Land of shoppertunity
Whether your group has a passion for designer clobber or wishes to purchase discount ceramics, there are a host of shopping outlets available around the country, as Luke Dodd discovers.
Shopping at one of the various shopping centres, factoryoutlets and mills in the UK can provide groups with an array of choice as well as benefits including discount vouchers and meet and greet services. There is also the chance to explore the different types of shops available in various towns and cities.
Shopping centres
Shopping centres are dotted around the UK and house a wide range of outlets under one roof. Many of the shopping centres also offer meet and greet facilities and discount vouchers for groups.
Beginning in Gateshead, the MetroCentre is celebrating its 21st birthday this year, with a host of free events taking place including a large firework display on 14th October. The centre boasts over 330 shops and stores including House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer as well as leisure attractions including an Odeon 11-screen cinema, a Megabowl Entertainment Centre with 20 ten-pin bowling lanes – where groups of six or more are offered a discounted price on two games of bowling with the winner receiving a complimentary bottle of bubbly – and the Metroland indoor theme park. There are also a number of restaurants including Nando’s, Spice Bollywood and Cafe Rouge. All members of your group receive a free discount voucher booklet upon arrival at the centre’s coach park.
Also in the north of England, The Trafford Centre in Manchester is a £1.5 billion shopping centre offering a selection of 230 stores including Selfridges, John Lewis, Timberland and Molton Brown. Within the Centre, there is also a large dining area, The Orient, which houses several restaurants and fast food outlets as well as a bowling alley, Laser Quest and 20-screen Odeon Cinema. Additionally, last month saw the opening of The Great Hall, another dining area which is home to seven new up-market restaurants including Carluccio’s, Pesto and Las Iguanas. Pre-booked groups can enjoy a meet and greet service upon arrival as well as discount vouchers for selected stores within the Centre.
Staying in Manchester, the Manchester Arndale offers visitors the chance to shop for a variety of high street brands in over 200 shops. Stores include a Virgin Megastore, which Sir Richard Branson opened himself, New Look and Principles. Groups can take advantage of a free personal shopper and can enjoy a meet and greet service.
Located to the south east of Manchester, just outside Sheffield, Meadowhall boasts over 270 stores, which include high street names such as River Island and Ted Baker. Meadowhall also offers an 11-screen cinema and a number of restaurants and cafes such as Mamma Almalfi and Pizza Express. Groups can enjoy a meet and greet facility at the centre.
Alternatively, near Birmingham, Merry Hill has over 300 stores and 35 restaurants and cafes. There is also a 10-screen cinema as well as free coach parking with a meet and greet facility offered to pre-booked groups.
In Birmingham itself, groups can visit two shopping centres. Firstly, the Bullring offers a wide variety of goods to purchase at shops including Selfridges, Debenhams and Karen Millen. Groups must pre-book in advance to receive free coach parking. Secondly, The Mailbox is home to Harvey Nichols and Hugo Boss as well as a number of restaurant and cafe bars.
To the south, thecentre:mk is situated in the heart of Milton Keynes and offers over 230 stores and several cafes and restaurants. Particular shopping highlights include John Lewis, House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer and Next. There is also an indoor events area, Middleton Hall, where a number of free events take place throughout the year including fashion shows, tea dances and craft fairs. Coach parking is free and groups can take advantage of a meet and greet service. GTOs are also offered complimentary refreshment vouchers to use in the centre.
Further south, in Essex, groups can take a shopping trip to Lakeside. The centre has over 300 stores including Debenhams and Next and offers free coach parking. Additionally, opening this summer is The Boardwalk, a new area within the centre offering restaurants such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen and a children’s entertainment venue, Hannah Banana. Free coach parking is available at the centre with over 250 designated coach parking spaces.
In the nation’s capital, groups can visit Brent Cross, one of the first shopping centres to be built in Britain. The centre is home to over 120 shops including Fenwick and John Lewis, as well as restaurants and cafes including Wagamama and YO! Sushi.
