The Mall in Blackburn is the main shopping centre to serve the city centre and it does boast some…read morebig names which includes Argos, Boots, Clarks, Costa, EE, Game, Greggs, H&M, JD, Next, Pandora, Ryman, Subway, Topshop, USC, Sports Direct, Thorntons, River Island and a Post Office to name a few, which is quite impressive for a small town like Blackburn. The mall its-self is a decent size, it mainly seems to be all over one floor, but from the standard street level where Morrisons and the Markets are, you do need to go up a lift or escalator to get in and walking in that way wasn't really nice, it just felt bare walking through that coridoor which was cold, it wasn't very nice until you entered the main bit which was better. In a way, it felt cramped together how they had the shops and in some parts much of them were quite small including Argos, however their was a much more modern part with slightly nicer, newer and bigger stores such as Muffin Break, Next and Ryman. They didn't seem to be a large amount of staff or information points around to get assistance, so it was a bit of a free for all in a way, perhaps adding maps would have been easier to help find certain shops, I did struggle to find the Post Office at first mainly because it was situated right at the front enterance, hidden away in the newsagents away from everything else to the point where I wouldn't even count it as part of Blackburn's The Mall. The Mall actually comes from a chain of 6 branches around the UK, mainly in the South of England with other locations such as Luton. They did have an information counter which I went onto find, which is quite cool in the fact it is also a Collect Plus point, which is a key provider in returns from a large amount of companies, which includes Amazon in addition to the Post Office, which has a location here and Amazon Lockers, which are based in Morrisons just across the way. I didnt use parking here so can't comment on that, i would instead recommend parking across the way and not in either Morrisons or the main parking which is free for Blue Badge holders. Overall, this is a nice mall with some nice shops and well-known chains surrounding it, combining some of the biggest companies in WHSmith and Mcdonald's, and the smallest such as Rhode Island Coffee and Muffin Break so it has done enough to at least earn a slightly generous three star rating.

Woohoo! As good as it gets.......... in Blackburn…read more Actually is quite nice in there, got loads of stuff, spent a fair wack of time in there on weekends

The store on the whole is very good with one major downfall…read more The restaurant/café smells quite awful when you first walk in. Me and my friend went there for a coffee 2 days ago and the smell was horrific. The only thing I can say it smells like is hot melted goats cheese. The coffee is nice.

This store is large, well stocked, conveniently located and well maintained. The staff are always…read morehelpful and it's easy to find your way around. They stock a wide range of products, from clothing and make-up to toys and homeware. The cafe is good, too. Look out for their Blue Cross Sales!

I like this branch of John Lewis which is located at the Trafford Centre with plenty of parking,…read moremaking it super easy to pull up and head straight in. It's also very neat and tidy which is pretty important to me as I hate it when a shop is in total disarray (think the hellhole that is Primark) as it just makes the whole shopping experience more stressful than it should be. I've always found the staff to be approachable and friendly and will happily dispense advice on the best toaster or coffee machine for your buck, if you so desire. John Lewis is definitely one of the more premium department stores (not quite Harvey Nics but definitely not Debenhams) so the products and prices obviously mirror this but if you are after gifts or items that are of a higher quality then it's a brilliant option. Another major plus point for John Lewis is that if you sign up for their loyalty card online they send you vouchers for free coffee and cake every month - this sweetens the shopping experience no end!

This is just for the Cafe, Not for the Shop…read more We ordered a couple of coffees and come cake while browsing through John Lewis. I'm gonna keep this short as there isn't a lot to say really. The Cafe is drab and so is the food. I don't know why it's so busy. The staff eren't very friendly either, I can think of 10 places much better only a few minutes walk away. No second chances on this one i'm afraid.

House of Fraser is one of Manchester's oldest and most iconic department stores, it was founded in…read more1836 and the huge, impressive building on the heart of Deansgate is still going strong to its' day, despite being part of the House of Fraser group since the 1950s, and having its' current name since 2005, I like how they've stayed true to the roots and history of the store, by having its old name "Kendal, Milne and Co", still being clearly visible at the store's entrances, or Kendalls as it was known to locals. At Christmas, the decorations help light up and add to all of Deansgate, bringing a festive feel which even a Scrouge like myself can appreciate (but come on, just not in November - that's too early!) The facilities inside the store are good, for me with the fragrances, and high-end brands, as well as multiple lifts in the lobby, this feels like one of the Big American department stores, which I've only ever seen before in NYC, and London. The store isn't as good as it used to be, with some facilities/businesses located inside here closed, including a whole floor. With The Restaurant at House of Fraser gone, all that remains is a San Carlo Cichetti, which strangely is located directly opposite their main location in the city on King Street West. 4* - Pretty cool department store, it is sad to see the store deteriorating up until the inevitable closure which has been talked about for the past couple of years. This is currently one of the few branches remaining with many HOF stores closing down.

