The staff in the garden department are very helpful. When I couldn't find any healthy looking…read moreEnglish lavender, a very friendly woman helped me find some beautiful, highly fragrant ornamental sage. Very pretty, strong looking plants that are generally tough to kill :)

Do I really have to review Homebase? Well as I like to impart a special bit of local knowledge to…read moremy reviews I thought that you might care too know about the genuine French man selling cheese in a trailer in the Homebase car park. Genius. I'll have a packet of Polyfilla and some Gruyere please. Or something like that. My husband, who doesn't much care for Homebase (as indeed nor do I, although the Spend & Save card is quite good if you have to go) does like cheese, so it makes our depressingly regular sorties to HB more bearable. There is also another mobile unit selling hotdogs and a car cleaning service all in the Homebase carpark. You don't even have to go in the shop to have a fun day out.

A few years ago this was mainly a DIY place where you could pick up paint and the like. However…read morethey have put in a first floor, which doubles the space and it now has kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, making it far more useful. There are invariably lots of sale items and it is certainly worth a look if you fancy a new kitchen. However it still stocks the usual suspects.

Very high stock level (have everything you need in stock)…read moreWith excellent advice , never been let down by them.

From the owner: Hardware, plumbing, cleaning, decorating, security and much moreread more

This is a throw back to the days when your independent local store was the hub of the community…read more The general knowledge and advise the proprietor Malcolm gives to you is second to none. The shop seems to sell everything in the hardware line and if they have not got it in stock they will order it for you. Also does lawn mower repairs and servicing. It is just wonderful to get the helpful service and knowledge that is not always apparent in some others hardware stores.The prices are reasonably competitive as well. This is a case of supporting and serving the local community.

This hardware shop is like Aladdin's Cave. Although it is only small but it stocks everything in…read morethe hardware line, and if it is not in stock they will get it for you. It is old fashioned family business where Malcolm the owner gives real personal service. He is the fountain of all knowledge and always gives good sound advise. The prices on most items are very competitive with the major DIY stores. This shop has been is existence for umpteen years serving the local community of Ham and North Kingston. M and J Hardware also undertake lawnmower repairs. we have been using this little shop for years and have yet to find fault with either the service or goods. Wonderful and we give it top marks. This is a case of Support your local store.

If you are a passionate hobby interior designer - go to the Fulham DIY shop.Going there most of…read morethere customers are electricians, builders etc. who go there as a regular to order wholesale. Before the smoking ban they even were allowed to enter in with their light cigarettes - that is how easy going this place is. From the bottom to the top there are shelving with anything from nails, toolboxes, tubes, window handles etc. I once made my way there as my window screw broke. They had several versions of my broken example and I could close my window in a couple of hours again. That was a relieve. They also have more stock in the backrooms, therefore whatever you need, ask - they might have it. What I appreciate, even though there is a counter where you get served, you are allowed to have a look around. The service is very polite even when you only buy 4 screws.

If you have never heard of Robert Dyas, it's a bit of a one stop shop for all things for the home,…read morelike gardening accessories, kitchen gadgets, tools, DIY, bathroom fittings, and any other type of hardware that you can think of! I've bought a fair few electrical items here over the years due to the frequent variety of fantastic offers they have on every week. Kitchen Devil knives, a fancy vacuum cleaner, a steam mop, one of those wierd and wonderful batteries that are hard to track downthey have it all. I can't say that all the staff are overly helpful, it varies like pot luck, but it is so convienient on the high street, there aren't many shops like it!

An excellent source for household wares, electrical bits, consumer electronics, kitchenware, coal…read moreeffect fires and advertised on TV items. Takes time to look around and they publish a useful 'offers' brochure which helps narrow things down. Staff aren't the most approachable but this may be historic from the days when it was an ironmongers. Some people can't let the past go.