I'm no fashionista: flash jeans and silly shoes mean nothing to me. I prefer a decent cut and a bit…read moreof nice material - grandad was a tailor you see - so no wonder I like Gieves at Bicester. Factory outlets are just that: outlets for end of line and range sell offs after the start of the new season. You're never going to buy the creme de la creme cutting edge at Bicester, unless you come to somewhere that fashions don't really change. Sure Gieves will change colours and some styles year on year, but the cuts are the same and the fit is reliable. Suits, trousers, ties, shirts? This is THE place to come within a 30-mile radius. The staff are excellent. The in-house alterations are perfect and only take a few days. The clothes are all top class and the relaxed confidence that comes from wearing decent tailoring, even in jeans, is unbeatable.

By far the biggest shop in Weston Favell is the giant Tesco that overshadows every other shop…read morethere. With it's location being central to pretty much the whole east-side of Northampton, it can get pretty busy during the weekend. After the recent expansion providing a new, fresh look and feel, there were also quite a few more shops added, (such as Wilkinson and Peacocks) along with an extended floor-space to accommodate some shopping stalls to be setup, which is great for seasonal use etc. The only negative thing that I can really say about the centre is that it can get over-run with school kids around lunch time and after school because there are a few schools within walking distance.

Weston Favell shopping centre looks like it could do with a bit of a makeover, but if you live…read morenearby it is pretty handy and does have quite a good range of shops. It is not a huge shopping centre, but it does have a really big Tescos that sell everything from food, clothes, toys, TVs and electrical, and a huge range of other products. The layout of the centre is a bit weird and I often forget where some of the shops are! There is free parking which is great, inside and outside, although it gets really busy especially on Saturdays and it can be difficult to get a space without driving around a few times. It is not a place I would choose to do my Christmas shopping, but it suits everyday needs.

West One is situated in the newer part of the Milton Keynes shopping centre- Midsummers Place and…read moreit is one of my favourite shops in the whole centre. It is a good sized clothes shop that sells really lovely fashionable women's clothes and I always think that they look really classy too. The shop looks like it will be expensive as it has an expensive look to it, but really the clothes are not too dear at all. They are a bit more expensive than places like New Look, but on the whole I think the clothes are good quality and affordable. The store has a really nice layout to it and the clothes are often displayed in a colour coded fashion so if you are looking for a red top, all the red tops would be in one place. It gives the store a great look to it and is easy for customers to find what they are looking for. There are plenty of changing rooms and the staff are helpful in this store too.

West One is another one of my all time favourite stores to shop at, especially if I am looking for…read moresome more types of trousers or the other stores I am shopping in do not have what I want. This store I believe is good value for money, yes it does sometimes seem a little pricey like a pair of black trousers will cost you £30 but then they do last a long time, so its values for money. The store is pretty big inside and has plenty of room if there is a sudden rush of customers, there are also plenty of changing rooms and someone is always manning them so there is help there if you need it. They sell dresses, trousers, smart tops, casual tops, skirts, shoes and accessories.

This is located underneath Top shop in the new part of the city Centre (midsummer place). There is…read morereasonable parking nearby and it is easy to get to. They sell a wide range of women's clothes and compared to the Topshop above I would say that it is aimed to slightly younger girls/ladies and their clothes are certainly more 'dressey'. Everything is reasonably priced to quite expensive, but I have never had anything of bad wuality from there. Staff are nice and helpful and it is nice to be able to wander into topshop with your shopping. Worth a visit.

