This M&S looks very grand from the outside but when you get inside it completely falls flat on its…read moreface. Firstly, despite having a makeover, it still looks like something out of 1972. Especially the food hall, even though it takes up the entire ground floor, it still feels tiny. Also, it is very badly laid out with the café and toilets on the third floor and if you are waiting for the lift, you will constantly have to squeeze against the walls because the lift is right in the middle of the store in the most busy area. The toilets (by the returns bit on 3) always have really long queues and once I had to give up and come back later because of how long the line was. The building however is very pretty from the outside.

I can only really comment on the food section here, as I popped in to buy some sandwiches. (I know,…read moreI know; surely York must have some nice tea-shops? Well, I couldn't find any that either had space or didn't charge the earth). I suspect it was my fault for choosing a Saturday afternoon, but I find it hard to believe that the citizens of York put up with this all the time: the food section is cramped, badly laid out, with displays of impulse purchase items (eg tins of posh biscuits) stacked up in places perfectly designed to impede customer circulation, and slow, slow tills. It took me 20 minutes to buy my sarnies, and it felt horribly claustrophobic. The worst M&S I've been to in a very long time: the stars are only because the choice and quality of products is good.

I think I may have been a little generous giving Boyes a 3 star rating, but it holds a special…read moreplace in my heart as it was the favourite shop of my dearly departed Nana. Boyes sells a bit of everything, it's bordering on being (dare I say it ) a 'tat' shop.. It's a bit of a jumble sale! The first floor as various things for making your own furnishings, such as materials, cottons etc and on the ground floor you'll find a wide range of products from cleaning materials, DIY, kitchen wares as well as clothes, kids, mens and ladies to sweets crisps and various confectionery. Boyes is always value for money so if you fancy having a rummage around the shop, which is always just a little bit tatty, I'm sure you'll find something you never new you needed!

Cheap and cheerful! My OH gets all the birthday pressies for friends and relatives from here, just…read morefor that little something. Since we have both been on very low incomes until recently, Boyes has made the difference between whether or not we could buy people gifts at Christmas, too. No-one we want to know has ever got snobby about it. Also if you have a sewing project I'd recommend going to Boyes (don't waste your money at Gillies Fabrics in town, at over £10 a metre you could get a train to Leeds and buy from a sari shop for less!) if you just need something for a party costume or for the kids' Christmas plays or any sewing accessories.

Barnitts is a lovely shop selling things like lighting and other home ware. It's a big well laid…read moreout shop and although I often go in I've only bought one thing from there-a gorgeous big feature lamp which people always comment on when they come round. The only reason I rarely buy things there is because it's quite pricey compared to the likes of Ikea and in this day and age price is important!

Need something for your house? Go to Barnitts…read more Need something for the garden? Go to Barnitts. Doing some DIY? Barnitts again! If you need it, Barnitts will probably stock it and won't charge you an arm and a leg for it. Student discount is available on most items that aren't already subject to discount. From wooden spoons to wood screws and from pans to pond liner, Barnitts literally have it all. Sounds like we're on commission? Well we're not, get yourself down to the shop that goes on and on and on. Worth noting that they currently open on Sundays in the run up to Christmas only.

Whenever I saw the Fenwick logo at the entrance to the Coppergate centre, I got excited. I had been…read morein their flagship Newcastle store and gotten lost many times, so I entered with caution. But once I was inside, I could see from one end to the other and didn't get lost at all. Since the store is a LOT smaller than the one in Newcastle, they have missed out on various departments like the food hall, which is very sad. Even the toy department, which is one of this store's few strengths, feels pretty dark and depressing in the horrible dungeon that is the basement. Upstairs is one of the clothing department which feels rather dated and frumpy compared to Newcastle. In Newcastle there are lots of concessions like Topshop and River Island which make the selection more suitable to younger shoppers but there is nothing of the sort here. The ground floor is entirely occupied by the perfumery which is a bit inconvenient when the escalators are at the back of the shop and you are constantly being sprayed by perky associates. I would say that the Carluccio's restaurant upstairs would be a strength but it has no natural light, the food is hit and miss and the service is dreadful. The toilets that are next to it are clean and there is an exit to the Coppergate car park. I don't know why they really bothered to locate their York store here because it is very small and pokey and is about a tenth of the size of the Newcastle store. They could have extended into the old C&A unit when they had the chance but Topshop beat them to it. I'm sure they will suffer very badly when the new Primark next door opens.

After moving to York from the North East this branch of Fenwick's is such a disappointment to their…read moremassive store in Eldon Square, Newcastle. Goodness knows why they didn't expand into the C&A premises (now Topshop) when they had the chance. Menswear is a paltry offering (and mainly for the older and rich blokes) just past the good sized cosmetics department. There at least is a whole floor given over to womenswear. There is a really good card shop on the ground floor, and their basement cookware department is worth a visit. Space given over to toys seems to have suffered in recent years. All in all a disappointing branch of a small chain so successful elsewhere.

