Shopping can be difficult with a baby the best of times, but with the customer orientation of…read morepartner "David" it's ten times worse. Granted, it was extremely close to store closing time - but unfortunately the bodily functions of eight month olds do not align to timetabling notions like "David" must apply to the staff under his care. Simply put he kicked us out with a soiled baby and a smile on his face. Look, I understand that people are just doing their jobs and that closing time is a difficult time. But this level of callous disregard for the needs of a vulnerable human being (a baby) is just appalling. On a different note, there were three ladies there, also being kicked out. We all were people of colour. Make of that what you will.

Although this is a very expensive store, the service is excellent! I was helped by a lovely young…read moreman named Thomas. He was extremely polite, and extremely helpful. He helped me select the perfect christmas gift for my father and he walked me through every selection. He even rang me up right there and i didn't have to go to a till.

I am quite simply a fan of TJ Hughes, always have been and always will be because its your store in…read moreone apart from selling food. They might fall short of selling food but they do have a basic cafe/restaurant where you can have a hearty lunch for cheap prices. Its the nature of their departments that makes them so popular with people of all ages. I can't think of anything they don't sell, especially when it comes to domestic requirements. Their crockery ranges from low to high standards similarly with their electronic appliances so whatever you are seeking, there should be an item that wins you over 9 out of 10 times. Not to mention, the same goes with shoes; the place is packed with them! And clothes too, the list is endless. If you're looking to treat yourself or find a gift, then TJ's is probably your first port of call.

To me this is the archetypal nan shop. My nan doesn't go much further than the bottom of her…read morestreet for her weekly shop these days but when she does venture into the city centre it will be to hunt out a bargain at TJ's. These bargains usually end up as my birthday or christmas presents. Like the much lamented Lewis' which has closed down on Renshaw Street, TJ's is a landmark store within the city. It is a much more modest department store than Lewis' was and can be seen as more of a front runner to the now universal pound shops. The key to TJ's is the bargains. It covers all sorts of quality products and ranges - although nothing exclusive or top of the range - and at the cheapest possible prices.

This is a good Marks and Spencer store, it is located on Church Street in a good spot within…read moreLiverpool city centre. The selection in-store is pretty good, in terms of the Food Hall, I was especially impressed with the ease of access (Ground Floor - compared to many other M and S stores, which have you go into the basement) and the frozen section (much more extensive than any other Marks and Spencer stores I have visited, even including Birds Eye Potato Waffles). The overall store is good, I would like to see it refurbished to be similar to some of their newly refurbished stores however which not only look better but feature more features including the ability to select your own eggs, grind your own coffee beans etc. The store also has the Marks and Spencer's app, where you can scan items and pay on your phone, generating an in-app receipt to show as you leave the store. A couple of items that I wanted were out of stock, which was a little frustrating, the selection was fine overall for non-frozen items. I would have loved to see a chicken rotisserie which they have at other stores of a similar size, sadly not here. 4*

M n S is an English institution and we should all keep it going. Best place for underwear ..p e r…read morei o d....you would know this if you ever emigrated (like me, twice). Great value for five pairs of good decent nice pants (underwear for you Americans!) I paid 12 pounds. The store is located in a beautiful building right in the main hub and shopping area of Liverpool. It has four floors to include ladies, men's, children, homeware, a food shop and a cafe.

A pretty nice Debenhams store in Liverpool city centre, one of the larger department stores in…read moreLiverpool One. While I do prefer John Lewis, this isn't a bad alternative and does provide extra choice. The selection is OK, I did notice a lack of named brands compared to other stores nearby so the selection is slightly limited. Multiple lifts around the store, so it is easy to get around, the organisation is OK, but the Cafe area seems a little messy. Most of the staff seem friendly enough. 3* - Not my favourite Debenhams store, it could be cleaner in certain areas especially the toilets, but if this store does close down I'm sure it will be missed.

I'm a big fan of Debenhams, for as number of reasons! I'm not a big fan of their prices though; it…read moreseems that everything is super expensive, even in the sales! They have a great restaurant on the top floor which serves really good quality food and is one of mother dearest's favourite eateries in the city centre. They also serve great wine here which makes it ok by me. They have a great cosmetic section where oompa loompa like sales women will urge you to buy the latest skin care cream and smellies and tell you the secrets of rubbing pile cream under your eyes! They also have a wide range of clothing brands all across their store including Levi's. They have a great home ware section and sell lots of nice crockery for all of those who have just got a nice pad and want to kit it out all posh!

