Mountain Trail may not catch your attention and drag you in off Holywood High Street but once…read moreinside it has a certain charm. From the moment you enter you feel like you have been transported back in time. Not because the products are dates, because they certainly aren't, but because of the old fashioned customer service on offer from the shopkeeper. A bell rings when you swing the door open and up jumps the friendly proprietor to greet you and ask can he help. From the moment I entered I felt at home and ended up chatting for half an hour. The shop itself sells a whole range of outdoor activity accessories and bikes. They have everything from racing bikes, mountain bikes to an old school BMX that I had my eye on. I was in the shop to look at the outdoor coats and I was expertly guided through the range. If you are an outdoor enthusiast I would highly recommend paying mountain trail a visit.

Mountain Trail has, more or less, all the same products as Tiso except it can be cheaper and you…read moredon't have to slug it all the way to Belfast. I have used the shop twice - the first time to buy a warm water proof fleece for the long Saturday afternoon rugby matches at Ravenhill - I got a regatta in pink for under £40 - a bargain I felt. The second time I used this shop was to buy little heat pads that you hold in your hand, break the metal disc and they heat up - you can put them in your socks to keep your feet warm or in your pockets for your hands - again I managed to get these cheaper than in other outdoor stores. Both experiences have been fine - I have got what I needed and been helped by a nice man who was full of information and advice. I also love the noticeboard outside that tells of local events and charity ventures one can take part in to do with the great outdoors - a great place to check if you fancy an adventure!

If you find you haven't packed enough for your trip to Belfast, or if you're a student, or even if…read moreyou're just on a budget, then it might be worth your while taking a run into Burton. They do all manner of clothing from jeans and t-shirts to suits, shirts and ties, and footwear. It always seems to me to be one of those places that always has some kind of sale or offer on. You can get a decent pair of jeans in here for around £20-£25, but I always end up coming out of here having bought more stuff than I went in for (which I know is usual for most people, but not really for me). They'll often have offers like two pairs of jeans, which are £25 each, for £35. An extra pair of jeans for a tenner? That'll do me. They do similar offers on footwear from time-to-time, which is handy if there are a few of you going to a wedding who are on a budget. You can also pick up some standard "no frills" t-shirts for around a fiver. I also picked up a suit in here one time for less than £60. Definitely worth a visit, especially if you're on a budget.

I must say I have more items bought from Burton in my bulging drawers than I thought. I was…read moreorganising things yesterday and soon realised that one of my suits, two pairs of jeans and a handful of shirts and ties have started life hanging on the wall of a Burton. Burton is aimed somewhere in between cheaper budget stores like Primark and higher end designer ware. It's probably just priced a little under Next but has a similar sort of feel and line. The last thing I bought here was a dark grey suit for a wedding. The staff were more than helpful and showed me what they had to offer, before popping in the back to grab the correct size. I ended up getting one close to half price at £80, which my meagre budget at the time stretched too. The range in general is great if you're looking for something simple like a pair of jeans, I'm not a fan of their designed and branded tshirts and jackets - but to each his own.

For me, Ards Shopping Centre isn't the kind of shopping centre you go to for a premium shopping…read moreexperience - it's more of a Bon Marche and Claire's Accessories kind of place. There are a couple of redeeming shops - River Island and McGees Butchers are worth a visit as is Belleek Living which is upmarket and a little out of place. Looks like it's showing off a bit with its luxury ceramics. I am also a bit of a Primark bargain hunter and while the branch in Ards is small, it seems to have some of the better bits you find in the bigger stores, particularly PJs. For a Primark raid, park behind the centre rather than in the car park and nip in the back door. If you do, you'll pass a line of cafes which are dated and forlorn but seem to do good business nonetheless. There are a couple of nicer places to grab a sandwich like Esquires coffee shop and the juice bar next door. There is a really big branch of Asda which does a good range of ladies and kids clothes and I've picked up a couple of good bits and piece for the kids there. All in all, Ards is somewhere for a functional shopping trip rather than a leisurely browse. You'll get your groceries and maybe pick up something in River Island or Primark. Or a fancy ceramic vase in Belleek Living.

About time I updated my review for Ards Shopping Centre from 2010 - so, what's changed? Much like…read moreother shopping centre's this one has a whole load of vacant/closed shops which is always sad to see. But let's focus on the positives. Ards has a good amount of big brand stores - River Island, Asda, Primark and a Boots store. One class addition to this centre is a soft, FREE children's play area - a perfect place to leave the kids or appease them after shopping. One thing Ards has abundance is parking - you won't struggle to find a space. There's also a Burger King and a Movieland cinema on the grounds so if you want to make a day of it you can. I'm taking a star off Ards for the amount of empty stores - perhaps give the empty units to independent retailers - it would definitely take the bad look off the place.

