I really love this place. This B&M is situated on the site that previously housed Homebase, so it…read moreis huge. The only B&M I'd been to before was a couple of years ago, when I was in Yorkshire. I was really impressed with that store and it wasn't an eighth of the size of this store. I looked at the website and it seems that they are springing up all around London and the South East. It's a hard store to explain. It's like a mix of Poundland, Robert Dyas and B&Q (if you're American read Dollar General, Big Lots and Walmart). It also has quite a large but busy carpark. This store is on two levels, complete with a garden centre attached. Upstairs is mainly concentrated on decorating and DIY goods. It has a large selection of non-perishable foods, and a large section for biscuits and sweets. I even found French's Steak Sauce for 49p, cheaper than purchasing it in the US. You can get TV's here and audio equipment. There is also a furniture section and tons of toys and games. As its near Christmas two aisle are concentrated on decorations, mainly tat, but with some tasteful bargains too, with plenty of stocking filler gifts. I really like this store, and know I will be back on a not too regular basis, but if I fancy a stroll around with nothing too much in mind, other than pick up a bargain.

TK Maxx is the British equivalent of TJ Maxx in the United States. Like every other TJ or TK Maxx,…read moreyou have to have time to browse for hidden gems. On the day we went, the store wasn't very organized and the lines were long. However, if you're flying in and leave something, this is the place you go to find anything you may need while in London. I was a bit disappointed, as this seems like a nice area of town and I expected to see more high-end merchandise. This store has the same items as every other similar store in the US and the ones I've visited in other countries. The canned drinks near the registers are cheaper than restaurants and corner stores, so we got a few for our walk back to the hotel.

Great selection and prices. The only uncomfortable part was having to leave earlier because they…read moredid nit have a public bathroom at the store

Excellent items for sale good prices with brand names. People were friendly, but you have to go and…read moretake your chances.

TK Maxx has outlets in various places but my favourite is my local one on Hounslow High Street. As…read moretheir ads proclaim they really do have designer clothing at huge discounts. Okay so it might be last season's stuff but for people like me who shop for what suits them rather than what's in style, it's a great place to pick up good quality, well cut clothes for much less than high street prices. And it's not just clothes. They also have a home section where you can get beautiful home decoration items at a fraction of the price. Not to mention more basic items like sheets, kitchenware, duvets, serving plates etc. They also have a wide selection of toys and boxes of chocolates at discounts - very handy for gifts.

Very poor service from staff at John Lewis . I waited almost an hour to be served in the home…read moreappliance /electrical department. I think i must have been invisable as i waited until the salesman had served another customer but he just ignored me and went on to serve a couple that had just entered the department.He then called for help but unfortunately nobody came. i finally walked out. What a waste of my afternoon.No wonder their sales are dropping. I had travelled about 12 miles there to order a fridge freezer as my own has packed up and i needed to order one straight away. Too bad they have lost out to Currys

JOhn Lewis is a great store, there's no doubt about that. The one in Welwyn Garden City stocks…read morepretty much all the usual stuff - clothing, cosmetics, electronics, homeware, haberdashery, appliances, oh I could keep going for a long time. I went to the store at he weekend to buy some things for my new home - bins, pillows, cutlery storage, towels... and I am happy to say they had virtually everything on the list (although some was on the pricey side and I bought elsewhere). It wasn't easy to find everything - the kitchen department is a bit haphazard, but if you hunt you'll eventually find what you're after. The main problem with the store in Welwyn Garden City is the building. There are three floors and it's a maze. Different areas are in separate small rooms so it's very difficult to find what you're looking for. I feel like a floor plan or more signs would be really helpful because it would be very easy to get lost. The website suggests there's store parking (for a fee), but even if you can't find that there are many options nearby.

A great British institution. Whenever I visit the UK I never…read moremiss a visit to Marks & Sparks in the Brent Cross Shopping Centre. Amazing selection of good quality clothing and accessories all at reasonable prices. Also an excellent food hall.

As Marks & Spencers go, this one is pretty good. It's two floors. Clothes upstairs and food…read moredownstairs. I only really use this place for lunch as it's within walking distance from my office. However, as it's situated in the middle Brent Cross shopping centre, I imagine it's ideal for shoppers. Like mist supermarkets now days, they have a large express self service line. Now you really can get in and out of here pretty quick. This is ideal for me as I'm normally only just there to grab a sandwich.

