the under manager was extremely unpleasant rude and disrespectful to me when I was in that store on…read moreSaturday 3 rd February 2024. I am a 71 year old disabled pensioner with myriad health problems and a tiny assistance dog in a small pram which is a walking aid for me. I was treated in a bad way on the floor selling cutlery which was expensive but which I wanted to purchase.The young assistant had a couldn't care less attitude.So I walked away without saying anything as I am very polite. I approached the duty manager on my way out who totally misconstrued what I said to him. I have spent thousands of pounds in Binns over many years even when it was open in Middlesbrough.In this time of economic recession I am GLAD they are allowed to be rude so they won't miss my custom.A couple outside saw my distress and comforted me.He needs to remember NOT ALL DISABILITIES ARE OBVIOUS.As the nice Lady outside said 'Poor communication skills are paramount in all walks of life'.I will never go there again.

Binns is a massive department store, located right in the town centre. It has a number of diffeent…read morestores and brands within. in the cosmetics area all major brands are covered; clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Benefit, Calvin Klien etc. In the clothing area their are labels and shops such as; Coast, Wallis and Oasis, along with many major shoe brands. It is ideal place to visit to buy an outfit for any occasion. It also offers men and childrens clothing, along with furniture and homewares.

This branch of TK Maxx is located on the right hand side of the main square on Teesside Retail…read morePark, about half way along, next door to PC World. This branch is split over two floors, with women's clothing, shoes, bags, and a few seasonal decorations on the ground floor. Upstairs, they have men's and children's clothing, toys and games, ornaments, kitchenware, lighting etc. TK Maxx seems to have a reputation (at least on the television) as being a brilliant place to buy designer clothing on the cheap. Well, I can't really dispute that as I don't bother much with the clothing. To be honest, I find it all a bit of a jumble, hard to find the right sizes, and to my mind the stuff is still over-priced! However, I do like TK Maxx for toys and for household items. I've managed to buy some real bargains int he toy department. The problem is, like the clothing, I suppose, it just depends on what they get in. You have to rummage around and you may find a single item that you like, but they will only have one of them most of the time! I did manage to get a lovely star shaped light-shade for about £6, which I know was £18 in B&Q (because I had already bought one!). So I would definitely recommend having a look round this shop - you could find bargain. The only real downside is the check out queues. I don't think I've ever been in without there being a long queue for the check outs, and it feels like it takes ages to get to the front! Oh, and the other thing I don't like is that they charge you for carrier bags!

Nice big store with 2 floors. Men's & home upstairs. Women's down stairs. No my favourite store but…read morethe girls like it.

This is one of Marks and Spencer's more modern shops and has recently had a bit of refurbish. It's…read morea large one with a huge women's wear section and food hall on the ground floor and up stairs there's the cafe, children's wear, underwear and mens. Some of the staff I find are lovely women but others I have been disgusted at the way they look down their nose at you, especially some managers! Not very encouraging for the company! The queues move quickly here and I like the fact this shop has some toilets for everyone, not just customers of the cafe!

Very large department store having had a recent refurbishment. Spread over two floors linked via a…read morecentral escalator. You can access this shop either by the doors which lead outside to Linthorpe road which is the main shopping area in Middlesbrough or via The Hill street shopping centre. The food hall stocks a wide range of food, from Sandwiches to more substantial food for bigger meals. There is a park and collect service which is fab when you buy a large amount of food. There are plenty of fashions available for all ages both male and female as well as a good home department which sells furniture. You can finish you shopping experience with a visit to the Cafe which as well as drinks serves small snacks.A bureau de change is sited upstairs A very nice shop, well lit and presented and as you would exoect with Marks and spencers good customer service.

Bins or House of Fraser which it is linked to is very easy to find in Middlesbrough. On the main…read moreshopping street opposite Debenhams. The basement is the men's floor with expensive brands such as French Connection and Scot and Lyle, ground floor is mainly handbags and premium beauty products where once again those on the counters of brands such as YSL, Dior, and other big names think they are too good to talk to you. The 1st floor is my favourite having Warehouse, Oasis, All Saints, Bench and Coast on it. There is also a big underwear range including Wonderbra where the women are nice and chatty. Bins is quieter and cooler than the other department stores. It's quite an original building with no escalators (lifts of course) and quite simple but effective decor. There is also a café and a home and children's wear section.

I love the stairs in this place! They're towards the back and spiral, I remember when I was little…read moreI used to go to the top and look down. But for those not fond of walking there are lifts! It's easily accessible from the high street, and it's right near Captain Cooks Square. The basement has a cafe and mens wear. The ground is makeup, accessories, shoes and bags (essential for us girls!). I would definitely recommend the shoe department here especially at sale time, there are some really nice shoes and heels often more than half price, I got some coast heels for about £70, a bargain I thought! The first floor is younger womens fashion with oasis, coast and warehouse, it's quite pricy usually but hit it at sale time for really good reductions, especially in the coast and warehouse sections. Childrens section is also on this floor. The second floor is older womens fashion but for the younger don't be put off as there are often some good bargains lurking about. The third floor is china, the fourth homeware and the fifth beds. It's a really nice organised shop with generally helpful staff. It's a very posh awe inspiring place but it's good to shop at, just make sure you look out for sale dates!

