The White House is a piece of Portrush history! It has operated for over 100 years but has…read more*briefly* modernised over the years. Sadly, the building has lost most of its original features over the years like the old iron lift which has been ripped out and replaced with a modern lift. About one third of the ground floor is occupied by the massive toy department which I often find myself drifting towards whenever I walk through the doors. The other two thirds are reserved for clothing. They have managed to recruit some impressive brands and now boast Chuck Taylor, Nike and Vans to name but a few. If you go upstairs, you are greeted by more clothing but I never really notice this because my destination on this floor is always the excellent Trocadero Restaurant, which serves up a delicious meal for a good price. You can also dine in their conservatory which makes a good experience. In summer, I think they open up the balcony as well. The top floor only boasts the furniture department so I never really bother with that floor. I'm really proud of The White House for beating off competition from the likes of Debenhams and BHS, both of which had their eyes on this site. But they were never going to let that happen because they are such a strong independent company.

This is a old fashioned family run department store with lots of history. Founded, I believe in…read more1891 and can name Queen Victoria as one of its customers in years long gone by. I don't think she shopped there in person but is reputed to have ordered linens from the shop in the late 1890s, and the Prince of Wales carried on the tradition in 1903. The biggest order The White House ever took was for twenty-six suits for His Highness the Rajah of Pudukota in South India in the early part of the last century. I was amazed recently to see that The White House was still going strong and to keep in step with modern trends it stock lots of the top selling high street brands in men's, ladies and childrens clothes. Long may this tradition shop keep up the standards and ethics of a small local business.

I can totally understand why this shop is entitled 'The Barn'. It's got a kind of storage feel to…read moreit, and you can't really move too far without tripping over something, or bumping into that other thing. Especially if your name's Lynne... Crammed full of furniture, soft furnishings, candles, gifts and a whole lot more, The Barn is a tad overwhelming if you're trying to find something specific. I quite like a challenge (most of the time), but since it was wet and I was carting half of Donaghadee's shops around with me (it certainly felt that way), I was pretty fed up and didn't exactly feel like having to dig too much. Plus, I was totally aware of my being ever so slightly clumsy at the best of times, and not wanting to end up paying through the nose for breakages etc., I decided to look and not touch. That was until I spotted a cute cat tea towel, and instantly knew my mum would love it. Managing (somehow) to pick it up off the rail, I admired the pattern whilst hunting for the price. Ah, yes there it was...£5.95?! Heavens above. Maybe I'm a bit stingy, but I certainly wasn't paying that for a tea towel. Not a chance. Everything else seemed to be slightly pricier than I'd first thought, right down to the scented candles which started at £2. At this stage, I realised there were three likely-things-to-happen: 1) I knock something over. 2) I buy something. 3) I leave. The latter being the cheapest option meant it was instantly favoured (not flavoured, that's an entirely different thing altogether). I'm much too poor for such shops. Nice stock though...

Plenty of choice & no pressure selling sales people, which would have me out of there in a flash…read more It's a must that you haggle on price as they will reduce quite willingly, although this is almost certainly to do with the fact prices can be on the high side anyway! Constantly having sales , so be aware that anything you purchase could drop a small fortune the next day. I purchased a display cabinet recently and the price dropped a further £20 the next week but they gave me the difference back when I called in to moan about it. I've not given 5 stars as the waiting time is pretty horrendous ! All in all I've had many happy experiences in Harveys Coleraine.

I love this shop but it also makes me want to throw out everything in my house and start again…read more It's filled with beautiful bits and pieces like wooden ornaments, vases, framed prints and candles. But not so full that you can't actually see each thing. They have particularly nice pieces for a child's room which is done in a nautical style. Things like bleached out coloured wooden boats and signs saying 'gone fishing'. I also love the scented candles and have just bought a fig and mint one which smells good enough to eat. They come in lovely tins for £7 and are the perfect treat for yourself or a gift for someone else. The napkin holders and napkins are fab too and are next on my list. I have also bought some lovely wooden heart decorations for the kitchen. They also do larger pieces of beautiful painted wooden furniture. Big chunky pieces with big chunky prices to match. You can also buy some lovely Cath Kidston trinkets to put on your new furniture. Ideally you should go alone to a Broader Picture. Kids will flail about dying of boredom and men will simply have no comprehension of why you would want to spend 20 minutes in there.

Lovely stuff and beautifully laid out, but outrageously expensive.read more