Of the three jewellers in this major shopping area I found this to be, in my opinion, the best one…read more They epitomize the very word.jeweller! Fantastic stock, a very well equipped workshop and prices that doesn't make your jaw drop!! You could spend some time mesmerized whilst looking in the window. Really good.

Extremely reliable wine merchants and bottle shop right by Palmeira Square in Hove. They always…read morehave a deal on and you can pick up quite a few bottles of wine at a knock-down rate and the selection of beer and spirits is pretty good too. I recommend stopping by Hartley's if you are having a party. They have several branches in brighton and Hove.

Ok so you know how there are a range of little shops in Brighton that sell old sweets and cheap…read morelittle retro toys? You visit them when you're feeling a bit down and that hit of nostalgia and the rosy memories of when you were a munchkin and had no such cares as work and bills lift you up again. It's a genuine case of retail therapy. Well, A. Stokes in Henfield is the shop you went to when you were wee (if you're in your twenties or thirties now and grew up in the UK) only it hasn't changed the stock and prices are the same. The lovely lady behind the counter is the same only she hasn't aged and she doesn't have a tight perm and grey knitwear that seems inspired by golfing socks. In its' capacity as a newsagent this place clearly does well - there's a good selection of magazines and papers, a more then well stocked stationery section and a fantastic display containing jars of retro boiled sweets. Parenthetically, as the sign outside suggests, A. Stokes is so much more. I imagine it's a side effect of it being a rural store that A. Stokes sees the need to have such a broad stock - out here you have a captive demographic and catering to them as shops did in the old days is a smart business move that has clearly paid off. But even with this in mind the toy section is insane they have jars of bouncy balls, ping pong balls, tennis balls, balloons and water bombs. A section is entirely devoted to Britain's farm toys, model cars, fishing nets and kites and it's all brightly coloured and within the range of actual pocket money. Aside from the fact that I became massively excited about a range of toys that I haven't seen since the early 1990s, listening the locals talking to the shop staff you realize that A. Stokes have a real care for the local community. This place may not be "locally sourced" or "organic" but it is a real heart of the community and the best place I think I've ever found to get your childhood toy kicks.

Kissing Fish's primary customer base seems to be students and hippies…read more Admittedly they don't sell beer or pot, they do however sell all kinds of weird and wonderful home furnishings for incredibly cheap prices. We're talking psychadelic canvases, mosaic yin and yang mirrors, intricate wooden stools and lanterns, strange sculptures of skulls and candles. All of them are priced around £10-£25 and are imported from Thailand, Bali and Indonesia direct from small businesses. The reason I think Kissing Fish is a stoner's paradise, is it's the only place in Brighton where you can pick up a hemp bracelet and a djembe drum and still have change from a twenty pound note!

This specialty shop in the North Laines was very interesting to look through, although most items…read morewere a bit out of my price range. The goods for sale are imported from small, local businesses in Thailand and Indonesia for fair prices. Many are wood carvings, with the figures ranging from religious icons to animals to...um, body parts. Other home décor is available, including wall hangings, mirrors and mosaic style dishware. I was intrigued by the gecko shaped wall art, decorated with brightly coloured stones. Kissing Fish also sells jewelery: hemp bracelets, and uniquely designed necklaces. The sales clerks weren't overly friendly during my visit, but I did learn from their website that all items are eco-friendly and the Kissing Fish supports its international suppliers in other areas - providing funding for education and medical services.

Brilliantly stocked and very well priced. Sadly, the shop is in a cul-de-sac and can easily be…read moremissed. I only discovered it as I was going to Pizza Express. Well worth a visit, not least because the owner is so nice.

A traditional children's toy shop. Its situated just off Warwick Street, down the same lane as…read morePizza Express. It's very easy to miss. This is a really delightful store specialises in wooden children's toys. I thought looking at the stock as I came into the shop that it would be expensive but was surprised to find it was very reasonable. I bought a wooden kitchen from this shop for my toddler before Christmas and am very happy with its look and quality. The owner was chatty and very helpful and even let me reserve the item with no deposit. The hand puppets are really good quality and highly quirky. I really like the set up play green grocers with wooden toys in crates, each vegetable or piece of fruit is around 50p-£1. I also bought £2 spinning tops and wooden cars. Toys will be Toys is a real asset to Worthing.

From the outside, the Wine and Beer Store looks like a run down off license where you'd pick up a…read morecheap bottle of cider or a six pack of beer. Step inside however, and you'll find a surprisingly good selection of red, white, rose and sparkling wines from Gallo and The Brown Brothers to Hardy's. They also stock some quality spirits from Absolut and Grey Goose vodka to Havana Club Rum. Amazingly, the latter was priced cheaper than Waitrose, Sainsburys and other local off licenses last time I visited. Open early til late, I can see myself popping to the Wine and Beer Store on a regular basis in the summer for barbeque refreshments and munchies. Admittedly, they don't sell limes or lemons yet but they do sell bags of ice, chocolate, crisps and snacks. What else do you need for a lazy afternoon on the beach?

As the name suggests, this store's main focus is wine and beer. It boasts a very large selection…read moreregards both, with a variety of different wines, lagers, bitters and ales for all tastes and palates. Its range of spirits isn't quite so all-encompassing, but still remains adequate, and you'll also find a surprising number of food and convenience items, such as bread, eggs and baked beans. The prices here are pretty reasonable, with an absolutely staggering number of promotions on offer - the interior is covered with an almost endless array of colourful signs advertising some deal or another -, and the service seems friendly enough.

Why shop around for that perfect rug to compliment your decor, when you can have one designed for…read moreyou - or even better, design one for yourself? That's what this fabulous little shop near Brighton station specialises in. You can choose from a bewildering array of patterns, in your choice of colour schemes, or design your own from scratch. Prices are extraordinarily reasonable. What's more, the shop makes a huge effort to ensure their carpets are made according to high labour standards, so you can shop with a clear conscience, too. They also have a range of rugs in stock. The staff are amazingly helpful and very friendly, and will guide you through the whole process. The web-site is an excellent guide to their services. The company also has a small shop in Epsom, south west of London.

Gaff advertise themselves as 'art for floors', and I wouldn't disagree…read more Whenever I walk past, they always seem to have a new window display. Everything from intricate flower designs, incredible modern art transposed into carpet form, geometric patterns.....anything you could want to put on your floor, they've got it. If you're after something a little plainer, they can do that too - I love the brightly coloured shag pile rugs. Best of all, if your pockets are deep enough, you can get your own design made up.

Years ago this used to be an upmarket antique shop (selling, for example, Clarice Cliff) but over…read morethe years it has morphed into yet another (almost) novelty gift shop. To be fair, the gifts it sells are at the upper end of the novelty range, but it's still not as nice a shop as it used to be ! That said the shop is clean and trendy and you aren't made to feel awkward if all you are doing is having a look around. Well worth a visit if you need a last minute present. Shop is right in the heart of the North Laines and near a particularly nice fudge shop ! So if you don't find anything you want in here you can always pop next door for some fudge instead !