The shelves are ALWAYS overstocked in this store and as well as this, they are always close…read moretogether. If you have a double pushchair, you might as well forget browsing around this store. If i find an item i like, i find it impossible to find my size. It seems that the staff have been told by their managers that NOTHING can be put in the stock room, so it is ALL crammed out. Looking for a particular size is HARD because you can barely move the items without throwing them on the floor first. I fail to understand why a store would possibly need 12 size 8's out on the shop floor at one time. What happened to stock rotation and replenishment? There is a bell on the desk to make yourself known when you are waiting and there is nobody at the till. When i worked in retail, you would NEVER leave the till unattended. Big fail. One time i was stood at the till for a while longer than expected, and people behind be began to put their items down and leave. I had rung the bell several times, and a member of staff looked at me as if i was asking the world just to be served. I only shop in this store if there is something i really, really want. Its not a pleasurable experience for me.

There's a really nice feeling around Monsoon. Perhaps it's that they receive relatively high…read moreethical ratings, perhaps it's that their clothes look good on just about anybody. The store in Centre MK is a rather large one. When you walk in you get bombarded with colour (all good) and the staff are eager to help, but also willing to leave you alone - no trailing staff here. If I'm looking for a dress monsoon is almost always my first stop. They do tend to be a bit pricey, but during sales you can get some good deals. These do only come around once in a blue moon though. Their clothing lasts - I have a fair few items that have never been treated with any particular kindness yet still perform wonderfully.

Monsoon is now merged in with accessorize in the same store which I think is really handy as you…read morecan go into Monsoon and find the dress or outfit that you require for that special occasion. Then without even having to go to another store you can then go and find and pick out the perfect accessories to go perfectly with the outfit you are wanting. I think this is a much better way to find a complete outfit rather than traipsing around various different stores to find one outfit. Again the store is large in size, the staff are helpful and I like the atmosphere and décor of the store.

Hopes is one of the only designer type stores in Rugby for both men and women…read more They are opposite the bank and experience hair design and down from where woolworths used to be. They do a selection of designer wear from ted baker, fcuk, pal frank etc etc.tshirts, shirts trousers dress shoes etc etc they have it all. The store has great access and nice staff, price are as you would expect for designer gear.

The only really decent place to buy clothes in rugby - especially if you want good makes…read more They do a great range of paul smith tops, that me and and my mates often purchase and then look like idiots when we wear them on the same night!! their prices are average for what you would expect for designer gear. The staff are cool, and know thier labels, and also are great at ordering stuff in from the ranges they do even if they are not showing it in store. They also sell gift certificates, with is good if like me you are pants at buying presents. They also have just started doing kids clothes, which are so cute, espcially thier paul frank and joules ranges.

I rate Barker higher than any of the other factory shoe shops I visited in Northampton primarily…read morebecause I found a pair of walnut-coloured brogues I'd wanted here in my size. You'll wade through lots of crap (Barker had the widest selection of any of the stores we visited, though very little was fantastic) to find a pair to love, of that much I am sure. It was not until I spotted the last box of 3.5's that I had any hope I might find what I was after. My eventual purchase made me especially happy because the Minerva model was a shoe I'd had on my target list prior to coming to Northampton (and one that is currently available in Barker retail outlets at double the price.) In sum, Barker is worth a stop if you're already up in Northampton but not worth making a special trip from London for.

Watford Gap is a motorway service along the M1 by J16 and 17, operated by Roadchef…read more It is separated into Northbound and Southbound depending on the direction of travel. I visited their Southbound services. On both sides, there is the traditional Roadchef offering of McDonald's, WHSmith and Costa. The Southbound location has the additional offering of Leon. It is quite small for a motorway service station in general, and the seating area is limited, but given the fact it's only 10 miles in each direction to the next motorway services, Rugby and Northampton, it's forgivable. Certainly not the largest or most attractive motorway service location, but certainly does the job, the 24-7 McDonald's is useful as it provides hot food that can cater to dietary requirements including my gluten-free requirements at all hours of the day (or night). I wouldn't stop here though unless directly targeting either McDonald's or LEON as there is much better along the M1. 3*

Very good place with a plenty of different food. Coco di…read moremama Italian pasta 5 Stars Fresh food caffe 5stars Chozen Noodles Asian food 5 stars