I heart Oxfam. When…read morethe Labour Party held their conference in Brighton recently, Oxfam put out a blackboard with the message: MPs - COME AND SPEND YOUR EXPENSES HERE! This cheeky humour extends to the shop's colourful window displays and the humour of the staff and volunteers that work here. As well as stocking lots of new and secondhand clothes, shoes, boots, handbags, books, CDs, vinyl and household goods, this particular branch includes one-off items of clothing that have been customized with different textiles, patches, zips and so on. Where else in Brighton could you get a blouse with a skull and cross bones AND flowers added?

This branch of Oxfam sells crafts and other fair-trade produce (especially food) and greeting…read morecards, rather than second-hand items (for those, go the Western Road shop near Waitrose). Items include textiles, pottery, jewellery, bowls and vases. It has a small but nice selection and is worth a browse if you are in this part of town, or are looking for a specific fair-trade item. It's also worth a try if you are looking for a nice but unusual gift, while keeping your conscience free!

Wishing Well Jewellers is a traditional little jeweller tucked down a side road off London Road…read more Its selection is fairly average, comprising, well, exactly what you'd expect from a family jeweller with the odd bit of bling thrown in as an effort to bring it up to date. The reason I like this place is the expert behind the counter, who mends things skilfully (sometimes while you wait), and peruses things through a jeweller's glass as you browse, giving the whole place an air of Dickensian authenticity. He won't blink were you to take him an intricate old pocket watch, for example - he can put his hands instantly on the correct tools, and clearly has the knowhow to deal with pretty much anything you might need fixing. I took in a bracelet for a friend once in which the filigree clasp was the focus of the design, and had fallen off at a gig and been trampled on by a succession of excitable sixteen year olds before being rescued. He merely whipped out a succession of miniscule needle nosed pliers and almost by magic, restored it to perfect working order. He didn't even charge. He felt it was too easy. Altogether then, it's probably not worth the visit for the stock alone, but it would be an excellent choice for restoration and repairs.

The RUDEST owner. He actually threw his toys out of the pram when questioned about a price for…read morerepair and he shoved back my chain and said he NOW doesn't want to fix it! It was laughable his reaction at what was a reasonable question. Obviously go there if your want an ego driven irritable moody A**hole to deal with. He didn't even know what metal the chain was made out of? And when questioned about another repair he had no idea what he was talking about. Go here to buy tacky secondhand/stolen rings. That fact that he has to buzz you in should have been warning enough that this wasn't in anyway a friendly welcoming premises. Stay AWAY!!!

Really appreciated the friendly service in this shop, and liked their selection…read more When it turned out that we wanted something that they didn't have (it was unseasonal stock), the sales assistant simply wrote down where we could find it. I think that's very kind. We will go back, definitely.

A family run business that really puts their heart into it. Not intimidating in the slightest and…read morethey won't pounce on you either (I hate that, especially in a sport shop)! Customer service is obviously at the fore front and they will go the extra mile. You feel as if you are getting advice from a good friend as opposed to a sales person. They have an array of sport offerings but particularly specialise in cricket, tennis, rugby and fitness. The items and clothing that they stock is of top performance but also looks really good. In particular I have purchased some great running gear that performs well, is comfortable and is well styled. They have a great eye for product. They are an exciting addition to the Hove and Brighton community. I am all for championing good local retailers such as Nick Rivett Sport.

For those that haven't heard of Shelter, it's a charity based in the UK and Scotland that's aimed…read moreat helping people that find themselves homeless. They have about 100 shops dotted across the country with the Brighton one occupying a small space on the bustling Western Road. The majority of the shop is occupied by new and secondhand clothes with small sections devoted to books, CDs and bric a brac. If you look closely you'll probably find the odd designer label alongside a selection of high street names. M&S regularly give them seconds and stock from last season whilst I've seen local celebrities dropping off bags of stuff.

I've been frequenting this spot for 2 years, a couple of times a year when I am over. They have…read moregone from an untidy mishmash of donated goods to a clean, well-organized "thrift" shop as we would call it in the US - pretty high quality stuff, too, I often see good labels (Ben Sherman et al) in here along with the usual sprinkling of Marks and Sparks sweaters, etc.

