This store has now closed and all stock has been reloacated to the large, main branch based in…read moreBlackpool It's a shame it's shut because the staff were absolutely great and there were often bargains to be found in the reduced section

Good stationery and office supplies shop. Good range of stock. Helpful staff. Very reasonable…read moreprices.

Heaths is a local stationary shop, which several years ago also branched out into toys and games…read more They sell a range of stationary items as well as a wide range of educational textbooks and non fiction books relating to all manner of hobbies and interests. They also sell items such as oil and acrylic paints and brushes and other equipment necessary for various hobbies. They give students a 10% discount on books and stationery on production of a student card from either a university or the local college. The upstairs has a selection of toys for children aged 5 and over, they also stock Warhammer figures and kits for making model aircraft at the like.

Heaths is a great shop and has helped me loads with my GCSE Art course, the staff helped me find…read morethe right things for my painting and drawing. The shop stocks a huge range of Books, Paints, Pencils, Pens and a whole manner of other art + craft things. The 'toy section' ranges from trading cards to model kits, RC cars and Board games plus things like Lego.

Stopped on Granthams forecourt on a Sunday (business closed) so that I could safely unload my two…read moreyear old from his car seat (no pavement on that side of the road) stopped for approximately two minutes and received a £100 parking ticket from the most aggressive 'Parking Awareness enforcement gimp' I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Appealed, called Granthams to explain, not interested. Paid £100, never wish to visit Blackpool again. In summary, if you think that Granthams are a nice user friendly company, think again.They are happy to make peoples lives a misery purely so they can squeeze an money out of you. Good luck.

There is only one problem with Granthams- you can't stop picking things up and muttering to…read moreyourself about how useful it will be, so when you get to the checkout you have a hundred pounds worth of the weirdest things you've ever seen. My main advice is make a list and stick to it. Arts supplies that you can only dream of, something for every plan, every card, wedding invitation, photo album, art project or prints. Their printing service is very good, and the staff are always helpful, pointing out the areas and colours you want. Close to town, have good special offers days, but horrendously hard to get away from- a rainy day shop for anyone artistic.

Mid-sized branch of Smith's. Good range of books with 2 for 1 style offers also cards, stationery,…read morelottery, sweets, magazines etc. When I visited there was a long queue because someone was having problems with understanding their lottery ticket so as I was in a bit of a rush I put what I was going to buy back on the shelf and left without purchasing. I suppose that's just one of those things that can happen though so you can't blame the staff for it. It's a typical WH Smith's really and does exactly what it says on the tin!

Small branch of the high street chain. Can be quite cluttered with stock. Small choice of books,…read morestationery, cds etc.

I love The Works, lots of cheap books, craft items and toys. Great for stocking fillers! Right in…read morethe centre of town. They also sell Xmas cards pretty cheap (10 for £1 sometimes!) and other cards, wrap and gift bags. They stock a good range of artists supplies including paints, pads, pencils and specialist books. They recently had some brilliant cheap wooden musical toys and floor sized jigsaws which are perfect for Xmas. It is quite a narrow long shop and can be difficult to get around with a buggy especially at busy times.

Still open despite rumours of closing down. Sells reduced books as well as many craft and painting…read moreitems. Everything is at much reduced prices.Worth a visit.

Barrow is very proud of its Debenhams - we don't have many shops, but this is a good one! A huge…read moredepartment store covering 2 big floors, with a car park on the roof so you don't have to carry your shopping too far! It has everything from womenswear, kids, menswear, cosmetics, accessories, sportswear, lingerie, home items, gifts, wedding listthe list goes on! It has also brought Warehouse, Faith and Jane Norman clothes and shoes to Barrow in the form of concessions within the store, which is great as we didn't have those stores before. It has a cafe on the first floor so you can take a well-earned break from your shopping trip for a cup of tea - they do a fantastic breakfast for £3.50 (until 11.30am) and a lunchtime menu as well. It has full disabled access with lifts and escalators as well as the stairs, and is always clean and brightly lit. The staff will annoy you by asking if you want to open a Debenhams account card even if you're only spending £1 - but it is actually one of the better account cards out there, as they send you offers throughout the year and have special cardholders days. If you can't be bothered traipsing round lots of shops and want to get everyone's Christmas presents in one place this year, Debenhams will have something for everyone!

A popular store, perhaps due to the ease of parking. Selling clothes, toys, perfumes etc. Nice…read morelittle cafe on the second floor with a fairly reasonable selection of food at good prices. Staff are always happy to help, particularly when dealing with disabled customers. Several times we have been in and had to ask for specially served food for someone who cannot eat the majority of restaurant food and they have never refused, and never complained about having to do something different. The store has two floors which can be reached either by escalator or lift

This is a fantastic shop to buy affordable cards and the bric-a-brac that goes with them, such as…read morewrapping paper, best mum in the world cups etc. the only downside to the shop is the aisles, when its near events like Valentines day or the run up to Christmas it is near-impossible to walk round, this makes access for people with buggies or wheelchairs totally out of the question. On the upside the staff are very proficient and service is quick so worth the hustle and bustle to get those bargain greetings

The Card Factory has been open in Barrow for a year or two now, and I think its fair to say it has…read moremade us all realise how much we used to get ripped off when we only had a Clinton Cards beforehand! This store specialises in cheap, great value cards, wrapping paper, balloons etc etceverything you need for a special occasion. Cards start at 29p, and I don't think any of them cost more than 99p. Much better than the £3+ that other big-chain card shops charge! They're really nice for the price too, even some hand-made ones. I used to be a card snob and would only buy expensive cards, but this shop has made me realise that you don't need to pay those daft prices. It's only quite a small store, but they have every card you can think of under the sun. Unfortunately this includes some daft ones which card companies just invent to make more money - happy teacher's day, happy motorists day and so on - but there aren't many of those, they're mostly the usual birthday, Christmas, valentines, Mothers and Fathers day cards. They also sell wrapping paper, gift bags, and some gift ideas such as photo frames, 18th/21st boxed champagne glasses, keyrings etc - all at much cheaper prices than the usual card shops. As mentioned before, it's only a small shopthis means it turns into a complete nightmare every special occasion, as it gets packed out and you can't move. Go a few days before Valentines Day/Christmas Eve etc etc, not on the actual day itself! The staff are great though, and always manage to get through the queues and serve you quickly. If you're paying by card you have to spend at least £5 so bear that in mind and take some cash (it's surprisingly hard to spend £5 in here when everything is so cheap!) - but apart from that, it's a brilliant shop. I wouldn't buy cards anywhere else now!

Discount book store stocking a range of popular titles. This isn't the sort of book store to come…read moreto for unusual or specialist titles but it offers a good range of light reading and non-fiction across various genres such as cooking, travel, sport, history etc. They also stock a small range of art supplies, stationery, toys and jigsaws etc. It's chock a block with stock and feels a little cramped but it's worth popping in to have a look round if you're in town.