DIY and the White Rabbit After a Friday and Saturday spent at Heartbreak Hotel (my BF has just broken up with her other half, so I turned up to offer a shoulder to cry on and to sing sad songs, although I did draw the line at Celine!), I was in need of a little retail therapy. The nearest superstore to us was B&Q, and since I needed to top up my hanging baskets with some new additions, I took the tram to Ampere Way and went straight to the gardening department. B&Q really does have everything you need if you are a DIY Goddess or a man whose tool box could always do with another hammer! The thing it does lack is enough staff. I spotted one, who was being cross- examined by a disbelieving gardener who couldn't accept the liquid miracle gro had run out ! Even if I factor in that I was part of the Sunday crowd, there should have been one allocated staffer in the gardening department. When I needed assistance, just like Alice's white rabbit, the assistant had disappeared never to return it seemed. It took me 15 mins of tailing and chasing down aisles, before I could find another one, who didn't know anything about the gardening department. By the time I got to the cashier I had officially hit my grumpy zone, which wasn't helped when my mournful cashier told me at the end of my transaction, "We've run out of bags!" Brilliant. The perfect end to a not so great shopping expedition. read more

B&Q - Kitchen & Bath Near Me - Croydon, XGL

Ok so my issues with this place is that on those occasion when you need someone there is never anyone around who can help you. I appreciate the store is huge however it does not mean you cannot have any staff about!! The range of goods is what you would expect from a retailer of this size so no surprises there. The quality of the foods is ok and on occasions they do have some bargains, especially on power tools. All I can say is that it does what it says on the tin! And if you do find yourself in need of something they sell just try and avoid going on a bank holiday as the car park just gets clogged up. Don't go last thing of an evening as they only ever have the automated tills open and they must have the worst ones out there as they always seem to have an issue when paying for goods. read more