There's a touch of 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? about House of Fraser. It's not just the fact…read moreit's the oldest and grandest department store in the city, it's the slow elevators, the confusing floor layouts and the fact you have to buy your clothes from the area you picked them up rather than any till. Trust me, I've tried and failed on different occasions! The thing that really makes me feel I'm wandering around Grace Brothers department store however, is the staff. They're not quite as camp or witty as Captain Peacock, Mrs Slocombe or Mr Humphries but there's definitely an element of disdain and snootiness when you approach them. This might infuriate some people but it always tickles me and makes me wonder if it's part of the staff training! There's beauty products on the ground floor, furniture and electronics on the top floors and lots of men, womens and childrenswear inbetween. Some of it I wouldn't be seen dead in but I usually see at least half a dozen things I like from one of their emerging or established designers. The only problem is, is there anyone to serve me?!

Yes the store is VERY nice and very upmarket. The Selfridges store (huge!) in London's Oxford St is…read moreIconic in many ways - it was the FIRST department store in the UK and founded by an American who wasn't able to do his thing in the US - there is a TV series about it. It was the first store where women of the day felt comfortable and safe shopping alone.... Growing up in the UK my parents would take me there at least once a year (almost every time we visited London actually - so maybe 3-4 times a year. Yes there were upmarket things, and recently we were there and sure there are many expensive brands with absurd prices. But there are also more "normal" goods for sale. Not so much in Manchester - all Louis Vuitton and simile booths all around. A good friend who knows London very well explained that the smaller Selfridges don't have the room for affordable goods and it is all for the very affluent. So come prepared to go home broke or enjoy a window shop! Even the restaurant upstairs seemed very toffee nosed to be honest- not fun :( Review #4 2020

This is a large Selfridges store, although I do prefer their Birmingham location and their flagship…read moreLondon Oxford Street location (this location appears to be much more basic and laid back than those two, which are both in stunning buildings which stand out massively). I do think this is a good department store, it is one of the largest and more high-end department stores in the city centre, which is a fading game with Debenhams on Market Street closing and House of Fraser on Deansgate soon to follow. The store looks pretty good and is opposite Marks and Spencer in the Manchester Arndale, sadly Selfridges doesn't have a Food Hall similar to their other branches, at this location, this is a real shame - perhaps that is due to the Basement level of Marks and Spencer (a different business) having a large food section? There are two different San Carlo restaurants in terms of eating or drinking inside, I would have loved to see at least a different brand to add something a little more different, similar to what you see in other department stores such as Harrods etc. They do have some unique experiences here occasionally, Manchester City did bring the Premier League and Carabao Cup trophies here a couple of years ago which was super exciting for me as a big City fan. It can be pretty difficult to navigate at first, but they do have a store plan which is somewhat helpful, the store remains modern and clean. Some of the staff seemed a little snobbish and unhelpful, this was mixed as other staff members seemed great and happy to help. 4*

Peacocks. I can't fault it. It sells very low price fashion items, for all ages, on my last visit I…read moregot my daughter a pack of 5 vests for £3, bargain! The men's tshirts go up to quite a large size, which is great for my partner, as it seems to be the only place in rochdale that sells them at such generous sizes.

been in this shop a few times and as much as i quite like the adults and the childrens clothes.i…read morehave to say the staff have really bad attitudes.two or three times ive walked out of there because of the attitude of some of the staff.but overall the ladies and childrens clothes arent too bad.

Debenhams in Blackburn is one of the many department stores I have visited of late. This is quite a…read moredecent size store and is part of The Mall, I came here to use the toilets after grabbing a coffee near enough next store at Rhode Island Coffee, who sadly don't have any toilets. The store was cluttered with "Black Weekend" stickers and most of the offers weren't worth shouting about in all honesty. Inside the store, it just felt average and perhaps a little like the old BHS store in Manchester before it shut down after the company went into administration. The toilets were average, and so were most things, it just didn't stand out as well. There was an issue with the lifts which were very slow, and the signal in store even with Free wi-fi remained poor. Overall, this is a decent store but it lacks on so many levels to the point I sadly think even two stars is slightly generous.

