sixtyseven is a sweet little store who's remote location doesn't help with its somewhat random…read morestock. I can imagine my Mum will grow to love places like this, where you can pop to before or after visiting a tea room, and admire the handsomely put together and displayed gifts. Its one of those places that feels like its selling nothing, where everything in here is expensive versions of normal objects (like the coaster) but with a ribbon on it. While everything looks perfectly lovely, I'm just not one to buy a gift that serves no purpose other than to get put away from fear of being damaged... There are some interesting bits and pieces that may bolster a stocking, and some exquisite cards for those who love to show off or impress through stationary. But its all a bit expensive for what it is...

This is one of those shops that looks lovely from the outside, and is very nice as you walk in,…read morebutI couldn't find anything that I wanted to buy. For a start, their stock is actually fairly limited: a small range of fairly similar greetings cards, a range of art deco postcards, a small range of scented candles, a small range of very upmarket stationery, a small range of posh bath gels - you get the picture. I'm not quite sure who buys writing pads with soft, shiny gold covers? The nearest thing to a theme is that there is a selection of small, attractive, old-fashioned children's toys, with a number of the cards etc also aimed at children. (I was actually looking for a card for my teenage nephew, and there was nothing remotely suitable). It's all very tastefully done, with a feminine edge, and I was greeted very nicely as I entered. I guess it would be perfect for finding a present for that hard-to-please female friend that already has everything she needs.

What a lovely place to escape the busy streets of Brighton! This little cafe offers respite from…read morethe usual chain coffee shops along Western Road. It's cozy with a few tables but there's a garden as well. Decor is quite English and cute inside. They offer sandwiches, cakes and scones and a variety of teas and coffee. Service is friendly and prompt which we appreciated on a cold day as we were in dire need of a hot drink. We ordered the gluten-free scones with cream and strawberry jam which were delicious. My friend ordered a few coffees and I tried the Ceylon and Chai teas which were also flavourful. We definitely will come back soon to make our way around the menu!

Great tea spot off the beaten path in Brighton. One of the few if not the only place in town where…read moreyou get an amazing selection of teas of all varieties. Cozy and quiet. Brewed properly with super friendly service. Have not tried the food but it looked good. If you are into teas that stand on their own without the need to be drowned in cream and sugar to be drinkable you have found your place!

Without doubt, there should be more shops like the The Book Nook. Located near the start of Hove in…read morethe residential First Avenue, this is an independent and friendly book shop for children of all ages. I'm came here to buy a book for my niece and was delighted to discover such a charming place, all the kids here seemed in heaven as they enjoyed the toys and colourful decor. There is also a cafe for those parents whose children can't tear themselves away from the fun of Book Nook. While small, you'll still have no trouble in taking a weight off your feet and relaxing.

This wonderful book shop has won Independant business of the year award for Brighton and…read moreHove.Children love it as well as the parents who visit, too see there little faces whilst reading to their parents or friends is magical. The enthusiasm from Vanessa and Julie shows how they love this business. The choice of books and catering up to teenage years make it a family visit special. Tea and cakes just adds to the pleasure!

Like thousands of other Yelpers, I rely on coffee to help me kick-start the day and chocolate to…read morekeep me going throughout the afternoon. If I have the time and money, I'll splash out on a speciality bar from Montezumas, Green & Blacks or Valhrona. When I'm in a rush or on a tight budget however, I'll settle for a cheap and cheerful sugar rush courtesy of a Galaxy, Flake, Fruit and Nut, Dairy Milk or Cadburys Caramel. Handily, Norfolk News is a stone's throw from my office and stocks a vast range of chocolate and candy bars. It also sells Nurofen, paracetamol, cans of pop and a wide range of newspapers, broadsheets and magazines. They also stock a small range of postcards and Brighton memorabilia for tourists.

Due to its small size, and limited stock, Norfolk News is only really useful if you are interested…read morein buying a newspaper, a snack - i.e. a chocolate bar -, or a soft drink. They do have some other food items, but most of them don't look particularly appetising. One bonus is that you can now get cashback here if you spend over £5, and the service is often friendly.

Pardon My French is a cute, independent store in Kemptown Village. Their elegant signage made me…read moresuspect it was going to be too frou frou for my taste but once inside, I was pleasantly surprised by how warm and laidback the staff were and how eclectic their stock is. As shown in the window, they have a varied selection of homeware from fun tea towels and mellamine plates, bowls and cups to more stylish doormats, bath towels, quilts, bedspreads and linens. In keeping with the boudoir theme, they also sell silk and cotton pyjamas, perfume, jewellery and moroccan slippers. If Audrey Hepburn lived in Brighton, I'm sure she would have shopped here!

