Matalan is renowned for clothes at perhaps the cheapest price in town. If you are after scrappy…read moreclothes for work or outdoor activities. My so has been kitted out in Matalan gear for numerous Scout camps over the past decade and has never complained or at least to my face! The queue to pay can get rather long at times, although parking is plentiful and easily accessed from the town centre. The homeware department is ideal for students or those on a tight budget, with crockery and bedding at bargain prices. In all, not the most fashionable of clothing but cheap.

If you are looking for something for work and you don't want to spend much money then this is the…read moreplace to go. Fashion that is just going to last a few weeks then it's great but not if you want something that you'll have for years. Wide range of stock that is constantly changing for all the family. Good car park which is close to other superstores

Debenhams Colchester store is set out across three floors, with clothing, homewares, gifts and…read morecosmetics. For clothing, there is always a broad choice for men, women and children, although some lines are rather expected. Although this is to be expected of designer brands, some of Debenhams' 'own-brand' clothing (e.g. Red Herring and St George by Duffer) are sometimes extortionately priced. However, staff are nearly always helpful and, if you are so inclined, you can get advice of cosmetics in that department and make use of the free Personal Shopper service. Therefore, I am giving Debenhams Colchester four stars out of a possible five.

This store is set on 3 floors and seems to stock everything the well dressed home and person needs…read morewether it's new undies of new curtains! Loads of different designers offering something for everyone. There's no parking but they do have underground access if you need to collect something heavy.

Well, what can I say? T K Maxx is one of my favourite stores in Colchester. Why, I hear you ask?…read moreQuite simply, it's great not knowing what gem you might pick up next! The store has designer clothes heavily discounted for men, women and children, and have a huge variety of sizes and styles. As most of the clothes are catalogue returns and past season goods, you never really know what to expect and the quality of finds can vary massively from day to day. In all, a brilliant shop for discounted designer clothes if you are willing to rummage a bit.

I know some people love this place but i find it messy and that drives me mad! Every time i find…read moresomething i like it's never my size, always something that's been put in the wrong section. I sure there must be a better way of laying it all out but yuck only go in if you've got hours to spend trawling through everything!

Build a Bear is an awesome shop for children of all ages, from 5 year olds to 35 year olds! For a…read moreset price, depending on the style of cuddly friend, you get to stuff and name a bear (or other animal), and you can buy clothes and accessories to customise your new best friend. Although prices are generally quite high (around twenty quid or so), it is definitely worth it for children who like to feel part of their toys. If you really want your wallet to suffer, you can have birthday parties at the store. In all, a good idea but a rather expensive one at that.

The build a bear idea is very clever, loved by both kids and adults. The shop itself is located in…read moreCulver Square just off the high street, and has all sorts of bear-shaped fun inside it. There are a range of different bears to make and customise (including a hello kitty, my personal favourite) and many different adorable outfits to mix-n-match and dress them in. (The doctors one is SO cute!) This is a brilliant place to take a child for a unique gift, and maybe even the slightly easier amused adult. I know i'd have a lot of fun creating a bear, I just probably wouldn't admit it in public. However, the shop is very expensive if you are creating a bear from scratch, but well worth it in my opinion.