In the sign outside, Spiral Sussex claim to be 'Brighton's most interesting charity shop.' I think…read moreOxfam would probably contest this but I admire the fact Spiral is an independent, community based charity that ploughs any money they make back into helping young people and adults with learning disabilities. I've taken bags of books, CDs and records into the shop and each time I've visited I've been amazed by the amount of new stock they get in. There's a back room devoted solely to books and big pieces of furniture and two smaller rooms devoted to bric a brac, decorative items and vintage pieces of clothing. Last time I went, I picked up a spare chair for the kitchen for less than the price of a beer or packet of smokes!

Reviewing charity shops is a tricky business as the process sparks numerous ethical and moral…read morequestions. Such stores stock products just like every other retailer, yet their profits contribute to good causes, aiding communities and individuals in need. Should they be judged merely in relation to their range of items? Or perhaps based upon how much good they do? Morally, I'd like to give every single charity shop a five star review, simply because of the ethos such operations espouse, and their contribution to society. That said, it seems slightly unprofessional to give a business five stars when the service it provides is actually worse than most, if not all of its commercial competitors, and so I feel forced to resort to a juggling act in which I try to balance these two thought processes, in order to produce a fair rating taking into account both arguments. Spiral certainly does a lot of good. This charity is run by volunteers who use the proceeds they make selling donated items to aid people suffering from learning difficulties, specifically helping such individuals to participate in activities and recreational events. Although, unfortunately, to be frank, their stock isn't anything special, that doesn't mean this shop isn't worth visiting. You'll find books, vhs tapes, furniture, and other such assorted items, and many of the products are old, and not in the best of conditions, but that said, I'm sure if you hunt through the items available for long enough, you probably will find something that peaks your interest, and the cheap furniture in particular seems ideal for students who want to pick up something for an affordable price, which, whilst perhaps lacking in style, still performs the job it was designed for.

Fair is a lovely little (yes, you've guessed it!) fair trade shop, located in the centre of town…read more Despite being central, this shop does seem to suffer from its location, as Tasha S. points out- it is caught in a bit of no man's land between the Churchill shopping area and the North Laines. Sadly every time I go in, I'm the only person in there! That doesn't stop me popping in every time I happen past though! This shop has some beautifully made clothes. There's lots of interesting, unusual designs and gorgeous fabrics. At the moment they have some tops and dresses made with tribal and ethnic print fabrics, which are really pretty. My only gripe is that lots of the current stock seems a little flimsy for these cold winter climes...I fell in love with an embroidered Tree People coat the other day, but there's no way a cotton-linen mix is going to fend off gusty winds and freezing temperatures! What's really great about Fair, is that their fair trade clothing is attractive- there was a time not so long ago when all fair trade dresses looked like hessian sacks! As well as women's and children's clothing, they stock handmade paper and cards, beautiful Xmas tree decorations and other little gifts and trinkets.

I was told by a co-worker to visit Fair last month. I didn't really know about Fair but i liked the…read morelook of the window with new knitwear and they sell People Tree which is good. The sales assistant was very friendly and knowledgeable. She told me about Pants to poverty. She told me they have a new website so I took a flyer which gave me 10% off - i bought boxers as a gift for my man . The shop is small but also stocked with cute childrens clothes plus at the back they have a vintage shop. I took a look in there too it was very lovely and great value. I do love to shop online but sometimes it is really nice to see what you are buying and get it from a friendly local shop.

Cool Hand Luke offers a variety of boy's and men's fashions - all in the casual subcategory. Jeans,…read moretee shirts, jumpers and sports jerseys are all available at discounted prices with the post-holiday sale. Accessories include ball caps, knitted winter hats and belts. Although the shop is small, space is well managed, with things hanging on walls and double-level clothing racks. It appears to have a downstairs, but I discovered there's a separate skateboard shop downstairs. It almost fits the male/sportsy theme, but is technically another shop.

I really like this shop. Its pretty small but they carry a good selection of jeans and shirts that…read moreseem to apeal to my tastes. The staff are always really helpful and not at all pushy 'follow you round' sales assistants. I've bought a couple of their T-shirts in here with some pretty good prints on such as Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris just for comic value. They are also really handy to buy for birthday presents and don't cost the earth.

Excellent double fronted shop for one of the local charities. Very good parking facvilities…read morelocally. Well stocked with good quality items, all in good condition. Plenty of space to browse. Recommend having a look in here, as with all of this charity's shops.