always go in here to get things for grandsons always very helpful and great service and some things…read moresame prices as on line. Very wide selection of want I go for in .

Tucked away off of Southend's pedestrianised high street is Toys N Tuck. It's worth a visit if you…read morehave something specific in mind or if you're looking for a popular toy which is out of stock at Argos or any of the other high street retailers. Last summer my daughter wanted a scooter, but it seemed everyone else in Southend did too. On a shopping trip I figured I had nothing to lose so popped in to have a look and they had a good supply. Buying from Toys N Tuck also saved me £7 over the high street names. The shop is huge and they have a great selection of popular and unique toys. I give the national chains a miss now and go straight to Toys N Tuck when shopping for birthday or Christmas presents.

You can get a bit of everything here, though because of the variety of different products, the…read morevariety within each product does suffer. The shop is very well laid out and stoks a myriad of things such as discount books, DVD's, toys, jigsaw puzzles and so much more. The shop is well spaced out too, with promotional items generally being on stands within the middle of the shop, however, these stands are placed well enough that you can easily navigate around, the only thing that makes navigation difficult is the popularity of the store, so it's kind of a double-edged sword, but not one that hurts, as you can still get around fairly easily.

This place has a fair selection of cheap books, but don't expect to pick up the latest bestseller…read more However, if there's a bestseller that was out a few months ago, you might pick up a real bargain on the hardback edition. For art materials, it's cheap but they're not of great quality. The canvasses are good, though. If you're after something cheap to read on holiday, it's worth a look, and they sell a good variety of gifts for that nephew you never see.

Barnardos in Felixstowe suffers from its rather strange set up. It really doesn't have the familiar…read morefeel of a second hand shop at all. You walk through the door and straight into a long rail of mixed and confused clothing. Around the walls are brand new items - such as gift bags and cards. The really interesting things are in a strange little ante-chamber in the back. The prices here are still ok and haven't inflated like a lot of charity shops in the area. Still, its design does make you want to leave as soon as you've walked in. It's an uncomfortable shop to be in - which is a shame because it's for a very good cause.

One of the best jewellery shops in Southend. Excellent choice from affordable to expensive. Staff…read morealways helpful with good advice given. Have bought many gifts there. If want to buy something special this is one place I always go back to. Brilliant!!

I purchased a beautiful Bulova ladies watch from Sarah Beth jewellers and I am very pleased with my…read morepurchase. The same style watch in one of the larger, well known chain of jewellery shops was three times the price! The delivery was quick and packaging/delivery good so now Sarah Beth's is my first port of call. I don't often write reviews but felt in this instance I did have to comment. Many thanks.

MK One was located on the lower half of the high street near Wallis. It sold cheap teenage fashions…read moreand was very good value for money, especially for basic items of clothing such as vest tops, t-shirts etc. Some of the merchandise especially the bags and jewellery looked quite cheap and tacky. The service was never very good. Shop has now closed down.

Julie of Claire's accessories Colchester pierced my daughter's ears a couple of days ago and made…read morethe whole process feel calm and easy! thank you.

This is a girls paradise with something for everyone. Fashions are always changing so it's nice for…read moresmall/older children to be able to buy something new and trendy without spending all their money. Can be packed at the weekends so worth going early if your planning on being there a long time

Cash Converters is one of my favourite stores of all time. CDs are almost all priced at three quid,…read morewhich is astonishing considering the excellent condition of the goods. DVDs are similarly priced, making for huge savings in the long run. Second-hand electronics are also available, which I have never had any issues with over the past ten or so years. Staff are always helpful and welcoming, which is more than can be said for some larger, more famous stores. In all, a brilliant shop for cheap entertainment, even if it is somewhat far from the town centre itself five stars.

Cash converters is a gold mine. It's always worth a visit for cd's dvd's etc even random furniture…read moreitems can be found. The stock seems to change quite often so it's always worth going in even if you don't want anything specific. I've found the staff are very helpful and are happy to offer advise if you looking to either buy or sell

Nice displays of local artists work and great food to while away the hours while the mrs shopsread more