I travel through Otley on business on a regular basis, and often pop in to Mounseys for a magazine…read more- I've never seen such a wide range of magazines on offer! They also stock lots of greetings cards and other gifts, and the staff are both knowledgeable and friendly.

Mounsey's is a huge stationary and gift card store situated in the heart of Otely. To find it all…read moreyou need do is hop off the bus, go past Savers Fashion Nett and head up onto Market Street - should be easy to spot from there as it has a huge glass window and big signage with the name branded over! There are all sorts of cards in here, you will be truly spoiled for choice, as there are rows and rows of them! Obviously Mounsey's wouldn't survive on card sales alone and so there are a number of other related items for sale here. You can purchase a wide selection of books although there doesn't appear to be any order or theme to the titles stocked - which include British Wildlife and Stephen Fry in America for example. There are also plenty of magazines, Lottery and tons of puzzle books and calendars! As it has been established since 1859 I think it's only right that should you be in need of a birthday card, or indeed a crossword book, that your purchase be made in Mounsey's. After all, Clinton's are two a penny and will almost certainly cost you more.

This is a delightfully full gift shop in the heart of Otley, with all kinds of treats and…read moresurprises. The shop indeed has a large number of china gifts, including pig shaped piggy banks, crockery sets, figurines and more. They also had a number of pewter items, including pewter keyrings in all kinds of designs - cats, cars etc. I don't think you could find a more specialist gift shop with such thoughtful items. They have special VW gifts, including mini camper vans and VW mugs - the sad thing is I know people who like these things! They also have a really special range of gift cards, which isn't something most actual card shops can boast, including 'swinging greetings cards' and 'wheel' cards! The owners are clearly dedicated to finding the best gifts with the most personal touch. Stop by next time you are in Otley, if only to gaze upon their hoards of pretties.

A quaint gift shop in the Market Square of Otley there is an abnormal amount of china and…read morekitchenware, a rather country set with a cock and hen as the feature is proudly displayed in the window when I was browsing for Christmas cards, I found a very apt, large card for my Nanna completely with all the sentimentality that I could never muster by myself. There are gifts for children such as wooden toys, pencil cases and games and very gentile owners happy to help.

Studio Seven is a new, exciting and intriguing art gallery owned and run by James Davis, an artist…read morehimself whose areas of expertise lie in both graphic design and pop art. Although the studio itself is only a small space there is certainly enough art work within to keep you occupied, challenged and provoked of though for a good deal of time. At the time of my visit there were a number of pop art pieces, more notably a painting of Heath Ledger's Joker, immortalised in stark bold blocks, posed in an eternal passive aggressive smiling glare. As well as this a beautifully bold cyanotype Audrey Hepburn image was on show, amongst other famous icons. As well as pop art pieces there were some sculptures and more mixed media pieces, including a bizarre-yet-cute frame set with some cut out crafted ducks arranged inside. I think one of my favourite pieces was the image of a shop/building front, painted in these vibrant and aggressive reds, with the vintage victorian style clock face at the heart of the image - I'm no expert but I'd hazard a guess at calling it postimpressionist. As my boyfriend and I were gawping at all the different paintings the owner came in, it was oddly empty prior to this, and asked us how we were. We chatted briefly and discovered that he was quite a diverse artist himself and had only recently opened the gallery. He was really approachable, down to earth and genuinely making a go of surviving creatively. For that alone I couldn't be more impressed since there are plenty of us out there who yearn to live from our talents, but seldom take the risk and try to make it work. If you are in Otley, scratch that, wherever you are - make the effort to stop by Studio Seven. There you will find challenging pieces of art from a variety of movements all worth pride of place in your home.

From the owner: Studio Seven offers a wide range of artwork. Original oil & acrylic paintings, photography, lino…read morecuts, limited edition prints, canvas prints, aqua tints, watercolours & paper cuts. As well as graphic design, photo restoration and Photo 2 canvas services.

The Yorkshire Trading Company is a really handy place to visit. Having been installed where, I…read morebelieve, the old Woolworths used to be in Otley you could imagine some old school woollies fans might have been somewhat miffed. Nevertheless it only takes one little peek inside to realise how much more useful (sorry woollies) this store is. Being as they've cropped up all about Yorkshire, thankfully, you don't need to be in Otley to appreciate them but the one here is pretty good. To describe exactly what they sell is a bit like trying to describe all the shades of blue. It would take eons. I'll give it a go. They sell just about everything and anything - like an up market version of Wilkinsons. They have DIY bits, gardening items, clothes, household bits and so much more. The most delectable bit is that they sell all at pretty bargainous prices too - so truly a handy shop to have around. I can't think of an occasion where I would think to myself "I need to go to The Yorkshire Trading Company," but when I've been at a loose end in Otley it has been a pretty good place to start. Not bad!

Well well, I concur with Rowena on this place although I can list everything they sell and if…read moreanyone wants that list then email me at getalifeandgolookyourself.not lol I only discovered this company a year ago whilst wandering aimlessly (again) around Otley wondering why we go there full of excitement at our "day out" only to realise it's just another town.... Since my discovery I have visited the shop in Otley and Skipton and even Skegness and always end up buying something as there is always something you need. What other shop can you make purchase's that will allow you to build a fence, paint it then chop it up to put in your new BBQ all whilst wearing a fetching hat, then have a bath, dye your hair whilst eating chocolates, reading a book and playing with etch-a-sketch and a dolls house........ They really do sell that many different things it's mind blowing....... Car stuff for instance, from air horns to polish, birthday cards......... I could go on but I have to do something else with my life so go and have a look next time you're at a loose end in Otley or anywhere you see the sign :)

As gift shops go I was under the impression that the idea was to fill them with enticing and…read moreinteresting items, but this is not how The Gift Gallery appear to be doing things. To begin with the shop, which is really rather small, is rather empty. Perhaps they were due a restock, but I almost didn't bother going inside as I could barely see anything, except that I was duty bound to finding a gift for a friend! For the most part what they did sell were what seemed like hand made candles of varying sizes and colours, quirky greetings cards that were hand made in store, woolen type items and some jewellery (minimal) and a small collection of smellies. Nothing took my fancy, and I was literally in and out. It was a bit embarrassing too, since the poor shop girl (who didn't really seem interested) had to watch me go in, look around, and leave in the space of 180 seconds. Still, I said thanks at least.

From the owner: We are Yorkshires largest supplier of Yankee Candle, stocking every fragrance in the UK range &…read morealso Limited Editions as well as accessories. We run a loyalty scheme on the purchasing of Yankee candle & also hold loyalty events. Every month we have selected fragrances at 25% discount,making it ideal for a gift or for stocking up on your favourite fragrance!. We also have a large range of giftware to suit all tastes & pockets.