Darlington is one of my most favourite places for a shopping trip. I spent many a Saturday there…read moreuntil I moved away fromhome, but visit regularly still when I go 'home' to visit my parents. On Saturday, we went to Boyes. I've always been a fan of Boyes - as a child it was the sweets and the pocket-money toys that attracted me there, as a teenager it was the clothes, shoes and make-up, when I first left home it was the DIY products, the curtains and the general bric-a-brac for the home, and now it's the craft pieces (and still the sweets). So we always spend a good half hour in here. Boyes has remained exactly the same for the last 20 years - the items are similar and they're even located in the same place as they always were. As you enter the store, there's the baby clothes and other items, the sweets, then the toys, homeware such as towels, and the knitting patterns and materials. Upstairs is the DIY stuff, the make-up and the clothes and shoes. Sadly, despite Boyes being a firm favourite, they lose a star for having part of their store inaccessible to wheelchair users. There's a small raised section devoted to materials, and although it has Stanna-type stairlifts, there is no access for people that are unable to walk. They have lifts between the ground floor and the first floor, but these are very small. Apart from that, the store offers a fantastic range of products and their prices are competitive.

Went into here looking for latch hook materials but unfortunately they only do the kit boxes. As…read morealways ended up getting some other stuff, always a bargin to be had in any Boyes store no matter where u go.

This branch of Marks and Spencer is located on Teesside Retail Park. It's on the right hand side as…read moreyou enter the main square, near Zavvi. This is quite a large branch, set out over two floors. Downstairs they have a dedicated food section, then moving left you come to the women's clothing. They have shoes, lingerie, and lots of lovely fashion. The only one I actually notice is Per Una, so truth be told, I don't know if they stock other brands, as I've only noticed the Per Una. They have some really nice items. Most of it is out of my price range, but I have been lucky there when they've had end of season sales one. The service is excellent. The fitting rooms are really quite spacious and luxurious, compared to what I'm used to in Asda, for example! The staff are friendly and helpful. Upstairs, they have men's clothing, and a gift section, and homewares. Last time I was in, I noticed they also had a television section upstairs! This was new to me, but it was a smart little section, not a lot of choice, but the service, again, was excellent. The lady took time out to talk me through some of the products, and was really helpful. About twenty years ago I thought Marks and Spencer was really posh, and the epitome of quality and good service. Then it sort of went downhill, but I think they're climbing back up now.

This is a handy, decent sized Marks and Spencers store which is is part of Teesside Retail Park…read more Because of this there is plenty of car parking outside and it is open later than your average store. I am not sure of the exact hours but I think around 8pm on an average night. As well as the usual ranges of fashion, homeware, food etc there is a cafe on the first floor and a currency exchange which is handy as M&S often have good rates. Personally I think that M&S have become more competitive in recent years and I am now shopping her more and more.

A great store, I walked in and got exactly what I needed immediately, beautiful serviettes for my…read moretea party. There were a lot of other things I did not need so kept my eyes dead ahead. Lovely to see stores like this still in business in a market town. Go treat yourself today to something, anything, everything!

Barkers Department Store, situated in the centre of the High Street, offers an incredible range of…read moremerchandise, including some of the worlds leading brands of fashion, lingerie, menswear, shoes, handbags, cosmetics, cards, luggage, gifts and homewares. On the first floor is a recently refurbished 200 seat restaurant with views over the Applegarth Park and an excellent menu specialising in home cooking. The store also has an online shopping facility.

This branch of T K Maxx is located in the new Captain Cook's Square in Middlesbrough town centre. I…read moremust confess, I prefer the branch on Teesside Retail Park. This branch is all on one floor, and seems a bit jumbled to me. They sell clothing, shoes, bags, toys, ornaments etc. I always like to take a look in if I'm in the town centre, as I would hate to miss a bargain, and you CAN get bargains here, but you have to be lucky, and you have to be prepared to rummage for them! I personally find the clothing expensive, even though it is discounted. But they do carry a nice line in reduced price toys and games, although I don't think they have a big a selection at the Teesside Park branch. There always seem to be queues at the check outs, too.

A large store, which is spacious and well laid out. They…read morestock men's, women's and children's clothes, homeware, toys and other bits and bobs. Well worth a visit, as you can pick up some designer bargains. Sometimes you can queue for a while as it gets quite busy. The children's toy section is usually quite good.