I love visiting game shops when I travel and this was the best one I've checked out in London so…read morefar. They have a great selection covering board games, RPGs (including some wonderful indie titles as well as a lot of D&D), tactics games, and hobby supplies. I had a lovely conversation with Winter while I killed time before a show. I own a game store in the US and they gave me lots of ideas for new things to try! There was a great mix of popular titles and more niche ones, all at reasonable prices.

What a lovely little D&D shop. This place is a treat. Great selection packed tightly into a small…read morespace.

I just love coming here. It's not particularly well signposted, and isn't on a street where you'd…read moreexpect to come across it. All that does is make it all the more special when you arrive. The store is an Aladdin's cave of treasures. This isn't those Warhammer type games, no Orcs and Goblins will be found here. Instead, these are the proper toy soldiers from a vast array of eras. They are set up in displays, although the vast majority are for sale. The only downside is that it gets a bit warm in here during the summer, but frankly the awesomeness of it all is well worth it. If you're in the Buckingham Palace area with your kids, then I worth popping in just for a look around - at speed you could do it in two minutes, but I'm pretty sure you'll want to stay longer.

Great selection of toy soldiers. Fun place to shop while visiting Buckingham palace.read more

If you're a young man now turned white as snow and wrinkled as trousers waiting to be ironed, one…read moremight call you old. But no matter your age, you can be as young at heart as you want, and it's shops like Ian Allen Book and Model Shop that will nurture your young spirit. They have the elixir of life - QUICK! Go before it all runs out. When I went here, I felt a bit out of place, like a zebra in Antarctica. Every other shopper here was an older to middle aged man, and I soon found out why. (Well who can really say why, but let's pretend I have all the answers). This place sells nothing but books that deal with transportation - trains, boats, buses, banana peels, crabs as strap on shoes - and history/military. They have supplies for building train sets too. I have to admit, as a young woman, this place isn't really my thing. However, I aspire to grow up to be a middle aged man stuck in the ephemeral chambers of my boyhood, so when I attain such great heights, I'll probably go back.

The best railway bookshop in the country. A must-see shop for anyone interested in railways.read more

This 'Yankee' from the Big Apple enjoyed her shopping (and related) experience at Mr Sullivan's…read morestore on a brief trip to London! Great store filled with unique, antique items with something for everyone; caters to diverse interests and hobbies. Mr Sullivan is very knowledgeable and full of interesting information about the sale items. He's also super patient, friendly, and hospitable even to someone as broke as me (I just bought a small cricket memento)! The other customers were very nice and chatty as well. If I visit London again, am definitely popping in here once more!

Every time I go to London with my mom and dad I stop here and see Mark and pick up a couple…read morepictures. Great pieces and great prices

It says hobby shop ,and that is exactly what it is. Model aircraft is their interest mainly. Some…read morewhile ago I was told about them and wanted to start a hobby of some sort. Unfortuneatly they banned the club from the Downs (Elf & Saffty Gnomes), and it spoiled my interest. Joy destroyed by factions.I know it is meant for horses to run and train ,but they are not there all day?

I like this shop. Good range of stuff. However, more importantly for me, as a relative newcomer to…read moreaeromodelling, i ask questions and get lots of good information, and am not talked down to. However, as some reviewers of model shops seem to forget, the shop exists to provide a living. I can understand why model shops get upset with people picking their brains and then buying elsewhere. As a customer i buy things but even when i am buying something small i am treated as a valued customer.

The Armoury of St James's is a fascinating collectors' boutique offering an extensive range of…read morehistoric miniature military figures. All miniatures available are hand painted and most are completed to a truly outstanding standard. Among the thousands of figures on display, most of the important military themes are represented, including WWII, WWI, British colonial wars, Crimean campaign, Napoleonic wars, 7 Year's War, Medieval knights, Japanese warriors, etc. There is a considerable selection of the individual historic military commanders as well as various rank and file troops. I was particularly impressed by the collection of figures of Napoleon as well as many of his marshals and generals. I also enjoyed studying the varieties of Napoleonic forces including the famous cuirassiers on horsebacks, the old guard grenadiers, and the Saxon infantry. The figures are available in various sizes, with most made in traditional 1/32 scale, but plenty of larger miniatures are also on offer. In addition to lead and tin, there are some items available in porcelain. All are hand painted by experienced internationally acclaimed professionals. Prices for most items are considerable, which is certainly justified given the excellent quality of workmanship. A 1/32 figure of the highest quality costs in the range of £100 and some larger custom made pieces may be worth up to over a £1000. There are some cheaper options, however, with the more mass market, but still very high quality figures, costing around £20 each. This shop is undoubtedly a heaven for collectors or someone simply interested in the military history. However, if you haven't expressed interest in this area before, it's still worth taking a look just for the experience. There are very few places in the world that showcase such range of beautiful historic miniatures.

A tiny shop located in the Piccadilly Arcade, this shop is very, very cool for its selection of…read moreminature figures priced about £5 to £15. I am sure the prices are higher for the more intricate figures, but they have antiques including war brooches, paintings and busts. If you are into war history, this is most certainly an interesting place to visit for five or ten minutes.

