The biggest shopping area to my home without traipsing into Central London is Kingston, which has a…read moregood selection of shops, a small market on Saturdays and the river with some good eating options with a view. The Bentall Centre is the large shopping centre in Kingston with Bentalls, unsurprisingly, being the anchor department store and backed up with a good selection of 80 chain stores. These are mainly your medium level high street stores. There is a food court, again with chain eateries but I would recommend eating out of the centre as there is a nice variety of eating places in Kingston town. Similarly, I would suggest parking outside as there are cheaper options though they may not be as convenient. I love their super-escalators where you go up 2 floors rather than 1 and there are frequently events taking place in the main foyer area. Also watch out for some good buskers just outside the centre's main entrance.

Kingston upon Thames. I grew up here, by the time I turned 16 I was sick of it. Sick of the same…read moreshops, bumping into the same people, the same routine. I was ready to start my next journey and chapter of my life, where the grass was greener. So when I was 18 I moved to Brighton for university.... This review has a point !!!! Now I'm a bit older, better looking and wiser. I have fallen back in love with Kingston and what it has to offer. It's rich with culture and the shopping is really, really good! The Bental centre being a excellent hub for highstreet fashion and gifts, not to mention the variety of cuisines it has to offer. Although, it's south west London and slightly on the border. It's a got a lot to offer and many people near and far will come to Kingston to shop.

The Ashley Centre is Epsom town's shopping centre. I can still remember the excitement when it…read morefirst opened in Epsom, heralding an era of shopping under cover and the building of the one way traffic system in Epsom. These days, it's on the small medium size with a House of Fraser being the only department store. There are mainly chain stores, my most visited being Marks & Spencer and a recently opened Boots, which took over the entire area of the previously open air Kings Shade Walk. There are a few quirky shops like Cook, which offers high qualitty ready prepared meals. The Ashley Centre car park doubles as the town car park in the evenings and is convenient for the Epsom Playhouse and nearby restaurant row, South Street. It's A-OK but no more than that.

Welcome Carphone Warehouse to the Ashley Centre; just closed their High Street Shop and now are…read morehere.

I would definitely recommend The Thrift Shop London to all of my friends. The selection of vintage…read moreitems is great and at such reasonable prices too! I ordered a necklace from their online site on Friday and it was at my house on Saturday! Superb service :)

I am beyond grateful that they have H Mart in London! Being from Hawaii I absolutely have to have…read moremy asian foods! Although this location is a little of a trek for me it is completely worth it. I just wish they had ALL the Melona ice cream flavors like coconut and mango, but they have everything else so I'll take it!! Can you guys stock Rose Tteokbokki please and thank you!!!

As an expat from the States, I was wildly surprised to find an H-Mart in London. Wildly surprised…read morebut pleasantly relieved - I mean, where else can I buy good quality udon, kim chee, noodle mixes, frozen dumplings, super thin sliced beef/pork for hotpot and fresh shiitake for a good price? I know Japan Centre has similar quality but the price point is not always right. Chinatown is good for some things (fresh veggies, fresh rice noodle rolls, ramen, etc.) but it's hard to beat the selection at H-Mart. There is good lighting and sufficient aisle space so carts going in opposite directions don't have to awkwardly back out of the aisle so the opposing cart can go first (kind of like the naughty London roads!) - in most grocery stores in Chinatown, you are elbow to elbow with someone else trying to get a damn jar of Hoisin sauce in your overflowing basket. Customer service is lacking, especially when something is out of stock and no one in the store seems to know what is going on or when they will get more. Aside from the cashiers, most people working the floor do not speak English very well. The employees are mainly Korean and Chinese. However, most items are translated to English on labels and signage. I will continue to shop here for quality groceries and I hope they open more locations so that it is easily assessable to more people in London.

Mercado has been the go-to gift shop in Bridge Road for about 12 years, and it shows no signs of…read moreslowing down, or handing this mantle to anyone else. It really is an Aladdin's Cave of gifts. I like the fact that I can go here and buy presents for my mum, dad, brother, sister and grandma without having to venture into the larger shopping town and give money over to big chain stores. Even if I have brought presents elsewhere, I go here to get cards, wrapping and gift bags. Look out for lines by Cath Kidston here, as well as wash bags and bath stuff from ZPM. There are also plenty of gifts for that hardest to buy for demographic, The Man! (they have a great range of cuff links here, which is always a dead cert for A Man present) It is also a great place to pick up children's toys, and I don't mean all those loud ones that take 26 batteries and change into a car. I mean good quality, even educational toys. (Remember those?). Many years ago, when I was going off to be a nanny for 6 boys in California, I stopped off here to pick up some wooden toys for them. When they opened these simple gifts, they honestly spent more time playing with them then the flashy-lights gifts that others had got them. I have also brought my niece an adorable little raincoat decorated with ladybirds and a matching set of boots that I haven't seen anywhere else. I would definitely recommend this place for a gift search.

