**June 2022: Weekday Afternoon Visit**…read more What a wonderful shop with tons of Harry Potter Merch! There were many items from collaborations that I had not seen in the states so this was quite a treat to see so many products that I had not seen before. I purchased a canvas tote bag (it's a reprint of Harry Potter's "undesireable #1" feature in the paper) that I used daily on my UK adventures and had gotten compliments on it. There's also tons of stationery, books, jewelry, key chains etc and of course many items to represent all four houses. They play HP music and the decor is definitely on theme. Recommend you checking them out!

A magical shop in a true Muggle Diagon Alley in the middle of the Shambles in York…read more Because the shop is small, there is usually a queue that wraps around to get in. Fear not Harry Potter fans, it moves rather quickly. Inside you can find all Harry Potter gadgets and souvenirs of different sizes and kinds. Having just gone to the Warner Bros Studio Tours in London, I can attest to the variety of items sold in this inspired shop - many of which I didn't even see at the official store! This is a truly wicked must-stop shop!

My beloved mobile phone departed this world and I was left in that awful situation where you need…read moreto replace it outside of an upgrade, i e pay for a new one( Am not very well informed digitally, in fact I have been described as a "digital immigrant" by my Niece so initially went into another branch for advice. Ended up purchasing a phone that was far from suitable and did not meet my needs at all. Was in a bit of a tizz and was considerably lighter in the pocket to say the least... I went into Briggate CPW store and spent a considerable amount of time having "phone counselling" with Tim, he was very helpful well informed and patient with me and nothing was too much trouble. I left the store far better informed and with an action plan to solve my problems) A couple of days later after getting no further with my issue, there was a further development and I called into the store again. As Tim was not available, I was assisted by Luke. I found Luke to be understanding, helpful and supportive and he was really helpful. As it appears I had been mis-sold a phone by the first CPW store, Luke and his Manager agreed to allow me to return the phone. Really impressed with Briggate store and found Customer service to be at it's finest on both of my visits. Have previously kind of avoided CPW as it always seems so full of happening young cool guys and that's just the staff) Would fully recommend the Team here to all and especially Tim and Luke, well done Guys!

Bought a new phone contract with Danni, really nice and helped find me the best deal for my phone…read more Also got a very good deal and price! Really good customer service.

Trundling along North Street I'd almost given up looking for Maplin's and headed to P.C. World when…read morea man asked me for directions. I couldn't help him and said in passing that I was looking for Maplin's, he promptly gave me directions and I was soon in this Aladdin's Cave of electrical components. Being slightly out of the city centre this electronics shop is vast compared to my other experiences of Maplin's. You can get loads of little bits from transistors, to hard drives and a cacophony of wires to larger goods such as disco lights. Everything is here to enable you to vamp up any gadget you may have lurking in the house. Despite the size the layout is well devised, staff are able to find things quickly and can offer what seems to be knowledgeable advice on what you need, although I am no expert.

This place is my mecca. Maplin to me is like a shoe shop to the wife! I have spent many hours just…read morewandering around here playing with gadgets and boys toys, the disco lights area is a favourite but I do get funny looks when I'm doing my Saturday Night Fever routine. If you need anything electronic you will find it here, from a tiny resistor to a great big speaker they will have it! The only thing that stops this place from being 5 star is they can be pricey on componenets compared with Farnells and CPC but if you need it today and need any advice this lot will sort you out :)

Despite being quite a small shop, this Aldo manages to pack quite a lot in, with a wide range of…read moreshoes for both men and women, as well as hand bags and accessories. Aldo's prices are about average high street prices, or just above...their range appears to reflect this with most styles pretty standard for a high street shoe retailer but with a few standing out a as bit more fashion forward. For blokes , unless you're going for 'casual loafers' or 'sports shoes' you have to abide by the current apparently unbreakable fashion rule that is irritatingly long pointed toes. I must admit I'm getting a bit tired of this look. To me, most guys wearing a pair of these shoes just look overly-self-consciously trendy but it appears a man would have to try pretty hard to find a non-pointed toe on the high street...unless venturing into Clarks or Slaters. It has actually got to the point where a man wearing a more rounded toe will probably look like he's making some sort of fashion statement...cue rounded toes coming back 'in'. Yawn. But if you like your toes trendy and pointed there's plenty to choose from! So to sum up, Aldo's not breaking any boundaries, but probably serves the average shoe-shopper well.

