The Old Smithy is your typical tourist shop and cafe, with a large selection of random things you…read morenever knew you wanted until a long lost relative bought it for you while they were on holiday. The cafe is surprisingly nice considering they'd earn a fortune from the coach parties regardless of their quality. Their cream cakes are wonderful and completely fresh - I particularly recommend the eclairs and millionnaire's shortbread. I believe they're all cooked on site and they have a wonderful pastry chef. This is definitely a place worth stopping off for a cream tea so long as you don't mind the crowds in the height of summer. The car park is free and is the only one around for miles, so it's also a good base to explore the pretty village of Godshill.

This is an oldie worldie shop, it is a mix of everything your gran would love and things which you…read morehate to admit may be quite classy. They stock a variety of high quality gifts, it is not the sort of shop I would buy from for myself, but ideal for all those people who are impossible to buy for at christmas. They stock china, glass ware, top end soft toys, dunoon mugs etc with a variety of cards and wrapping paper aswell. They are a little overpriced, but it is all sold to you with love and time only available from an independent trader so i guess the price reflects this.

How disappointing this was! A German Weihnchtsmarkt - and nothing like the real thing…read more I did buy a small Lebkuchen heart for my daughter - £4!! Other stuff I can get at Lidl. They had a merry go round and a wooden cut out of St Nichalous. As we drove out of Bournemouth, though, the twolight showed up all the Christmas lights and it was beauiful.

The chrsitmas market is lovely and looks very christmassy…read more The goods that are available to buy are very good and make a change from heading to your nearest argos and buying presents, as the goods that are for sale are very well made and unusual and give a impression you have made more of an effort. Prices some are expensive but most for wat you get and the quality the prices are very good..

I love visiting this store when I am staying with relatives in Dorset. There are numerous books…read moreincluding a large selection of childrens's books, fiction, reference and many non fiction books. There are cards and wrapping paper and art and craft supplies. The best thing is they are all at discounted prices! Ideal for buying childrens presents or buying items for party bags, I wish we had the works store in my home town!

This is a really useful shop…read more They do cards and gifts and lots of girly things - it's really ideal if you need to get a last minute present for a girl or a find something to finish off a costume etc. This shop has got me out of a spot several times before, though now I don't pass it so often.

A quirky little place, full of treasures from envelopes to key rings well worth a look if your…read morepassing

I am not a fan of martins on the Broadway it feels very cramped to me and almost a little…read moreover-powering. For a small shop this does stock quite a fair amount of products and the prices aren't bad. I have also found their range of magazines is good as well. The staff are great they are very willing to help with any queries or problems that come up. I have never though seen this shop busy, which I think is down to the fact there is no parking outside un like the newsagent at the other end of the Broadway.

This is a very nice little newsagents, with a wide variety of magazines, newpapers and…read moreconfectionary. It is very small inside, and is always well stocked with the daily newspapers. The staff in there are very helpful and also very kind, and it is a nice shop to go to.

I'm not really sure that this is a true antique shop - It's more like a shop that sells old bric a…read morebrac. Things of interest. A lot of it is memorabilia from the Armed Services, and tabbacco tins and hip flasks. That sort of thing. I've looked in the window lots of times, but I've never felt compelled to go in. One day, knowing me, I probably will and I'll report back in more detail.

this is my granma's shop and it IS a true antique shop and war memorabilia gold mine. I used to…read morelove exploring the place when I was little and even now its like stepping into some sort of narnia. My Grandma, Anne is a sweet lady who has spent her life working and still relentlessly keeps up with her work load on her own which as you can imagine, in her eighties can mean the shop is a little untidy but to be honest it just adds to the character. I hope you decide to pop in as she just loves new visitors and a good old chat and hope you can see for yourself why so many people love the place and the cherished memories and atmosphere of her time.

We visited Beaulieu as part of my parents' 60th wedding anniversary. What a pleasant surprise. The…read moreNational Motor Museum is great, but there is so much more, be it the vintage bus ride, the monorail, the gardens, the abbey, the secret army exhibition or the house. The restaurant is pretty decent as well. A very enjoyable day for the whole family.

What? Are you serious that no one has reviewed this museum yet?…read more Britain is peppered with small community museums dedicated to one small tiny aspect of some technical or technological achievement that still completely misses the big picture and fails to truly entertain the young. On one such visit, I was directed to the Beaulieu and the National Motor Museum as an example of the best of museumship (tip to francophones out there it is pronounced, "byoo-lee" in case you need to ask directions froma local). I was not disappointed. It is on a very large estate and shares space with one of the many abbeys-come-ruins that have peppered England since the reformation, and a typically beautiful English garden, which we did not partake of on this chilly November day, since the finest of the blushes of summer had long since past. For my part, I've been really enjoying my son's recent rejuvenation since he's been diagnosed with coeliac disease and on a gluten free diet. Our day at the NMM was great fun for him, and evidence of just how well gluten free works for him, as he was running around everywhere, and commenting on virtually every one of the several hundred cars that we saw. "There's a classic Mini." "There's a classic convertable." "That one is a classic Mercedes." Commenting on one of the speed record specimens, "that car goes really really fast." "That's a formula 1 car." And on it went. The ride on the vintage double-decker was a lot of fun, and so was the monorail. If you're at all a fan of Top Gear, you will also like the "World of Top Gear" exhibit which shows some of the more fun inventions of the show like the three limousines, and the pick-up truck that crossed the English channel. It did miss out on the one thing that a museum like this can never have enough of...exhibits you can interact with. There were certainly some, but really, if you have hundreds of classic cars, why not have at least a few that people can climb into and experience for themselves. I would have loved to have sat in one of the several Formula 1 cars, or rally cars, or anything like that for that matter. The one vehicle you got to climb into was an old 1960's doubledecker bus, and even then, you don't even get to go up to the top level. So when all is said and done, the NMM was good, but not great. It's worth the drive if you're not far, but I wouldn't go all the way to Southampton just to visit this museum. And be sure to fill out your gift aid form so that you can go back as much as you want for a year.

Another new shop in the High St, although much lower down, near the Quay…read more It's a treasure trove of quite delightful ful items, from stools to hanging hooks, baskets to vases, quaint wall cupboards to decorative nick nacks. There is quite a bit to look at, and it is an interesting place. I certainly must go back - I know there's something I need - or want! I thought the prices were reasonable. The owners are very pleasant indeed.