I love all the Cass art stores, I've never had a bad experience. Charing Cross is quite a small…read morestore and usually very busy, or so I've found, possibly because it's right next to the portrait gallery. Staff are excellent and friendly, and very help when it came to choosing some different paper types.

This place rules. The prices on professional quality art supplies are great and the selection is…read morereally good, especially considering the shop's small size. They basically cut out the crap and sell the good shit actual artists want at a decent price. They do still carry nicer student watercolors (like Cotman) if you just want something to mess around with out in the city but professional level isn't what you're after.

Unfortunately, I left TJD Models feeling very disappointed and unwelcome, particularly because of…read morethe way the owner and sales handled my concerns. Before visiting, I had emailed the shop explaining that I am disabled and have serious health limitations. I explained that I have a stoma and receive TPN through a line in my chest, and because of my circumstances I cannot always manage repairs or technical work myself. I was interested in purchasing an RC crawler and specifically asked whether they could repair RC models if something went wrong. I also asked about whether they could help with repairing an expensive damaged figure/model that I own. Unfortunately, I received no response to my email. A friend later happened to be able to take me to the shop in person. During our conversation, I was told that they always respond to emails. That was when I explained that I had already emailed them about my disability and repair questions and had received no response. I was then given explanations that the owner had recently returned from holiday and that the salesperson wasn't technical enough to answer my questions. To be fair, the salesperson did make an effort with me. He spent time showing me different RC crawlers, answered what he could and worked out a rough price for a complete setup. I appreciated him doing that. My disappointment was much more with the owner and the overall way the situation was handled. The owner was present in the shop while this was being discussed. When I explained my disability and why repair support was so important to me, I didn't feel that my concerns were properly acknowledged. I even showed them my stoma and the TPN line in my chest because I wanted them to understand that I wasn't simply asking hypothetical questions -- there is a genuine reason why I may need help maintaining or repairing an RC model. I felt uncomfortable with the reaction I received. When my disability was mentioned, I felt the conversation was either shut down with responses that they didn't know or there was very little acknowledgement from the owner. I wasn't asking for special treatment. I simply wanted some reassurance before potentially spending several hundred pounds with the business. I also explained that I would need to use Klarna/finance to make the purchase affordable. The owner didn't appear keen on Klarna and instead discussed PayPal and the percentage/cost involved to the business. Again, this didn't make me feel particularly comfortable as a prospective customer. My friend had actually told me very good things about TJD Models, so I went there genuinely hoping to have a positive experience and potentially become a customer. Unfortunately, although the salesperson did try to help me, the way my original unanswered email and concerns were handled by the owner left me feeling unwelcome and uneasy about making a purchase. For me, after-sales support is extremely important. If I spend several hundred pounds on an RC crawler and later need help with a repair that I physically cannot manage myself, I need to feel confident that the retailer will be there to help. Sadly, I didn't leave TJD Models with that confidence. I left feeling unwelcome rather than reassured, and because of my experience I will be looking elsewhere.

From the owner: RC Model Cars, RC Model Planes, RC Model Boats, RC Model Helicopters, Drones, Multirotor, Plastic…read moreModel Kits, Airfix, Modeling tools, Modelling Paints, Modeling spares, Modeling Accessories, Model Engines, Radio Control

Wonderful employees that are welcoming and kind is what you can expect to see. If you're crafty…read morethis is the perfect store for you. You'll notice an array of yarn material, and arts and crafts tools, as well as home decor items, in addition to back to school resources. Thank you for being helpful, and accommodating.

I could spend an absolute fortune in hobby craft. this shop has everything your heart could desire…read morefor all your crafting needs. It stocks products for all kinds of arts & crafts projects and has some specialist items that may be difficult to find in other stores. Hobbycraft have regular displays and demonstration days which can be great fun and may even give you ideas for your own craft projects. If you want to make anything seasonal (christmas / easter) I would advise you to purchase what you need early as Hobbycraft tends to stock these things about 2 months in advance and they tend to sell out quite quickly. The reason I have given 4 stars rather than 5 is because this store can be a bit expensive

For my kids, this was a highlight of our trip. 7 floors with really well organized and wide…read moreselection of toys. A ton of demonstrations happening with fun staff as well to make it very special. The staff definitely give off a "Disney" vibe. Pricing was a little higher than I'd like to pay, but overall the experience added to it so we bit the bullet and bought a few toys on our trip. It's well worth it for your kids if you want to visit - nothing like it in the US

I heard this was the toy store of all toy stores and it indeed was. There were 7 floors of product,…read moreeach dedicated to a theme. Suitable for all ages. There were many photo opportunities and lots of demonstrations as well. The sales people worked for the store and there was no pressure at all. We were there a little under an hour and discovered many new items. Our kids really enjoyed the lego and Wicked themed areas. There is also a cotton candy machine where you can watch it being made through the glass, all automated. We somehow left without purchasing anything due to our inability to take it back home.