My first experience of Aldo Shoes was wandering past and espying some rather fab looking biker…read morestyle boots that were a bit slender than actual biker boots with a bunch of fab buckles and shoe bling, being a sucker for footwear I wandered in and picked them up expecting their price tag to read £300 plus, colour me pleasantly surprised when they came up at £140. Further poking around, led me to see another buckle clad biker boot for just £90, a quick sniff test and, yes, it was leather. Why hadn't I taken the plunge before? It's always been a place I'd walked by and never felt compelled to explore. Is it because I've got an uncle Aldo and I was avoiding it through disassociation? I'm not sure. It could be down to the fact that every time I've wandered by the store is absolutely teeming with people, or that I prejudged it to be super expensive and beyond my budget. My sensible shoe/non sneaker budget is always less than my kickass sneaker budget. In addition to women's shoes they do a range of men's boots and shoes, although on first glance, your man in your life would have to be a bit on the metrosexual side, as styles are more on the exploratory fashion conscience side of things rather than practical Clarks' types. Some of the selections are hit and miss, and as a demographic it's hard to decide if they're targeting the older middle aged crowd, the fashion conscience students, or the teenagers with far too much money yet a healthy appetite for switchblade stilettos and thigh highs. Hmmm. The last time I went in sale season was still in bloom, and due to busy periods staff were a little fraught and run ragged from traipsing up and down stairs, one imagines. More comment on that when I go back for my boots, preferably at a quieter time.

This menswear shop is the place to come if you want to get kitted out with the classic English…read moreCountry look - think Golden Labradors, Range Rovers and green wellies. Actually, it's full of foreign tourists as well, this being York, all wanting a slice of classic, rugged British outdoor wear. Brands include Barbour - of course - Viyella, Magee and Loake. They can literally fit you out from top to toe, from shoes or boots and socks to classic Christy and Olney hats and caps. The nice thing is that the staff are very friendly and helpful, as well as knowledgeable, and the prices actually pretty good for this sort of lifetime-lasting quality. The shop is quite small, but a great place to browse. They also do a mail order service.

I have been buying clothes from Robert Smart for many years as I know they stock only high…read morequality clothing and I will receive old fashioned,expert, professional service to match. Robert Smart offers a first class service for alterations too. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff I would not consider going anywhere else. I recommend Robert Smart Menswear without any reservation.

This is a great store! We managed to find a new bag for my mum and it's perfect! They have a…read morereally super selection of everything and their prices are amazing! Staff had the line moving efficiently and quickly! Very happy the purchase!

TK Maxx is both a blessing and a curse. The store is humungous, which bodes well in terms of…read morechoice. You can literally get lost in a sea of clothing, and there is such a vast range that they are sure to have what you are looking for. The handbag section alone is about 6 aisles, with all the colours of the rainbow covered. My favourite items to look for are their dresses. They have so many quirky pieces that you will almost certainly find something unique. All of their stock is marked down designer clothing so that is another bonus - bargains galore! On the flip side, the vast array of choice can often be overwhelming. If you aren't in the mood/tired/in a rush, then this place can be as hellish as Primark to sift through. Too much choice and too many people. The other dark side to TK Maxx is once again, the designer clothing element. Whilst in a lot of cases it means that the unique brands are more affordable, it also means that the one item that you might fall in love with is something like £300 marked down from £500. Whilst a £200 saving is great, it's not so much if you only meant to spend £40 in the first place! So I have a love-hate relationship with TK Maxx. On so many occasions I have walked away with some really lovely, quirky and well made frocks. But then on a few occasions I have run out screaming (or, at least, briskly walked out tutting) with nothing.

