The place feels like it has got left behind. I prefer the Trafford Centre or Liverpool ONE.read more

Over priced £1 for pva glue what on earth caused such money…read moregreed not to mention is maze like structure and the so called reusable bags that I'm sure are recycled condoms

I ADORE this shop! I'm a sucker for designer bags (don't judge me..) but can't always afford to get…read morethem new, designer exchange sells pre loved bags and accessories at a fraction of the original price. Some of the bags are literally as good as new. The older the collection the cheaper the price usually (unless it's Chanel...of course). I'm not bothered about the 'latest season' look, I look for quality, design and craftsmanship so this place is heaven for me. They also buy directly from customers. All bags are checked for authenticity so you can rest assured you're buying a genuine item. The staff couldn't be nicer, and they're not pretentious or overbearing so I often just go in for a browse without any pressure to buy. Golden purchase - a hand embroided, leather Dior bag. As good as new. Originally sold for $1700, bought for £90. Can I get a hallelujaH?!

Absolutely brilliant service, will definately order again with this company, thanks againread more

From the owner: Wholesale Supplier for Italian Fashion, French Clothing…read moreLadies Fashions Italian Plus Size Clothing Plus Size Fashion Lagenlook Clothing UK

Great spot for shopping. Lots of treasures. We loved all of the different businesses in building…read moreacross 4 floors.

Back in the days of Madchester, Afflecks Palace was the place to go to get cool flares, psychadelic…read moreshirts, sunhats and all the right threads. Rumour has it Urban Splash founder Tom Bloxham even had a stall here selling bootleg Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays tees. These days, Afflecks is a bit of a ghost town. There are still dozens of stalls selling everything from vintage and secondhand clothes to military wear, drugs paraphanelia, henna tattoos, wind-chimes and furniture. Sadly, there aren't as many old goths, rockers, emo teens and ageing punks as there used to be and you can sometimes walk round the whole building without seeing anyone other than the staff!

Credit must go to the store for trying to improve, while it isn't the largest Primark anymore with…read morethat title being held by their Birmingham location, they have begun to expand and now offer a Friends themed cafe, Harry Potter section and a Mills Barbers (Pretty poor service there, but one of the cheaper cuts in town). The main emphasis remains clothes. While it still seems like a never-ending, busy hell-hole most of the time, especially at weekends, if you go outside of peak times it is bearable, it is also located in a nice, large building opposite Market Street. Service is meh in general but if you're willing to brace it, it offers mediocre cheap clothes and as far as Primark locations go it is A-OK but it wouldn't be my first choice for fashion in Manchester. 3*

A great place for low cost items. The only setback is the obligatory 15 minute wait in the checkout…read morequeue !

Manchester Fort is a large retail shopping park, just under a mile away from Manchester city…read morecentre. It does seem a little strange having a retail park so close to the city centre, where other areas of Greater Manchester are left behind but the selection of places to shop is fine, while the selection of eateries could be much improved, due to a lack of restaurants that aren't just fast food. There's a good number of coffee shops here, including Costa, Dunkin and Starbucks, the latter two have opened within the past 18 months or so, so are fairly new additions. Places to eat include KFC, Pizza Hut, Nando's and Subway. There is also a McDonald's right next to the Fort with a drive-thru (The Fort claim this to be part of the shopping park on their website) The selection of stores is okay and includes TK Maxx, Superdrug, Sports Direct, Boots, and Argos. There are also a couple of phone shops, nothing too exciting, but a decent number of stores that could save you a trip into the city centre. A couple of stores have closed recently, but with the aftermath of COVID and the fact the city centre (where many of these brands have stores, many of which are larger) is so close, this has to be expected. It is pretty easy to follow the layout, there are a couple of benches around the shopping park and some shelter to help stay dry if there's a light drizzle. Plenty of parking, meaning you shouldn't struggle to get a space somewhere. I do think the pedestrianisation could be improved for other retail parks, given the fact there are three main areas, which may mean crossing a road or going through the car park, if you're at one end of the Fort, you may have to use your car to get to adjacent McDonald's or Currys across the way. 3*