This department store reminds me of just what quintessential department stores should be. Ornate,…read moreold, on a main street, looking pretty as can be, even more enticing at Christmas. And that's just what Broads and Booths is. Plus it holds great nostalgia for me, a pair of my friends used to busk outside it when I was working as a chambermaid at Squire's. We'd spend the morning making moolah and count our cash in hand earnings to spend at Aqua in the afternoon after lunch. Ah, those weekends. The irresponsibility of youth. Part of the Beales group, Broads has survived for eons in its convenient location and sells everything you could need, from fashion accessories for men and women to clothes, soft furnishings to gifts, fine fragrances and cosmetics, there's a cookshop and a bed and bathshop and a restaurant and café for when your legs refuse to carry you any longer. You can even order all your lovely things online too. It's kind of like the Southport equivalent of Harrods or Lewis's, obviously on a much smaller and simpler scale but that's how much it's shaped the Southport landscape. Definitely worth a browse.

This is actually called Bealls now but Je refuse to write a Bealls review. Broadbents and…read moreBoothroyds has so much more panache. I remember as a little girl being amazed at all the luxury items and then being herded off to Woolys. Upscale, the old staircases are still intact but alas alack a little too crowded for me. The spell is broken.

Yes the store is VERY nice and very upmarket. The Selfridges store (huge!) in London's Oxford St is…read moreIconic in many ways - it was the FIRST department store in the UK and founded by an American who wasn't able to do his thing in the US - there is a TV series about it. It was the first store where women of the day felt comfortable and safe shopping alone.... Growing up in the UK my parents would take me there at least once a year (almost every time we visited London actually - so maybe 3-4 times a year. Yes there were upmarket things, and recently we were there and sure there are many expensive brands with absurd prices. But there are also more "normal" goods for sale. Not so much in Manchester - all Louis Vuitton and simile booths all around. A good friend who knows London very well explained that the smaller Selfridges don't have the room for affordable goods and it is all for the very affluent. So come prepared to go home broke or enjoy a window shop! Even the restaurant upstairs seemed very toffee nosed to be honest- not fun :( Review #4 2020

This is a large Selfridges store, although I do prefer their Birmingham location and their flagship…read moreLondon Oxford Street location (this location appears to be much more basic and laid back than those two, which are both in stunning buildings which stand out massively). I do think this is a good department store, it is one of the largest and more high-end department stores in the city centre, which is a fading game with Debenhams on Market Street closing and House of Fraser on Deansgate soon to follow. The store looks pretty good and is opposite Marks and Spencer in the Manchester Arndale, sadly Selfridges doesn't have a Food Hall similar to their other branches, at this location, this is a real shame - perhaps that is due to the Basement level of Marks and Spencer (a different business) having a large food section? There are two different San Carlo restaurants in terms of eating or drinking inside, I would have loved to see at least a different brand to add something a little more different, similar to what you see in other department stores such as Harrods etc. They do have some unique experiences here occasionally, Manchester City did bring the Premier League and Carabao Cup trophies here a couple of years ago which was super exciting for me as a big City fan. It can be pretty difficult to navigate at first, but they do have a store plan which is somewhat helpful, the store remains modern and clean. Some of the staff seemed a little snobbish and unhelpful, this was mixed as other staff members seemed great and happy to help. 4*

Debenhams Browns of Chester is the only Debenhams store to retain its' original branding, Browns of…read moreChester. It has been owned by Debenhams since 1976, yet the store is fairly old being founded in 1780, while it doesn't seem to compare to the older department stores in London, it still is a fairly nice branch, you can enter the store through street-level or through the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. The store is pretty old and you can tell that through shopping inside, they have random sets of steps and ramps all over, so it isn't just one straight/flat level, so do be careful where you're walking to avoid tripping. They had a huge clearance sale on my visit, due to Debenhams' facing difficulties and having to close many of their stores, including this one, I still found many of their prices to be high even after the discount, I found the promotional offers to be inconsistent and it was hard to tell what item costs what as each part of the store/product range would have a different % off. The store did seem a little messy, but it did have some good products overall and it is nice to see they haven't ignored the history, it's a shame to see this store earmarked for closure as although it isn't perfect, it is and remains a nice addition to the town centre. 3*

This is a large department store where you can find really gorgeous bags, shoes, make up and…read moreperfume on the first floor and loads and loads of clothes on the second floor. This place really is fantastic for womens clothes - like debenhams it has all the usual brands such as Jane Norman and Oasis, and it has a great underwear section with huge variety of pretty knickers. It also has a wedding section with loads of higher quality dresses. Of course these come with a higher price tag that the high street stuff that can be found there but this is where I would come to look for something to wear for a special occasion.