Staying in the south, in Kent, Bluewater offers over 330 stores including Diesel, River Island and HMV as well as a cinema. Groups can also enjoy a wealth of leisure activities at the centre including rock-climbing, golf, fishing, cycling and boating. A meet and greet service is available upon arrival.
An outlet for shopping
Factory outlet shopping is now a well established part of British shopping culture where groups can pick up a wide range of discounted designer gear.
Offering nine factory shopping outlets in the UK is REALM. The company has sites at several locations across the country including all of the Freeport branded shopping sites; Freeport Braintree in Essex, Freeport Talke in Staffordshire, Freeport Hornsea in East Yorkshire and Freeport Fleetwood in Lancashire, where groups can purchase items at shops including Cadbury, Next, Reebok and Rockport. Other outlets include Junction 32 in Castleford, West Yorkshire, which is spread over 250,000 square feet and boasts stores such as GAP, Mango, Monsoon, Next, Nike and Oasis. Free coach parking is available at all REALM sites.
An established name in outlet shopping is McArthurGlen, which boasts seven designer outlets in the UK, where groups can pick up everything from clothing and cosmetics to homeware and toys, with all items reduced by up to 50%. Stores are located in Ashford in Kent, Bridgend in Wales, Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, Livingston in Scotland, Swindon in Wiltshire, York and Cheshire Oaks in South Wirral, which is reputedly the largest designer outlet in the UK boasting over 145 stores. At all McArthurGlen outlets, groups of 20 or more receive a discount card each to use at all the stores within the outlet they are visiting.
Meanwhile, in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, at Sterling Mills Outlet Shopping Village, groups can peruse products in shops such as Nike, Adidas, Virgin XS, Austin Reed and Wranglers. Pre-booked coach groups can enjoy a meet and greet facility.
Staying in Scotland, Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, in Gretna, houses over 50 stores selling a variety of products with discounts of up to 50% off normal retail prices as well as five cafes serving a mix of light snacks and hot meals. Stores at the outlet include Polo Ralph Lauren, Whittards of Chelsea and Cadbury. Pre-booked coach groups can enjoy a meet and greet service upon arrival as well as Privileged Customer Cards, providing a discount to all stores and shops. Coach parking is free.
In North Yorkshire, just outside Ripon and part of Lightwater Valley Theme Park, is Lightwater Shopping Village. Here, groups can visit shops such as the Studley Royal Garden Shop, which offers a wide range of gardening products including plants, flowers and pots as well as homemade jams, chutneys and biscuits, and Leading Labels, which offers the latest high street fashion brands such as Ben Sherman, Jasper Conran and French Connection at discounted prices. There are a number of packages groups can take advantage of here including ‘Shopping and Country Wines’, which sees groups arrive at the Village for lunch at the on-site Granary Restaurant before a spot of shopping and then moving on to Yorkshire Country Wines Gallery & Antiques in Harrogate for a wine tour, complimentary tasting and the chance to purchase some traditional fruit wines. Free coach parking is available on site and GTOs receive discounts on goods purchased at the Shopping Village.
Moving further south, at Salford Quays in Greater Manchester is The Lowry Outlet Mall. Offering discount stores such as the Nike Factory Outlet and a Marks & Spencer Outlet, groups can also enjoy meals within the Food Court, which features fast food outlets such as Subway and Fat Jackets. Groups can also watch films at the onsite Red Cinema. Group organisers receive a £10 centre voucher and all group members receive a 10% discount voucher booklet – which can be used in selected stores and restaurants within the Lowry Outlet Mall. Groups can also take advantage of special group days, which provide tea and biscuits, the showing of a classic film, a cold buffet lunch, the chance to shop and a tea dance with a live band. Free coach parking is also available.