It's hard not to love this massive semi-outdoor shopping center. Steel and glass and lifts and…read moreescalators with so much fresh air moving through. It's clean and well patrolled by security and there are retail outlets for everyone and restaurants, too. I think what most people are missing is the rooftop atrium, called The Dome. The lift goes to the top and from there, a tremendous view over the city of Belfast. It's free and should not be missed. [Review 1885 of 2024 - 867 in United Kingdom - 22907 overall]

It is a massive shopping center, beautiful and made of mirrors. Lots of shops and restaurants to…read morenosh and spend your cash. I stopped at a few stores here, and partook of great hospitality and service. The spaces were immaculate and there were lots of places to sit, eat and meet. Great name eh.... Victoria Square.

Some shopping centres just have a nice vibe about them and I find this to be the case with…read moreSprucefield. It just feels spacious, clean, bright and pleasant to walk around. Home to some of the big, high-quality, shopping giants including M&S, Next, Mothercare and Pets at Home. However, being an out of town centre, it'll not be easy for everyone to get to, plus it can be EXTREMELY busy, especially at weekends...

Sprucefield shopping centre is a sprawling shopping centre on the outskirts of Belfast. If you are…read moretraveling up to Belfast on the M1 it's a great place to stop and recoup as my parents, sister and I did when we travelled from Dundalk to Belfast last week. The shopping centre has many parking spaces and the centre boasts: Marks & Spencer, JJB, Boots and a rather swish looking McDonald's. The Marks & Spencer is full of lovely things. It has a food hall and a pretty decent sit down restaurant and M&S cafe if you just want something small. The homewares section is vast and is full of lovely things you probably don't need, but look great anyway and there's also a vast clothes section, electrical equipment section, make-up and toiletries and a stationary section. The M&S also has two atms. The Boot's next door is pretty well stocked and carry the trendy Urban Decay and Benefit make-up lines. JJB and Mc'Donalds are also located in the complex. Worth popping into for the Marks & Spencers store.

I left Castle Court with my hands full at Poundland, Superdrug, Top Gift Outlet No. 92, and Bargain…read moreBooks in Belfast, UK. The assortment was impressive, offering excellent value for the items. The service was both professional and efficient. I bought birthday gifts, toys, adapter that can convert for U.K. to U.S. plug and other useful things.

It's nearly a year since I was last here. I was unimpressed last time and I felt this time that it…read moresure hadn't improved any, rather if it was to close I sure wouldn't miss it. The Wu flu has sure turned things upside down in retail with many retail companies that were barely holding on pre Wu flu were decimated through lock down. I went to Starbucks on the first floor and I had to wait for a seat as most seating has been removed or blocked off. Their service was real friendly for folk denied a living wage. The store was kept properly clean too. The coffee was darn good and it came in a real ceramic cup as for the last 15 months these chain coffee companies - the few that were open - have only given out paper cups with those nasty plastic lids - in this part of the world customers usually can't refuse the plastic lid - the elf & safety police - so 1 maybe 2 green stars for Starbucks. I took a walk to Yangtze to consider lunch; this place used to be a real highlight with darn good salted chilli prawns and squid, yeung chow fried rice (char siu pork; cooked shrimp; scallions, chopped; eggs yolks; peas; carrots) but these delights are all gone. They were going pre Wu Flu but it accelerated the decline. Instead, and just like my last visit, I watched staff placing big steel containers full of cooked food into a bain marie hot water bath, sweet & sour chicken, black bean chicken at 11am - even chips, chips in a bain marie for over an hour. The lights weren't even on, service was an hour away. So here it's all pre cooked chicken. No pork, no prawns and if there's beef I couldn't see it. Now take sweet & sour (just like black bean) the sauce is meant to be a coating on the meat. It's not stew like this place serves. The sauce isn't intended to constitute over half the served dish. The vegetables in these dishes, like peppers and carrots are meant to be stir fried and crisp - not stewed and limp like here. This is a perfect model of how to destroy a perfectly good business.

Bloomfield shopping centre is one of those places that I don't choose to go to .I only come here if…read moreI have too. I just feel that it is either quite a dead place to visit or it is so busy that the experience of shopping here can be quite traumatic! In honesty the place has improved over the last year and there have been quite a few new business opened up and some of the original ones have restructured but there still is something about the place that unlike other shopping centres doesn't entice me to want to stay and browse . In its defence there are a lot of new business opening which might improve the complex but I don't think anything would make me want to give up my precious time and come here for a days shopping .

Lots of decent shops. And growing…read more Can be very busy with people. Good that there is a food court. It doesn't have loads of seating though.

This is a superb shop for all things out doors. I went in looking for a specific size of gas…read morebottle. The sales assistant told me exactly where it should be. I duly went to the location (upstairs) but Al's it wasn't the one I wanted. However saw some amazing equipment and merchandise. Definitely a goto place for outdoor gear!!

Cotswold outdoor is a retailer of outdoor clothing and equipment including footwear, casual…read moreclothing and waterproofs. Similar to the Outdoor Store also on the Boucher Road, it has a great range of products to add to the customer's dilemma of exactly which items they should choose for the job. If you're planning a trek to the great North Pole or a similar camping trip with the family, this store will have all you need from sleeping bags to back packs. If you're a novice with the whole equipment malarkey this shop may send you over the edge with its technical jargon.