I have visited Manchester Fort regularly over the years, but I have been far more impressed during…read moremy latest visits over the past weeks, which is due to the discovery that the Shopping Park now has a Nike Outlet Store and a H&M. Since when? Fantastic! Although the H&M was smaller to what one would find in Manchester City Centre, it still has a good range of stock and very well organised, full of stylish shoppers. The Nike Outlet is, once again, smaller to what one would find in other Outlet Malls, but the range of stock, sale items, and discounts are very impressive. Personally I am seeking some new trainers for the gym, and found a great selection at bargain prices. The staff in the store are welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable. They certainly have that US Customer Service mindset, which I welcome wholeheartedly. I can see myself becoming a regular here, especially when the Summer of Fitness is upon us. The Shopping Park also boasts a TK Maxx, which I am a big fan of, and I have often found that they have a good range of stock, and I have purchased some excellent items here from clothes to home decorations. The store seems to have had a recent refurbishment to extend the first floor space, which opens out the whole store. As well as, fashion and clothing, one can find a variety of stores at this Shopping Park, and not just clothing and outlets. Manchester Fort has: Halfords Store, for all car, cycle, and motorcycle accessories; B&Q, for all home and garden DIY needs; a technologically modernised Argos, full of tablet-ordering-system and a varied system that the normal Argos shopping experience. Other stores include: Clarks, Mamas&Papas, Boots, Superdrug, M&S Food, Card Factory, Game, Maplin, Sports Direct, Specsavers, Thomas Cook, Shoe Zone, Mothercare, Thomson Holidays, Trespass, and Pound World (you can never go wrong when you have a pound shop to hand. Big fan!) For food, one can visit one of Manchester's many Nando's and KFC establishments here. I love Nando's but I haven't yet visited the one here in the Shopping Park. I think I should, don't you?

Yes the store is VERY nice and very upmarket. The Selfridges store (huge!) in London's Oxford St is…read moreIconic in many ways - it was the FIRST department store in the UK and founded by an American who wasn't able to do his thing in the US - there is a TV series about it. It was the first store where women of the day felt comfortable and safe shopping alone.... Growing up in the UK my parents would take me there at least once a year (almost every time we visited London actually - so maybe 3-4 times a year. Yes there were upmarket things, and recently we were there and sure there are many expensive brands with absurd prices. But there are also more "normal" goods for sale. Not so much in Manchester - all Louis Vuitton and simile booths all around. A good friend who knows London very well explained that the smaller Selfridges don't have the room for affordable goods and it is all for the very affluent. So come prepared to go home broke or enjoy a window shop! Even the restaurant upstairs seemed very toffee nosed to be honest- not fun :( Review #4 2020

This is a large Selfridges store, although I do prefer their Birmingham location and their flagship…read moreLondon Oxford Street location (this location appears to be much more basic and laid back than those two, which are both in stunning buildings which stand out massively). I do think this is a good department store, it is one of the largest and more high-end department stores in the city centre, which is a fading game with Debenhams on Market Street closing and House of Fraser on Deansgate soon to follow. The store looks pretty good and is opposite Marks and Spencer in the Manchester Arndale, sadly Selfridges doesn't have a Food Hall similar to their other branches, at this location, this is a real shame - perhaps that is due to the Basement level of Marks and Spencer (a different business) having a large food section? There are two different San Carlo restaurants in terms of eating or drinking inside, I would have loved to see at least a different brand to add something a little more different, similar to what you see in other department stores such as Harrods etc. They do have some unique experiences here occasionally, Manchester City did bring the Premier League and Carabao Cup trophies here a couple of years ago which was super exciting for me as a big City fan. It can be pretty difficult to navigate at first, but they do have a store plan which is somewhat helpful, the store remains modern and clean. Some of the staff seemed a little snobbish and unhelpful, this was mixed as other staff members seemed great and happy to help. 4*

Had a really pleasant evening here with friends. For £45 we got a cocktail master class where were…read morelearnt how to make a tom collins and a classic mojito as well as tasting the different spirits they contained. Then we had a 3 course meal in the restaurant. Food was good and there was a good choice of starters, mains and dessert. Service and sides were added to the bill. This is the second cocktail master class I've done in the 2nd floor restaurant and I've enjoyed them both very much