In Derbyshire, the Peak Village outlet shopping centre in Rowsley houses over 26 outlets and offers free coach parking. At the onsite restaurant, Massarella’s, groups of 20 or more can enjoy discounted meal packages including food such as hot and cold lunches and afternoon tea. Free coach parking is available onsite.
Alternatively, in Spalding, Lincolnshire, groups can visit Springfields Outlet Shopping & Festival Gardens. The shopping outlet centre is home to over 40 outlet stores and boasts top brand names at discounted prices within stores such as Marks & Spencer, Clarks Shoes, Cotton Traders and Suits You. Whilst here, groups can also take in the sights of the Springfields Festival Gardens, which feature celebrity showcase gardens designed by stars such as Charlie Dimmock and Kim Wilde.
In nearby Norfolk, Roys of Wroxham is the flagship store of the chain of eight ‘Roys’ stores around East Anglia. Groups visiting the store will be able to pick up a variety of goods ranging from men and women’s clothing to homeware. Free coach parking is available on-site. Other sites include those at Sudbury in Suffolk and Thetford in Norfolk.
Moving to Oxfordshire, Bicester Village boasts over 100 designer outlet stores, each offering up to 60% off last seasons’ collections. Groups can peruse bargains from designers such as Burberry, Calvin Klein and DKNY.
Meanwhile, in Hertfordshire, the Galleria Outlet Centre is spread over 30,000 square feet, boasting over 80 stores, a nine-screen cinema and several cafes and restaurants. There are also two department stores at the Centre – TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer.
In Kent, the Dockside Outlet Centre in Chatham boasts a number of stores including the Sportswear Clearance Outlet, selling Nike products at up to a 50% discount. Constructed in a Grade II listed Victorian building, the former dockyard boiler house also offers group catering facilities in its food court.
On the south coast, at Brewers Quay, in Weymouth, there are over 20 shops to choose from and visitor attractions to visit including the Timewalk and Weymouth Museum, which offers the chance to view historical items and portraits as well as recreated interiors showing how life once was for local people. Shops at the site offer products ranging from arts and crafts to real ales and hand made chocolates and fudges. Groups of 20 or more can also enjoy meal packages at the onsite Courtyard Restaurant and GTOs can enjoy familiarisation visits to the shopping attraction.
In Portsmouth, Gunwharf Quays offers over 85 designer outlet stores as well as a 14-screen cinema, a 26-lane bowlplex and 20 bars and restaurants. Free coach parking is available onsite.
Located between Southampton and Portsmouth in Whitely, Whitely Village Outlet Shopping boasts 50 stores, including Jaeger and Select, offering up to 60% reductions on all items. Additionally, Boswells Coffee, Starbucks Coffee and Frankie and Benny’s Restaurant and Bar on-site can all provide group catering options when pre-booked. Coach groups can also enjoy a meet and greet facility upon arrival.
Mill shopping
Mill shopping is mainly concentrated within Scotland and the north of the country in counties including Yorkshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire. In Mill shops, groups can find clothing as well as homeware and decorative trinkets.
A popular choice is Edinburgh Woolen Mill, which operates 192 mainstream high street stores and 94 tourist stores, offering an attached visitor centre, as well as 28 ‘destination sites’, which are considerably larger than the other stores and house a wider range of products. At all the sites, groups are able to pick up a number of items such as ladieswear and mens fashions as well as decorative items and homeware.
Another mill shopping company is Ponden Mill, which operates over 100 stores across the UK. The original store is still trading and is located in Haworth, West Yorkshire.
With four sites throughout the north and the Midlands, Boundary Mill Stores offers GTOs a £10 voucher for use in its stores. At the Colne store in Lancashire, groups can peruse the items housed in its 120,000 square foot building including ladieswear and menswear as a well as glass, china and cookware. Meanwhile, the Grantham store in Lincolnshire is spread over 45,000 square feet and is dedicated to the retail of ladieswear, menswear, shoes, luggage, bags and accessories. Additionally, the Shiremoor Store in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne boasts over 80,000 square feet, where you can find ladieswear, menswear, shoes, luggage, glass, china, cookware, homeware and BB’s Coffee Shop. Finally, the Walsall Store in Staffordshire also offers menswear, shoes, luggage, glass, china, cookware and homeware over 80,000 square feet.