This is the kind of shop you pop into for a browse, not really with the intention of buying…read moreanything, but come out with arms full of 'stuff'.. So make sure you get a basket on your way in! Poundland has a bit of everything, from babies bottles, batterys and bleach to pet supplies, party poppers and pens. My daughter always stocks up on pens, paper crayons and felt tips aswell as naughty treats as yes, this shop does sell lots of sweeties and goodies! Some of the household stuff, as in the varses/picture frames aren't of the bestest quality - but who cares? it costs a quid! good value in anyones book.

Poundland can be the source of some fantastic bargains, and this is one of the bigger and better…read moreones. It's quite spacious considering, and they stock a particularly good range of food and drink. Service is friendly and there are plenty of checkouts so it's fine even at busy times. However as is inevitably the way with pound shops, they never stock the thing you go in for; you always come out with something slightly different, or completely different. Also, be wary of the quality of some of their electrical goods, like headphones, some of which are utterly terrible. And don't get too caught up in the one pound is a bargain! mentality- you might find yourself paying a pound here for something which will only cost up 60p in Tesco But otherwise, it's great.

Located next to a large John Lewis store, in the Monks Cross area of York, this is quite a large…read moreMarks & Spencer store, from the outside, the store does look nice, impressive and modern. Inside the store, there is also a typical M&S Cafe as well as a Filmore and Union bakery, which has a small range of sandwiches, cakes as well as hot drinks - Filmore is quite big in the Yorkshire region, and has a large branch in the city centre, and also one at the train station in York. The staff around the store seemed friendly enough, but they didn't stand out exactly. The store had quite a large Food Hall, the selection of to go food also impressed me at the deli counter, although sadly none of it was either gluten-free, and the food which wasn't labelled as containing gluten was not suitable for coeliacs due to preparation methods which were a shame, this was quite a new thing for me having not seen this before at my local Manchester store, although at the time of writing this it has now been introduced in Manchester and possibly nationwide too. The checkout area, however, was a little messy and not as good as the Manchester store which I visit quite regularly, another main factor this store was missing compared to Manchester was the fact fresh juices such as freshly squeezed orange, and lemonade and the infused waters I enjoy were not on offer here. Parking is available it seems at both sides of the store, on the other side near the food hall, I noticed a few eateries and part of the construction of the new York Community Stadium, which will be home to a cinema and York City FC. A nice large branch of the department store chain, with a decent food hall, albeit once again it seems to fail compared to some other branches but still it is a decent and slightly above average tore which at least deserves a three-star rating.

This branch of John Lewis is a large department store in York, it is around 20 minutes from the…read morecity centre via bus into the Monks Cross Park and Ride Station, from there it is only a few minutes on foot to the Vangerde Shopping Park, in which it is located. This branch of John Lewis is towards the right end of the retail park, and it is a decent sized store, being over 2 large floors with a Filmore and Union on the bottom floor, and John Lewis' own brand cafe "The Place to Eat" on the upper floor. Inside, the branch is quite modern and in most areas from suits to technology they do have a good selection of products, but despite this, some products I did find to be overpriced such as a standard male shirt, a smart shirt which would often go with a suit or waistcoat costing between £40 per shit for John Lewis' own brand to £65+ for a designer brand, considering other stores even similar department stores including Marks and Spencer sell these for a fraction of the cost, I think the pricing is ridiculous, meanwhile the pricing remains competitive on branded goods such as Apple, probably down to their "Never Knowingly Undersold" price-match policy. The staff around the store did seem quite friendly, and they did help measure me for a shirt, the service gives off a slightly high-end feel to try and justify the price-tag of certain products which are a little pricey. The toilets appeared to be clean as well, and this can be pretty hit and miss in shops. The store overall did seem modern and clean, it has a good feel to it, unlike some department stores such as Fenwick which is in the centre of York, a store I found to be cramped and old-fashioned earlier that day. A decent modern store but without its drawbacks such as pricing, perhaps adding a food section which I've seen in other John Lewis stores would also be a big improvement, as not only could this be possible for John Lewis as they also own the Waitrose supermarket brand and do it at other branches, such as those in London but this would compete with other department stores too, such as Marks and Spencer who have a Food section next store. A three-star rating is warranted as this is a decent department store but product range for a variety of budgets to try and match the feel of "value" which John Lewis is trying to advertise throughout the store would be a start at improving the store.

Just a pretty, pretty store. We didn't buy anything. But it's just very nice to walk through…read morehere, as their style & decor is pleasant, modern/chic, yet with a fun vintage vibe. Wish we had these stores in America.

I walk into this store searching for a present for my wife…read more I am happy to report that I found the present. The staff is very helpful.