Grosvenor Shopping Centre is a pretty unusual shopping centre, the main shopping centre in the city…read moreof Chester (although there are better stores around the town centre), in many ways it is an amazing juxtaposition of old and new as the shopping centre runs through old buildings (with steps everywhere, even in places which make no sense which could be really dangerous when slippy), such as on the balcony overlooking one of Chester's main streets which has some nice stores but again doesn't appear to be highly safe. There are a few coffee shops such as Muffin Break here (I bought one of the single worst food items I've tried in my life from here), but the main bulk of places are within the uncovered streets of the centre, Grosvenor Shopping Centre might not have a lot of stores but it does offer a unique shopping experience (sheltered) which is useful while it is raining, I do feel it is less accessible (to disabled people) than other malls, which could be down to Chester is an old city, full of listed buildings (that could be the reason), as obviously many stores do have steps to go up a level, while the mall its-self is only one floor (the only lift in the mall goes to car parks only) 2* - If you want to shop in Chester, there's a much better selection of restaurants and coffee shops within the beautiful city centre, and while Grosvenor might look good in parts and it provides the benefit of shelter during the rain in most parts, it just isn't as good as it could be with a growing number of empty and unused units.

The Grosvenor shopping centre houses some of my favourite shops in Chester, from H&M, Dorothy…read morePerkins, Top shop to Sweets from Heaven. The centre is well lit and looks very clean and modern. There is a wide selection of shops also including the Perfume Shop, Three, Build-A-Bear, Costa and much more.

Great selection of clothes. Quite expensive, but it is 100% worth it. I got a grey jumper for £18…read morepounds and I wear it all the time. They also have a unique selection so coats and jackets and carefully pick out great products. There is a changing room at the back of the shop!

Primark is one of those stores that polarises opinion. To some people it's a treasure trove of…read moreaffordable fashion, to others it's a conglomerate getting rich by exploiting workers in the third world. If you do choose to venture into this store you'll find two large floors with ladieswear downstairs and mens and childrens upstairs. You may pick up some bargains, especially if you're small because it can be difficult to find items in larger sizes. It helps to be no bigger than a size 14 if you're a lady or a medium if you're a chap. The sale rails are usually worth a look and I quite often pick up bargains for the kids. Why pay more than one or two quid for a pair jeans that will either be destroyed in no time or otherwise grown out of? It's a bit more difficult to find things for myself, being the wrong side of medium!

Can't fault the staff in the Chester shop. They go out of their way to help. Nothing is too much…read moretrouble. Last time I was in there I got to the till and decided I wanted the a different size. To my amazement the cashier kindly offered to go and get the items I wanted. I found a manager on the way out and gave positive feedback on my visit. I shop in a range of shops in the town and in some of the more up market stores you don't get a service as good as what the Primark staff provide. They are always friendly and if you can't find your size they offer to go off to the stock room to look for the size you require. The shop I find is always neat & tidy. Well done Primark staff keep up the good work! Some customers complain of exploitation of workers in third world countries yet a majority of them will still shop in Primark, just saying. I will add that the quality has not always been great but for the price who can complain? However, quality is improving. Sizes and fit are hit & miss but find another clothes shop where this doesn't happen.

The Forum Shopping centre is very small and full of cheapo stores. Somerfield is in there, along…read morewiht T J Hugues, a card shop, health food shop and herbal medicine shop and a bakers. There is very little else apart from access to Chester's indoor market which I have never found to be as satisfactory as other town's outdoor markets (although it does boast a hairdressers in there, and there can't be many markets that offer a hair cut with your vegetables) There are always security guards patrolling the centre, which actually makes you feel less safe as they must have such a visible presence for a reason. Im sure that there must be a lot of shop lifting going on. The only really good thing about the Forum Shopping Centre is that it offers a heated shortcut from home to work, although that is unlikely to work for everyone! The trouble is it's almost impossible to get through there without being accosted by someone trying to sell you insurance or enter a competition to win something you dont want. Also I swear they only have one Best of 80's CD as there is only ever two songs being played!

The forum maybe the value version of the shopping centres in town but still has some stores that…read moreare worth a visit on a quiet day, inside you shops like TJ Hughes, a camping store, claires jewlery shop, a discount jewelery shop and a somerfield. Although i find the best part of the forum is the market attached to the side to it near the bus stands, there are many lil stalls there that do cheap and cheerful things, also has one of few pet stores in chester city centre. I also agree that the amount of security is off putting especially if your a shopper under 40 just having a browse during a break at work or what ever.

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 is my favourite charity shop in Chester! It is in a great location and has a wide selection of…read morebooks and DVDs. The staff are always very friendly, often having a chat with you whilst you are paying. The store is well-stocked and clean.

George clothing is located in the Grosvenor shopping centre, which is great for those who can't…read moretravel to the nearest ASDA easily. There is a wide selection of clothing over two floors. The store is kept clutter free and well stocked. Any items of clothing that have been unbuttoned for shoppers to try on are soon buttoned up again by staff and back to looking nice on the rails.

Sainsbury's Local on Watergate St is in a useful location within Chester Town centre, it is a…read moredecent size branch, obviously, you can't do a weekly shop here but the selection is A-OK in terms of essentials. The store has two entrances, the front entrance has a staircase (with a lift) and escalator, or if you let the staff know there's a back entrance. The staff seemed really friendly and happy to help, which was good. Considering, this is only a "Local" store, they did have a good selection of fresh meats, I picked up some excellent quality turkey, and they also have a bakery section. The checkouts were easy to use and simple. They are missing a trick by not having a coffee machine here though, especially as Tesco Express' town centre store (and Superstore) does, so it would be useful, but I dislike Costa Coffee anyway which most coffee machines seem to use. 4* - The extra star is mainly for the friendliness and the helpfulness of the staff, while the selection is OK.

A wonderful high end specialty chocolate shop made with chocolate grown on their own St Lucia…read moreproperty. Incredible selection of milk and dark chocolate with all kinds of goodies. Delicious truffles, unusual bars as well as gift samplers. Bet you can't eat just one

Nice store with great staff. If you love chocolate and just…read moreabout any product that can include chocolate in it this is the place to come. They stock everything from chocolate gin to balsamic vinegar. Not to forget the chocolate itself. There is a wide range of products so you will never be stuck for choice. It is a little pricy but you get what you pay for. Staff are nice but seem to struggle when it gets busy.

My daughter dragged me into this New Look outlet at the weekend and was pleasantly surprised. We…read moreused to shop at the one along Foregate street but since the weekend this one is one of the must visit shops for any teenage daughter now. There are a few levels though. The ground floor is female adult clothes and on the left there is an escalator for mens and adult shoes. Be warned !!! It's a high escalator and quite steep so if you don't like heights I'd use the lift !!!! The lift is the only way to get down by the look of it, but it wasn't too busy even though the shop in general was so you don't need to wait long at all for the lift. If you want the teenage/generation clothes you'll need to go up the stairs that are near the back of the shop on the right hand side. There was a huge collection of clothes and my daughter went a bit mad and spent a fortune but since we were struggling to find decent clothes for her elsewhere for her in Chester I didn't mind. They also sell teenage underwear, footwear, nightwear and accessories too. The staff were really peasant and curteous and we'll be back there very soon. All in all, if you have a teenage daughter you MUST visit the New Look ( Eastgate street outlet near Thorntons and Next ) as Chester does seem to lack many outlets with a decent teenage range and head upstairs, making sure you've either your credit card or plenty of money as you'll need it ( not because it's expensive, but because there's so much to choose from !! )