Gorgeous little shop with lots of different stuff each week a tad pricey, but it is on Eccelsall…read moreroad. Parkings a bit hard, but worth finding a space.

It is hard to categorise something like this as it is so hard to pinpoint what exactly it is! I…read morewill try and explain to you as simply as I can. Firstly, Ashton Market consists of many outside plots that covers all of Market Square and also they have a indoor building. On the outside, you have different stalls each offering different things. All these people are independent traders. So for example you have a home stall that sells washing powder and fairy liquid and dishcloths. All at cheap prices too! Then you have a Betty Boop stall that sells Figurines cheaply. Its great. Everything you need is on these stalls and at a fraction of the price. Inside, it is a similar story, you also have cafes and carpet people as well as butchers and cheese counters. The list is endless. If you are looking for something particular, have a look at their website for more information. I love this market as I have been brought here since I was a child. Sadly a few years ago, someone burnt the indoor market down and it has had to be rebuilt but it stands today, stronger and better than before. A vast improvement but it has took a while and businesses struggled for a while! Anyway go on a Sunday too for like a car boot market. It is great to get out and wander around who knows what you might find. I found a Lion King Book that I had been looking for (sad i know ) but I loved it!

This is how a proper market should be!…read more It should sell things that before you went you didn't realise you wanted. Don't smoke? Nevermind,this multi pack of tips will come in handy! Don't own a video recorder anymore? Fear not,this blank 180 will come back in fashion one day. Not a serial killer? Duct tape £1 for 3 rolls. Now you can afford to become one whilst saving the pennies... Let's face it,if you don't like wandering around a nice traditional town centre market then you have ceased to be a human (well one that likes to look at cheap tat anyway).. Ashton along with Bury is one of the few half decent markets that still exist near me these days,and even though Bury is only on a few days a week (What's the deal with that anyway? A market should be at least 6 days a week!) They are always great places to have a wander. Not to be confused with- Xmas markets (over priced German wooden things) Farmers markets (Wild Boar sausages) Flea markets (Really small insects) Or Meat markets (Kicking out time at night clubs)...

As my friends will tell you, I love a bargain. I have been known to buy things I don't need or even…read morelike, because they've been cheap. I always get a good feeling when I grab a bargain, more so when it's something I actually want. And when it's for charity, well that makes it even better! The Wes, as it is affectionately known by locals, runs entirely on donations and voluntary work and aims to help those who might not be able to afford to furnish their homes by offering everything they sell at incredibly low prices. A fridge will set you back £25, a washing machine £35 and you can pick up a double bed for £20. It's a great place to go if you're just setting up house; me and the boyf got a dining table with four chairs, and a bedside table, for £60. The dining set is incredible quality, and the chairs are very similar to ones sold in M&S for £150 a pair. Needless to say, I was pretty chuffed with that particular bargain. As well as a fantastic furniture section, the Wes has a great section of bric a brac, where we picked up two camping chairs for festival season for £10. This section sells clothes, shoes and household bits and bobs, and there is a great book section, with books from as little as 20p. The Wesley prides itself on supplying low price furniture "to those in greatest need from all over the City of Manchester". As if its low prices weren't enough, they also offer 'starter' packs for £50-80, for those who have very low incomes and who can get a referral letter from the council, or social services. These starter packs are a great resource for those who are really in need. The Wes is a fantastic hidden gem with a real heart of gold. All of the money spent on furniture here goes to the running of the centre, and it's such a good cause that it makes me feel even better about grabbing a bargain.

I get lost for hours in here when I make time to mooch and marvel at the retro 50's & 60's…read morefurniture and lighting that always takes me back to my days hanging around Greenwich or Camden market instead of being in school, and similarly eyeballing the 'precious things' of yesteryear. On my last visit I fell in love with a long, low teek sideboard, the style of which forms the epitome of what you will find in here. Sadly at £350 I found myself jokingly singing "Santa Baby put a table under the tree.. for me" to my nonplussed boyfriend! Still, my retro therapy was completed when I purchased a more reasonable, but no less beautiful classic 60's bright orange glass ashtray for £15. The lady that owns the shop was happy to stand chatting to me about items she usually gets in and whats popular at the moment, i found her to be an extremely friendly person with lots of knowledge, which also includes an almost wiki style base of information on how to restore your much loved vintage furniture! There really are not enough places like this in Manchester, and the ones that are mildly comparable mostly sell "retro" stock that was shipped in yesterday and made in a factory last week.

Worth finding! The lack of good retro and vintage furniture stores in this town is depressing so it…read moreis great to find a store with such great looking pieces. I was happy to find this place in the Failsworth antique centre and even happier to see there is an an online store. The prices were reasonable and the owner was very nice. Taking plenty of time to speak with me about my purchase and retro furniture in general. The Cavern below also had some interesting stalls.

It is hard for a charity shop to stand out at the moment. They are all thrilled to bits that we are…read moreactually shopping in them now with the recession and all yet the fact that they are ten to a dozen these days in suburby towns like Prestwich doesn't mean they will all be rolling in our cash. Bury Hospice is, of course, a worthy cause which gets nearly a fifth of its fundraising money from its charity shops which are dotted around places like Bury, Prestwich and Radcliffe. Yet this shop feels less like the kind of place you'd get a bargain and more where you would pick up some germs. Oh, I'm being too harsh but this place is a bit drab. Charity shops depend on the quality of stuff donated and I don't this one struck it lucky. I'd try All Aboard or Cancer Research first. On the other hand when I was running around trying to find an apron for a pottery class the lad in here was the only one who actually had a look in the back for me. Alas, they didn't have any in but she was friendly enough to make me look back at the shop fondly ...

This is the place where I used to get all my colourful shirts from during the time I spent in…read moreSheffield. I kept popping in regularly, because their range constantly changes. But they also do other stuff from the Seventies, e.g. flared trousers, leather jackets, wigs, nose glasses and other party attire. The staff is always very friendly, too.

An excellent shop for anyone who is into vintage/retro clothing. They shop stocks an extensive…read morerange of second hand (yet of good quality), jeans, shirts, jackets etcat very reasonable prices. A good pair of Levi's will set you back just £20!

Another great Manchester Market, Harpurhey Market is situated on Church Lane, just off off Rochdale…read moreRoad. It's a very busy market that has increased in popularity so much over the last few years that there's been a 35% in stall holders just last year alone. What I love about this market is that you can get so many bargains that you won't find on the high street, and it really is a one-stop-shop. From meat, fish, roast chickens, flowers, breads, deli foods, fruit and veg to great fashion bargains from just £5, handbags, home wares, music and DVDs, lighting, this place has it all. On a Thursday they also hold a mixed market including bric-a-brac, house clearances, second hand goods and clothes and even furniture for those with a keen eye. I really recommend coming early on in the day though.