De Bradelei Mill provides designer fashions at up to a 70% discount within its three stores at Belper in Derbyshire, Dover in Kent and Nottingham. Clothing brands available at the stores include top designers such as Windsmoor, Jacques Vert, Elle, Kangol, Ben Sherman, French Connection, CAT and Country Casuals. The stores also stock shoes, lingerie, accessories, toiletries and giftware.
Meanwhile, groups wishing to purchase cut price pottery should visit the Denby Pottery Visitor Centre and Factory Seconds Shop in Derbyshire. Here, you will find a Glass Studio, museum, factory and restaurant as well as the Visitor Centre and the Factory Seconds Shop. Groups can also take part in tours of the Glass Studio, where you can create your own piece of glass to take home, as well as the on-site factory. Additionally, Denby Pottery has several factory shops spread across the UK in areas such as Swindon in Wiltshire and Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.
In Lancashire, Oswaldtwistle Mills offers over 80 shops selling goods such as fabrics, crafts, glass and clothing. There are also themed areas within the Mills including Weavers Court, the home ware section and the Victorian Arcade, which provides over 30 brands of womens’ and mens’ fashion. Groups of 12 or more receive discount vouchers for selected shops at Oswaldtwistle Mills, whilst GTOs receive a £5 retail voucher for use throughout the attraction. Groups can also take advantage of a number of packages offered by Oswaldtwistle Mills such as Shop & Stall, which includes a visit to Oswaldtwistle Mills and an outing to the outdoor Bury Market for further shopping delights. Groups can also enjoy discounts on meals packages at the Mills.
Based in Worcester, the Royal Worcester Visitor Centre boasts an on-site shopping court with shops including The Best Shop, which sells quality Royal Worcester products such as bone china, porcelain and cookware, and a Dartington Crystal factory outlet shop selling fine crystal at reduced prices. As well as shopping opportunities, groups can enjoy guided tours of the site, which also houses the Worcester Porcelain Museum and a Paint a Plate Studio, where you can decorate your own plate to take home.
Town and city shopping
Britain’s eclectic range of towns and cities offer a wealth of shopping resources for groups to enjoy.
Beginning in the north of Britain, within the city of Newcastle, groups can visit Northumberland Street, billed as Newcastle’s answer to Oxford Street. Here you will find the large department store Fenwick, which provides designer attire for men and women. Also along the street there is a Marks & Spencer, H&M, Primark, HMV and Virgin as well as sports shops such as J.D. Sports, First Sport and Ath-Leisure.
Moving south, Leeds offers a number of shopping options for your group including Kirkgate Market, which has over 800 traders attending regularly. It is housed within impressive Edwardian buildings famous for their ornamental dragons. The Market is open daily and free coach parking is available nearby. Market staff are available to provide a meet and greet service. Groups can also visit the Victoria Quarter in Leeds, a shopping area, with shops such as Harvey Nichols, Ted Baker and French Connection.
Another shopping highlight of the north is Manchester, which offers Deansgate, boasting the first House of Fraser, Manchester’s oldest department store. Alternatively, designer clothing features heavily at 19th century King Street, which is host to such names as Vivienne Westwood, DKNY and Emporio Armani. If this is a bit out of your price range, nearby New Cathedral Street offers such high street names as Zara and French Connection. Meanwhile, a highlight in the city is the flagship Marks & Spencer store offering clothing and home accessories. However, if your group desires market goods, visit Affleck’s Palace shopping arcade on Church Street, which boasts second-hand clothing, vintage music and alternative jewellery. Alternatively, for further quirky items, the craft shop within the Royal Exchange Theatre sells collectable ceramics, contemporary glass, woodwork, metalwork and textiles as well as a wide variety of jewellery and artwork.