This fab girlie shop is a little treasure trove of goodies. Situated in Kemptown Village, Pardon my…read moreFrench fits right in with the other independent gift stores and restaurants. The shop mainly sells kitch home wares like cushions, bed covers & comedy doormats. The French theme runs through out the store with French sweets, toiletries and gift ideas. Its a fab place to go for girlie birthday present. Pardon my French is head a shoulders above some similar over priced stores in the North Laines. Its always worth a wonder round it your perusing what the village has to offer.

You need not enter the actual Royal Pavilion museum, in order to get into the shop (funny that…read moreeh...turns out they want to sell their knickknacks and stationary to everyone!). The Royal Pavilion is funny shop- there is shelf upon shelf of historical books, posters, tea towels and all manner of other memorabilia celebrating the Pavilion, mixed in with all sorts of Brighton tourist tack...snow globes, sticks of rock, pencils, fudge bars...essentially if you can wrap it in a ribbon that says 'Brighton', this shop will have it! In addition to overpriced tourist merchandise, there is also a good collection of greetings cards, postcards and wrapping paper, as well as posh stationary and even chinaware. There are some really pretty floral tea sets, but be warned, they are quite pricey. As a resident of Brighton, I haven't found much need for this shop as it is aimed so explicitly at visitors. I have bought a couple of really lovely art deco posters but that's about it. I have seen a lot of stuff my mum would like though, including some interesting gardening books-there's probably a few good mum and gran gift ideas in store. And if you're interested in finding out more about the Pavilion and its Royal history, without paying to get in, this is obviously the place to do it!

The Royal Pavilion Shop is adjoined to the tourist information rooms that sit between it, and the…read morePavilion itself. This is a not too subtle move to try and get visitors to spend they're pounds and pence on holiday goods to remember what a grand place Brighton is. For those of us living in Brighton then, its not exactly the local hangout, as we get a good helping of Brighton everyday... But even then, there are a few quirky ornaments and snacks that may make for fun birthday treats for friends and family, or for yourself if you suddenly find yourself in need of a calendar. Its actually a surprisingly pleasant store to look around, as everything is organised and laid out to give a comforting sense. There's no higgledy piggledy feel despite the presence of Tea and jewellery boxes alongside dragons and history books. Its certainly geared towards the older shopper, with focuses on gardening much more likely than the latest crappy "Indie" music... But this is a fact to embrace! So if you are visiting, pop down, and if you've lived here but never been, if only to see how Brighton represents itself, its an interesting place to swing by.

The shelves of Pansies are so packed, I found myself standing in one place for several minutes…read moretrying to take in everything in front of me - it took awhile to get through the shop. Items for sale include home décor and unique gift ideas, displayed in a colour-coordinated and organised manner. It would almost be a shame to take something off the shelf; everything is set up so nicely. A couple of my favourites were the scented bath balms shaped like cupcakes and the Civil Partnership money pot. So, I do agree with the sign outside - Pansies is an 'Aladdin's cave' of gifts - and free gift wrapping is offered with each purchased. Nice touch.

What a fabulous little place this is. They've only been set up for about five months, so they're a…read morerelatively new addition to The Lanes. I walked in and was immediately greeted by an extremely friendly shop assistant who asked me if I fancied a coffee because the kettle had just boiled how wonderfully unheard of is that in these days of surly, unenthusiastic retail stuff? It put a grin on my face for the rest of the day. Describing themselves as an 'Aladdin's cave of gifts and interiors', I couldn't NOT go in here it's full of gorgeous things like delicious smelling Yankee Candles, jewellery, hand-painted money boxes, artificial flowers, gift cards... all laid out in a wonderfully higgledy-piggledy way so that you feel as though you really are rifling through a mini cave of treasures. The lovely man I spoke to was more than happy to chat to me about all the stock telling me what's popular at the moment and what would be great for Mother's Day. He also mentioned that they offer a gift wrapping service which is another rarity these days. Although a lot of the bits in here are a little more at the pricey end, they present you with such a wonderful shopping experience that it's worth spending a bit of extra cash.

Adorable local bookshop with a delicious little cafe inside. The staff are absolutely lovely and I…read morereally enjoy their selection of books by local authors.

Being an avid reader of everything from American literature and short stories to crime noir, I'm…read morealways on the lookout for good book stores. Sadly, Brighton is so small it doesn't have anything on the scale of Foyles in London or The Strand in New York. It does however, have quite a lot of quirky new and secondhand bookshops dotted around including Kemp Town Bookshop. A firm favourite with locals, it's an independent bookstore spread over three small floors. There's sections devoted to everything from art and travel to sci-fi, crime and childrens books. I can see they clearly put time and energy into the stock but alas, there weren't any books in the contemporary fiction section that I loved the look of and hadn't already read. Other book lovers should note, there's a cafe on the top floor selling coffee, juices, smoothies and snacks and they run creative writing workshops and events throughout the year. Just a shame there was no new Walter Mosley or Lorrie Moore books for me!