This was once Beatties, the tradtional department store in the heart of Birkenhead; to be fair,…read moreother than the name, not very much has changed: the place looks a little more modern, there are a few new departments under the same roof and the prices are about the same. I think most people know what to expect with House of Fraser: posh shops, most selling clothes, others furniture, electricals, gifts, homeware, beauty. I always come here for my make up as they have an Elizabeth Arden counter which is usually cheaper than Boots. I think the cafe is lovely. I used to visit with my nan when it was still called Beatties and we loved it. It's still as good, if not better: the furniture is more comfortable for a start and the place seems a lot brighter. There is a nice atmosphere in here, the cafe is spotless and very appealing, actually one of few available in Birkenhead offering such surroundings. The menu is quite extensive and offers great hot and cold food, all very fresh. It's a touch expensive but I'd pay it to avoid BB's or the alternative Sayers!

Outstanding service from the staff at House of Fraser, Birkenhead. In particular I want to praise…read moreRabina and the rest of the team at Phase Eight who worked tirelessly to help me find a particular dress I wanted for my son's wedding. The shop has a lovely calm and friendly atmosphere. Pat

House of Fraser is one of Manchester's oldest and most iconic department stores, it was founded in…read more1836 and the huge, impressive building on the heart of Deansgate is still going strong to its' day, despite being part of the House of Fraser group since the 1950s, and having its' current name since 2005, I like how they've stayed true to the roots and history of the store, by having its old name "Kendal, Milne and Co", still being clearly visible at the store's entrances, or Kendalls as it was known to locals. At Christmas, the decorations help light up and add to all of Deansgate, bringing a festive feel which even a Scrouge like myself can appreciate (but come on, just not in November - that's too early!) The facilities inside the store are good, for me with the fragrances, and high-end brands, as well as multiple lifts in the lobby, this feels like one of the Big American department stores, which I've only ever seen before in NYC, and London. The store isn't as good as it used to be, with some facilities/businesses located inside here closed, including a whole floor. With The Restaurant at House of Fraser gone, all that remains is a San Carlo Cichetti, which strangely is located directly opposite their main location in the city on King Street West. 4* - Pretty cool department store, it is sad to see the store deteriorating up until the inevitable closure which has been talked about for the past couple of years. This is currently one of the few branches remaining with many HOF stores closing down.

There's a touch of 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? about House of Fraser. It's not just the fact…read moreit's the oldest and grandest department store in the city, it's the slow elevators, the confusing floor layouts and the fact you have to buy your clothes from the area you picked them up rather than any till. Trust me, I've tried and failed on different occasions! The thing that really makes me feel I'm wandering around Grace Brothers department store however, is the staff. They're not quite as camp or witty as Captain Peacock, Mrs Slocombe or Mr Humphries but there's definitely an element of disdain and snootiness when you approach them. This might infuriate some people but it always tickles me and makes me wonder if it's part of the staff training! There's beauty products on the ground floor, furniture and electronics on the top floors and lots of men, womens and childrenswear inbetween. Some of it I wouldn't be seen dead in but I usually see at least half a dozen things I like from one of their emerging or established designers. The only problem is, is there anyone to serve me?!

Similar to the other clothing shops in the precinct, this only stands out because of the lovely…read morestaff, who are always helpful and polite. Same sorts of clothes as everywhere else, and a small shoe and bag section, with some additional accessories near the till. For some reason there always seems to be a lot of mums with pushchairs in here, though I can't quite figure out why. Prices are competitive, quality occasionally questionable, but generally a pretty decent clothes shop.

It is difficult to speak passionately about these ubiquitous stores adjacent, opposite, and above a…read morevery similar store selling very similar merchandise in a vey similar way. However STorm is probably the more famous, more popular store of the bunch. I must say, I preferred the old store near Lewis's, while the stock was similar, the shop was larger and brighter, there was more stuff and more space to look; it was a little decrepit, but it wasn't in St John's which I tend to find dark and claustrophobic Now there is no alternative I shop here. The stock is variable with some obligatory tat but an occassional bargain (as with most of these style stores) and the staff are always on hand and very helpful.