store deserves a mention as a visit to London is never complete without visiting Harrods. This most famous upmarket department store is located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, just south of Hyde Park. It is Europe’s biggest department store covering over one million square feet of selling space. It sells a wide range of products such as clothing, accessories, jewellery, beauty products, housewares, home appliances, furniture, food, drinks and much more. It is home to a legendary food hall and for people looking for an affordable gift it offers different teas. In December, Harrods is profusely decorated during Christmas in such a way that people go there especially to see these amazing decorations. It also organises a special Christmas shopping department. Besides Harrods, the other famous department stores in London include Liberty, Debenhams, Harvey Nichols and Fortnum & Mason which are all worth a visit.

Pop-Up Shops & Markets

Besides all the shopping streets, department stores and other shopping options in London, a new phenomenon has appeared on the scene in the form of pop up shops and markets. These shopping places have started a new trend of opening up only for a short-term sale period. This term is also being extended to pop-up bars, restaurants and galleries. Malls have also taken to this trend as the first pop-up mall opened in London’s Shoreditch area in the form of Boxpark Shoreditch. Retail outlets have been created out of about 60 shipping containers that have all been put together. Each container has a pop-up store or a pop-up restaurant. The stores offer everything from well-known brands to young unknown companies and charities.