If your group is interested in all things that sparkle, visit Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Over 100 specialist retailers offer a variety of jewellery including handmade diamond rings and ethnic items. For jewellery created from your own designs, visit either Crystalink or Element Bespoke Jewellery.
Staying in the Midlands, Nottingham is home to over 1,400 retail outlets with the main shopping district centred around Market Square in the heart of the city. Here, groups can find various department stores such as John Lewis and House of Fraser. Another highlight is the Hockley area, which offers a number of designer boutiques and specialist shops selling jewellery and gifts. In fact, one of Britain’s most famous fashion exports, Paul Smith, grew up in Nottingham and he opened his flagship store here on Middle Pavement in 2004. Coach parking is available throughout Nottingham upon pre-arrangment.
Moving to Stoke-on-Trent, groups can find a wealth of ceramics and pottery shops to visit, with most offering discounted prices. In Longton, groups can visit the Wedgwood Visitor Centre, Portmeirion Potteries Factory Shops, which offers a large number of Portmeirion Potteries brand gift items and kitchenware, and the Aynsley China factory shop, which sells a wide variety of china with GTOs bringing a group of 25 or more receive a 25% discount on items purchased in the store. Meanwhile, in Cobridge, groups can visit the Moorcroft Factory Shop selling hand-crafted collectable pottery and the Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre in Burslem, which is home to a museum detailing the history behind Moorcroft pottery. Additionally, Spode Factory Shops can be found in Stoke and offers discounted crystal, candles, fragrances and jewellery, with private group lunches available. Also, in nearby Trentham, you can visit Trentham Retail Village, which boasts shops offering goods such as furniture and contemporary art.
In the county of Surrey, Blackbushe Sunday Market near Camberly offers a great day out for groups. The market is one of the biggest in England with hundreds of stalls selling a variety of items including men and women’s fashions, CDs and DVDs, mobile phones, household goods and toys. The site has a large number of free coach parking spaces and there is a small entrance fee, with groups receiving fast track entry.
Staying in the south, the city of Exeter has plenty of new shopping options to offer group visitors this year including the Princesshay shopping area due to open this autumn. The multi-million pound development will offer a pedestrianised open space with 60 new retailers, cafes and restaurants, which will be complimented by the 350 existing independent stores in the city centre. Opening within the development, the Debenhams store will be one of the largest departments stores in the south west with Schuh also opening a large store here. The area will also include a new heritage centre for Exeter’s Underground Passages, where groups can receive a 15% discount on a guided tour, and a new Tourist Information Centre will provide GTOs with a wealth of information on shopping in the city, as well as leaflets on what else there is to see and do. Although the main area featuring the Heritage Centre and Visitor Centre is due to open this autumn, parts of the development have already opened including three new restaurants; Strada, La Tasca and Cafe Rouge. Also open here, you’ll find Neal’s Yard Remedies, which offers a wide range of organic skin and body care, and Crew Clothing, offering casual wear, footwear and accessories, as well as the Orange Tree, a furniture and home accessories retailer. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Exeter, groups can visit Darts Farm Village, which offers locally produced food and drink, interior designs, contemporary art and clothing available for purchase.
On the south coast, Brighton has a wide range of shops and shopping areas ideal for a group trip. A highlight is The Lanes, dating from the 17th century, which offer a number of shops in winding alleyways selling items ranging from antiques and jewellery to interior design items and designer label clothing. Meanwhile, Brighton’s North Laines are known as the cultural quarter of the city but also offers over 300 independent shops in less than half a square mile. Items available in the Laine come from all over the world such as African drums, Cuban cigars and furniture from Mexico. If your group wishes to purchase some art, a visit to the beachfront’s Artist’s Quarter is also worth a visit.