I made a reservation at the Harvey Nichols Brasserie for my own birthday meal, as to go somewhere a…read morelittle more special than usual and was not disappointed. They were offering a deal through Manchester Confidential for 3 courses and a cocktail for £20. Sounds too good to be true. It wasn't! The experience starts well with the side entrance, which has an elevator to whisk you straight up to the Brasserie and by-passing the rest of the store. A warm welcome awaits, and they will hang your coat up if you wish. The best tables in the house are arranged so that the seats are facing the windows with spectacular views over Exchange Square. Obviously, at the price, the menu isn't going to be too extensive, though I did enjoy the options I chose. For a starter I had Chicken and Mushroom soup. This was the perfect addition to warm up a cold January evening. A tasty soup with whole mushrooms and a good amount of chicken. I ordered a side of bread & butter which was sufficient for 2 people. For my main course I had Ox Cheek with straw potatoes. This was the most tender beef I think I've ever had, it was cooked perfectly and tasted wonderful. My dessert was a Rice Pudding Dim Sum. This consisted of little pastry parcels with rice pudding inside, topped with some strips of Rhubarb. I really enjoyed it, perhaps more than I expected! Service was attentive, but not pushy. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening there, it made my birthday feel really special. I'd definitely recommend for a special occasion. I would also recommend anyone to book ahead, as I had done. I was surprised that for a Monday evening in mid January, at one point every table was taken. To finish the meal off I ordered coffee and a brandy, which are obvious additions outside of the special offer deal. Despite this, the total bill was less than £63 for 2 people.

One of the best shops I have been to. A great selection of comics plus a continual supply of…read morespecial offers.

When I lived on Oldham Street many moons ago, I used to pop into Forbidden Planet on a weekly basis…read moreto pick up new copies of The Sandman, The Invisibles and other cool comics. These days, I only venture in now and again for something specific, like Reinhard Kleist's awesome graphic novel based on the life of Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness. For me, the layout and interior of Forbidden Planet lacks the ambience and wow factor of somewhere like Dave's Comics in Brighton but their range of comics, manga and graphic novels is faultless. For true fantatics and collectors, they also stock a massive range of cartoon, comic and pop culture memorabilia including tee-shirts, games, videos and toys. Personally, I have my eye on one of Frank Kozak's toy smoking rabbits complete with eye patch.

Silk suspenders See through bras…read moreBusty basques Shear babydolls Lace corsets & Whip Me stockings I am of course referring to Agent Provocateur and their eXXpensive but elegant lingerie made from the softest silks, cottons, ribbons and rubber. Alongside eye-masks, handcuffs and nipples tassles, there are also playtime accessories for the boudoir including paddles, crystal whips, latex stockings and venus flytrap playsuits. The latter costs around £150 and looks uncomfortable as hell so if you're thinking of sending me a present, I'll have the Agent Provocateur Maitresse perfume. Gentlemen thinking of buying something special for their mistresses should note, the pale pink bag is a dead give-away. Your divorce papers will be in the post before you have time to apologise to your wife!

Ahhhh, Agent Provocateur. The absolute antithesis of the scratchy lace, static-inducing nylon and…read morepositively red-light-district mesh that lines the shelves at Anne Summers. Where AS seems to think sex is about unskilled innuendo and cheap knickers, AP knows it's about seduction, confidence and quality fabrics. The knickers here are some of the most special knickers you'll find on the high street. And yes, they're a bit pricey for everyday wear, but they are absolutely the ticket for a little bit of bedroom action, and absolutely the best thing for feeling a million dollars. Fashion Friend absolutely swears by her big AP knickers (I think they're the 'Love' full brief £55 for a luscious pair of lacy shorties that make you feel like Marylin Monroe) for feeling sexy and confident, even under her work clothes. AP isn't about dressing as a saucy soldier and flashing your nylon gusset, it's about feeling like a woman, and being all the sexier for it. As well as an awesome range of naughty and nice pants, AP ramps up the raunch with a fantabulous range of stockings, including the Europa hold up in a variety of colours (bagsy blue!) for £18, and the positively heart-attack-inducing latex stockings for £75. The former, you can wear to the office or on a night out with the ladies. The latter, well if latex is your thing and you've got the pins, go for it. They actually manage to come off classy! An array of toys and accessories will dazzle you with crystal whips, and make you giggle with heart-shaped nipple tassels. There's something for everyone who wants a bit of fun in the bedroom, with a classy twist. The playsuits, as mentioned by Sarah-Jane, are a bit scary for a prude like myself. They're a confection of straps and nipple tassels, none of the Anne Summers euphemisms, they are unashamedly about shagging. And the bedroom's not just for love, it's also for sleep, so relax in the luxurious Desiree PJs (£245) or slip on a kimono (£450). You'll feel like a million dollars, especially if you use the amazing Maitresse body cream; smells divine and keeps your skin incredibly soft, because as much as AP is about dressing up all sexy-like, they know that there's one thing that's really hot: a woman who feels good in her own skin.