Tips: - The foodhall is worth the visit. Enter from Oxford…read moreStreet. - Candy is on the lower ground level. - If you come here around Christmas, the Christmas section is lovely. I was in London in December 2013. I visited a bunch of department stores. Part of me was curious about how they are set up versus how the flagship department stores in Canada were set up. I visited the flagship Selfridges store on Oxford Street. Rest in peace to the flagship Eaton's store in Winnipeg that I frequented often when I worked across from it. I also miss the flagship Hudson's Bay stores in Toronto and Winnipeg. I will toss in the flagship Simpsons store that preceded the Hudson's Bay. I stayed in South Kensington. There was a bus stop steps away from the hotel and around the corner from Gloucester Road station. I took the 74 Putney bus that got me to this store. I could have also taken the underground to Piccadilly Circus, but the walk would have been a bit longer. I wasn't sure how much damage I'd do here! I entered the store from Oxford Street, which gets you on the ground level. I remember seeing sushi on a convenor belt to my left. It was cool. It was Yo! I'm glad that this eatery is still around. You can dine here or do takeout. I entered the foodhall. I was so happy. I saw cupcakes, oysters, caviar, and more. Everything looked fancy and yummy. The ground floor had a beauty section and a pharmacy. This store is large. It's the second-largest department store in London, behind Harrods. I spent most of my time on the lower ground level. It's where the candy, wine, and cookshop sections are. I love candy and confections. I saw everything from macarons and chocolate malt balls, to fancy bourbon and wine. I bought some chocolate bars. They were perfect to hand out to colleagues. They were also Christmas-themed. I got milk and dark chocolate varieties. They were delicious. This floor also had a cinema. I didn't check it out. I was too busy visiting the technology and stationery sections. I was so happy on this floor. I spent the most time here. I did check out the women's clothing, which occupies levels 2 and 3. There was a lot of designer clothing. It didn't suit my casual, cheaper style. I loved coming here just before Christmas. It was festive and fun. The Christmas section was enjoyable to peruse. I have fond memories coming here. I hope to return someday. This store is over a century old and I'm pleased that it continues to endure. (49)

This place is beautiful and can be compared to a Saks store. On our visit, it was really packed and…read morecrowded since everyone was trying to get their holiday deals. Plus, it is beautiful during the holidays. The store has a total of 4 floors with a huge Jellycat Fish and Chip pop-up on the top floor. If you are here for that, be prepared to wait since it is a 2 1/2 hour wait. There is also a walk-in line if you were unable to create a reservation. Merch here is on the pricier side but if you are looking for something trendy, you can definitely find it here. Plus, there are a few food and snack locations if you get hungry while shopping your hearts away.

This shop is the epitome of a shop that basically exists because it is cheap. There's nothing…read moreexciting in here just clothes so current, by the time you leave the shop, they'll be off. The lingerie in here is so cheap that if someone bought it for you as a present like the window suggests you'd have to seriously consider the relationship. Sure, a bra here is 3-5 pounds but it is no present. I've been told that the cheap jewellery is okay for nights out.

What can I say a pillar of English stores…read more Great company, really looks after it's long term employee's, family owned. I really liked the selection of men's clothing here now, its reminds me of the stores in the US like Macy's and Saks. You get what you pay for, and you will pay here. The store is very large, 3 stories including the restaurant. Clean and well staffed. JL is a pillar of Brent Cross.

What's not to love about John Lewis? I'm definitely a fan.This particular branch is huge (though I…read morethink that most of them are huge). There are three floors of mens and womens clothing, children's clothing, curtains, rugs, carpets, electrical appliances, perfume, makeup, furniture, toys, computers, cameras, TV's, stereo's, exercise machines, kitchen ware, etc. On the top floor then also have a restaurant that looks out over Brent Cross shopping centre. I find there staff at John Lewis very helpful. They're not just knowledgeable in the products that they are selling but the are exceptionally friendly too. I feel that John Lewis has a reputation for being pricier than the average high street shop selling the same or similar products. Whether there is any truth in that, I'm not sure.

My family in London love this store. There is a wide…read moreselection of clothing available for every age. Also a large range of household and decorative goods. Everything here is very reasonably priced and very good value. There is a large parking lot n front by of the store.

Made a very fruitful stop into Kathmandu a few months back as I was prepping for my first…read moretransatlantic trip with a baby. I came looking for a rucksack. I left with a suitcase with detachable rucksack (a suitcase that can be carried as a rucksack, with arm straps!) and a huge duffel bag to stow the carseat in. I thought the prices to be competitive (the duffel bag only £14!) and the service top notch. The guy helped me with everything, took it to the counter while I looked around, helped me with the Summit Club membership and packaged it all up smoothly so I could get it back to my flat. The Kathmandu items are high quality and have already made many trips. They are durable and sleek, and high performance. Just what I needed. The last thing you want to deal with while traveling (with a baby or not) is crap luggage. Summit club membership is free and gains you access to great deals (most of the deals advertised, so...if you want 'em, you'll sign up). Sign up!

I've always been a bit suspicious of Kathmandu-type stores, due to the fact that I'm the least…read moreoutdoorsy person you could come across. I always believe 'outdoor' stores were specially for extreme snowboarders or wannabe Nepalese-mountain climbers. Boy, was I wrong. Set right next to Spitalfields Market and boasting some rather fit staff, Kathmandu has everything for the civilian to adventurer. Water flasks, jackets, thermals, little key ring things with torches on them, it has it all. I actually found heaps of stuff I wanted to buy - probably more in the way you deck yourself out with designer gym wear after only one visit, to realise you're not quite the gym junkie you thought you would become if in fact you had the correct gear. It was fun anyway.