I guarantee you that if you are looking for a pressie for your mum or nan, you will find it here…read more It is a mum and nan heaven! Sitting conveniently opposite the entrance to Hampton Court Palace, The Gardenarium sells garden gifts (not big stuff like lawnmowers), such as trowls, matts, watering cans etc, as well as a full range of home gifts. I spied a cabinet full of jewellery, candles, cushions, kitchenware, organic jams, chocolates etc. The items on sale here are well chosen. The food comes from places like Daylesford Organic, the kitchenware includes a range from Emma Bridgewater. I love her stuff so much. But it is pricy. My dream would be to have a kitchen with all of her spotty range in. Spotty crockery makes me happy. There were plenty of yummy mummies visiting when I was here. I'm sure this shop gets its full share of tourists. Even though I live in this area, I don't see why I can't shop like a tourist too - why let them have all the fun?

A lovely shop for browsing and finding little treasures and treats for the home and garden. If…read moreyou've always craved a French bistro chair, you'll find them here, in an impressive and surprising range of colours, from sky blue to aubergine. Their other garden furniture is pretty, tempting and often well-priced. Also worth looking here, for sweet, inspiring and sometimes quirky items for gifts - suitable for all age groups and tastes - or as a personal treat.

I love to go for a little browse here, even on the most icey day of the year! It's like an…read moreAladdin's Cave. They really have all sorts with 80+ dealers under 1 roof. Today my mission was CAMERAS! I didn't come away empty handed. I managed to acquire 2 vintage Kodak cameras, and even a little camera lighter. Not sure if either of the cameras work, but i don't mind having them as ornaments! They just look so good. It is super relaxed and friendly in here, with just soo much to look at. There is a Polish cafe upstairs which i have never been to, but it always smells tasty!

Nice place to browse around and kill time even if you do not intend to buy. I happen to discover…read morethe place while ducking inside during a sudden downpour. The items I did like were too big to take back to Cali

The member of staff was extremely unprofessional. I asked a straightforward question in relation to…read morethe price he quoted (which I perceived to be on the high side). My question should have been met with a straightforward answer. Instead the member of staff proceded to make some condescending implications about my item in the most passive-agressive manner. My advice would be to avoid this business. I suspect that the abundant glowing 5-star reviews on Google (nearly no 4-star reviews or below) are either incentivised or fake.

This is just a lovely, lovely shop. They've got some lovely jewellery in there - really gorgeous…read moreold pieces as well as newer stuff. I've never gone in to buy jewellery, but to get watch accessories (batteries/watch straps). These people really know their stuff and they're wonderful personalities to boot. So friendly, and really kind - how many shopkeepers do you know who give your kids a pound to buy an ice cream??

I brought two lovely bedside chests from here half the price of any where else and the staff were…read morevery helpful

From the owner: Secondhand Land the house clearance specialists offer unbeatable clearance rates and also sell…read moreaffordable secondhand furniture at thier preloved homestore in Worcester park.

It's always nice to find a shop like this one, where you can get help and advice on what to wear…read more They have a really good range of clothes at reasonable prices. It's easy to find your way around and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

I'm aware that I sometimes use these reviews as a bit of a confessional: Primark is a typical case…read morein point. It's definitely a bit of a guilty secret for me (secret rather than pleasure...). The guilt comes in on two levels - first: because I wonder about how their items are produced, when they sell them so cheaply, and second: because it's so easy to become lured into buying items you don't really need. Throw-away fashion and all that! I could launch into a whole debate about a consumer society but it's probably not the time or place... The upside of their stock, besides the accessibility of their prices, is the up-to-the-minute, bang-on-trend styling. The downsides are often the finish, the attention to detail (hardly surprising) and the way that sizes can vary greatly from one garment to another (even in the same style). Also, be aware that when they do produce a really 'hot' style you'll have to move fast or they'll fly-off the shelves before you can reach them.