I love this place and go out of my way to go there. An…read moreAlladdins cave of treasures from shoes to fabrics..kitchen ware to religious icons..suits to saris.Balti trays and cooking utensils are very reasonably priced compared to any cook shop. This store is massive! It packs a lot of stuff all under one roof! Lovely sari fabrics from around £15.99. I often buy the plain white silk ones for £15 and cut into smaller pieces and dye for other things.Ornate saris make wonderful furnishing fabrics too. A great selection of haberdashery..lovely ribbons and trims. A bargain bin with short pieces of amazing fabrics at about 8 pieces a £1. Some stunning jewellery as well and indian cosmetics and hennabindis, henna tattoos and I also stock up on incense. The huge emporium is a gleaming bazaar with rolls of silks in every possible shade. Racks of spangled shoes and sandals seem to come straight from Bollywood. Yet there are also racks of little girls' organdie dresses like those worn by Shirley Temple in the 1930s. Indeed, something about Bombay Stores is very comforting for English people: it is as if time has stood still. For the Asian community is a taste of home. There is order and calm, no pressure selling and plenty of space to wander from the boutique, selling Bollywood pop hits and videos, to the cafe, en route to the fabrics, suits and shoes. I always keep carrying armfuls of stuff to the checkout but now they have also devised a new idea. In fact there's so much that the only way to shop for larger goods is to browse the store and pick up tickets for each item that you want to purchase, and when you're done you go to the checkout, give in your tickets and all your items will be ready to pay for and collect. I bought a huge, thick fleecy throw for about £20 and everyone wants to steal itit is so soft and luxurious! The brains behind Bombay Stores is 68-year-old Abdul Kader, who came to Britain in 1957. He knew nobody, and started with nothing, but there were jobs. He worked on the London buses and in the Bradford mills. By 1963 he had bought his first business, a former fish and chip shop. His capital was only £100 and his wife, Maryam, worked long hours in the shop making dresses while he drove buses on a double shift to pay for the enterprise. He expanded to the present premises in Shearbridge Road in 1983. Today, annual turnover is £10m and he employs 70 workers. Very efficient and helpful service. They have a cafe for wonderful samosas, coffee and good western style kids meals too. Bombay Stores in Bradford not only sells fabrics that attract customers from all over the world, it also brings together a multicultural community. It is the UK's largest Asian department store. They have a web site with a small online catalogue and various department goods. Opening times: Mon to Fri 10:00am till 07:30pm Sat 10:00am till 08:00pm Sun 12:00pm till 06:00pm

A great place to find interesting and colourful fabric/trims, Bombay stores has stacks of the…read morestuff. The wide range offers everything from simple plain white cotton to the most heavily embellished and luxurious satins perfect for wedding dresses. They have a dedicated bridal section and I believe they do custom made wedding dresses these do not come cheap but you get what you pay for. The extensive trims section offers glittering diamantes and a fantastic selection of buttons. They really do have everything you need at Bombay stores. The only thing that does start to get irritating after a while is the music as Bollywood tunes really aren't my thing but it's an INdian store so it fits well with the shop.

I was a 4front virgin before I happened upon this shop. I'd describe it as a gadget shop full of…read moreall sorts of stuff you tend to find in these gadgety type shops like the hamster in a ball which knocks into your feet if you aren't careful and the random helicopter toys flying around near your head. This shop is quite big and full of all sorts of stuff, its good for stocking filler kind of pressies or if you're wanting to splash out on something cool and expensive for the kiddle winkles. The guys who work there are really nice and friendly and happy to chat to you about the different things in the shop. Although stay away from the Egyptian spherical puzzle behind the class case, it will draw you in with its wonder and sparkle until you find out its £99 for a puzzle!