The Kitchen Shop in Lichfield is a one stop shop for anybody who has a passion for cooking. The…read moresheer variety of quality items is very impressive. From chopping boards to casserole dishes, aprons to speciality knives, flip-top bins to saucepans, the Kitchen Shop pretty much has it all. It also has fascinating array of gadgets like timers, bean cutters, novelty egg cups etc. The staff are knowledgeable and keen to help too. Overall a must visit, when we come to Lichfield, even sometimes just to browse, to see if there is a gadget we don't own!

The Kitchen shop is handy for kitchen tools and gadgets, they sell a large range and is on two…read morelevels I think (not that i've been upstairs) They sell all sorts of household items. It is one of my favourite shops in Lichfield. I wouldn't have called it a kitchen planners though, its just a shop as far as I know!

Pro Cook is one of the first stores you see as you enter the East Midlands Retail Outlet. Light,…read moreairy and uncluttered, this store is purveyor of quality cookware. Cutlery, coffee machines, weighing scales and knife sets are just a few of the items on offer. Being a retail outlet, the prices are competitive and there is normally a feature item, which has been substantially reduced. Quality products and helpful friendly staff, make this one of the best stores at McArthur Glen

Pro Cook is a great first stop shop for all kitchen-y related items. It stocks a large range of the…read morePro-Cook branded items, as well as high street branded small kitchen appliances such as coffee machines. They have pots and pans and knives and cookware. They also have a small play kitchen set up to entertain the kiddies! The shop is well layed out and not over cluttered, and is easily negotiated with prams or wheelchairs. The staff are smartly dressed, pleasant and helpful. The prices are very reasonable, and are discounted prices from the high street version of the shop.

There are some stores I could walk past and take no interest in, however just like the old addage…read moreabout Narcissus who stares too long at his refelection in the water and falls in, staring to long into shops windows holds the same risk! Not that I fall into shop windows, and more that I start to see things I might like to purchase! Passing Nisbets Catering Supplies had this same effect on me and I couldn't help but pop in to browse their mighty aisles of catering equipment. If you're looking for a bargain for you kitchen ware or a gift for a chef friend then this is your place.

Superb tiny tardis which sells not only cookshop basics but also a fantastic range of cake…read moredecorating supplies. The window display is particularly attractive and the colour theme changes regularly. The shop itself is packed with shelving and visiting with small children would be very difficult as there is too much breakable temptation! The staff are very knowledgeable and if you are in a hurry then it's best to ask rather than search yourself. They really do stock an extremely wide range of cooking paraphenalia and are well worth a visit whether you are buying colour co-ordinated cookware for your kitchen or shaped cake tins for a special occasion.

had been warned about unpleasant unhelpful staff. couldn't be further from the truth. a shop packed…read morewith everything the enthusiastic (and not so enthusiastic!) cook could want and very helpful and pleasant staff. great place

I love their meatballs with chips n cranberry. I have gone there just to eat lol but I always end…read moreup looking around the store snd buying something I didn't really need lol Great if you need some inspiration to brighten up your home. But back to the cafe. I was pleasantly surprised when I had dessert OMG! I love the tart I had, very nutty, wished I could remember what it was called cos I think they sell them in the food store bit. I did get a photo and trust me ....it was delicious!

Who loves a trip to IKEA? THIS GAL!…read more I am going to work on the idea that you haven't ever been to IKEA before and give you the full roundup of the fun that awaits you on your first trip... 1) Parking. Parking at IKEA is a nightmare, especially if you go on a weekend. As a top tip; get there for opening. You should be able to find a space relatively easily and don't have to play the "round and around" the car park game. 2) Confusion. Don't get confused! Yes, a lot of stuff is pre-laid out into rooms as little slices of an ideal home, but you can still get the goods which are on displayu... that just comes later! 3) Bags. I would thoroughly recommend taking yourself some large bags from home if you want to avoid buying their gigantic "builders sand" style carriers. If you are purchasing furniture (which is another battle we will come on to), it comes in a box which you can pop straight into your car. If you are buying bigs and pieces, take a bag or two with you. 4) Small Items/linen/kitchen goods. Right... Don't panic about not finding what you want when you are walking around the room layouts... Everything becomes clear when you get to the marketplace. These areas are split into bedroom, storage, kitchen, bathroom and other areas, so if you're looking for something from a particular room layout you can find it here. 5) Furniture (the biggie). After the marketplace is the warehouse. This can be really daunting but the staff will be happy to point you in the right direction if you have noted down the name of the item you want. Be warned, some of the boxes will be very heavy (remember to bend with your knees). Last but not least... Food! There is a cafe and fast food stand in this IKEA store where you can buy everything from cute Swedish cakes to hotdogs (for a bargain £1). If you have an IKEA family card, you can claim a free coffee and tea in the week too! In summary... A first trip to IKEA can be stressful, but the staff are helpful and the prices are great for the product choice. Take a good look around as you never know what you might find (it's impossible to do the whole store in less than an hour) and don't forget that you can visit their little food shop at the end! This stocks a great range of Cider, frozen food, snacks and cakes!

I genuinely have yet to make up my mind about Lakeland despite being a shopper here for over 6…read moreyears. Let me explain. Inside this store, you will find lots of kitche and home aids that you won't find in many other places in UK. A lot of them are from the USA, but unless you travel ther or have a friend or family meber who will pick things up for you, this a good place to get those special items. So on that front Lakeland is great. However, when I enter here, why do I feel like I am attending a WI meeting? Probably it's the staff. They tend to look at me, a man, and assume I don't know anything about cooking or housekeeping and that I must be in here on an errand for someone else. This feeling hasn't gone away despite me going in here many times. I still enjoy shopping here, the staff are quite knowledgeable and helpful despite being mildly patronising. Lakeland is not particularly cheap, actually it can be very expensive, but then neither are the alternatives of John Lewis or Westage Kitchenware departments cheap either. I would say that Lakeland runs a successful shop as it is well laid out and does offer good service at a cost of a little bit more that the others.

For someone who stirs a coffee with a knife or butters toast with a spoon (washing up issue; not…read morebeing simple), a kitchenware store may not seem like a natural fit. And yet I walk round, intrigued and attracted, thinking 'this is how the humans do it' or 'this is what I'd use if I could grow up and had friends who'd never used a bus'. It's the kind of merchandise - Joseph Joseph, le creuset (almost inexplicably a brand with a presence in this house), Emma Bridgewater - you're likely to see in high-end department stores such as John Lewis or Selfridges. But it all seems quite at home in this smaller shop, bolstered if not affirmed by its wider arts-and-crafts centre setting. Above all, the wares are united by a reminder to make what otherwise may seem daily chores into labours of love; that sense that preparation, let alone eating, should itself be a reward. A browser's dream... even better for a buyer.