Debenhams has got to be blackburns best department store. It has everything in here from perfume to…read morepots and pans! I think the staff are lovely in here specially around the make up area as they are very helpful. I went to the make up section in debenhams a few months ago and i wasn't sure what to buy or what suited me so the lady tried all these different products on me and after almost an hour we finally found which brand and product was for me. That lady definatly went the extra mile for me. I think the staff on the underwear section are a little bit stuck up. I once asked if i could try on a bra and they looked at me as if i had said something very offensive! The toys are great in this and as for the clothes there is definatly something for everybody here whatever your age or size. Overall a really good store that i use very often.

Harvey Nichols is a chain of department stores, founded in 1831 in London, home of their flagship…read morebranch, they now have 16 stores around the country, including this rather nice branch on New Cathedral Street, alongside many other high end stores such as Hugo Boss, it is easy to find from Manchester City centre, being fairly close to Exchange Square and Manchester's other high end department store - Selfridge and Co. The store is really nice, with a big tall cylinder on the end of the actual store, which I presume to be the restaurant, alongside the food hall they have a really nice, posh restaurant which can be found as soon as you get out the lift on the second floor. This store is really nice and high end, as you walk in from New Cathedral Street, they is a very small level and then a staircase onto the main shop floor, or a lift available which is quite hidden, located near one of the other exits and a small staircase. This branch of Harvey Nichols does something not many stores do, even the lifts are really cool, with shiny silver plates around the lift, to make it quite a cool place and not your typical old fashioned lift, most stores already have. I've been stuck in lifts before, and had so much trouble with them, being stuck in 6 lifts for around the hour, but this lift is actually nice and I was amazed, walking into it for the first time. On the second floor, there is a Bar and Brassere, which is located right after you come out of the lift, and is your typical high-end place with Afternoon Tea available, or you can just come in for drinks. Also on the second floor is a menswear section and a Foodmarket. All the food here seems very nice and high end, with a large amount of posh coffees, with Monin flavouring syrups, and other, less well known brands and other types of coffee and drinks. They even had a small piece of chocolate which was latte macchiato flavour, which looked pretty cool, although through looking at it and the packaging, it was hard to tell what it was. The staff here seemed quite friendly, and they did greet me to make sure I was okay, they seemed to know the brand very well and told me, they didn't stock the Pots & Co, a high-end, premium, moose-like dessert, and he told me, they'd probably only stock it in their flagship Knightsbridge branch, which is a similar situation to nearby Selfridges who also only stock it in their flagship London branch, which is a little frustrating. This store had a nice feel to it, with some really nice products and the store was a nice place to walk around and have a look, although the food market was slightly smaller than Selfridges at the Trafford Centre and Bullring, I still feel it is quite a nice, more modern place and overall a nicer department store, to most other department stores I have visited across the country, including nearby stores such as Marks and Spencer, House Of Fraser and Selfridges and due to this, I feel Harvey Nichols deserves a strong 4 stars as it is a nice place to shop, and with only few locations in the UK, and then around the world, it is well worth taking a look in, if you're a tourist in Manchester, or even a local. UPDATE: The store just feels to me to have declined a bit in terms of Food Hall selection and I feel originally I was amazed as the store was all new to me, but now the novelty seems to have faded and now I feel this store is barely average and instead warrants around a two star rating rather than two.

Staying on the subject of decadence, I decided to do a bit of role playing on Saturday and wander…read morearound Harvey Nicks imagining I was one of the cast of Desperate Housewives. Getting into the part I picked out the following: Christopher Kane high volume dress Mary Katrantzou silk whisky dress Matthew Williamson silk party dress Richard Nicoll panelled wool dress Erdem embroidered alvita dress Vivienne Westwood cowl neck dress & Alexander McQueen dogtooth skirt and jacket Alas, when I looked at the price tags and noticed that they were all between £350-£3,000 I gasped with horror and politely handed them back to a member of staff. Imagine if I'd ripped one whilst trying them on? The only way to have avoided a hefty bill and damaged dress would have been if I'd had Eva Longoria's face and body!

Angie at West County Macy's is a true professional. She is in the men's suit department. She…read morehelps young & mature men find just the right suit for them. She takes exact measurements for in house tailoring. If you want the perfect fitting suit, please go see Angie at Macys West County.

if you like fishin then macys is a good shop to visit. the staff here are realy helpfull, they have…read moreevery thin from hooks to bank sticks , all the baits a good tackle shop stoks, they even have there own lake and you can buy your day ticket from the shop it costs a fiver a day , and its a realy good lake with loads of BIG fish from carp to sock eyes and loads loads more, it realy is a good fishery and a good tackle shop,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,