I've visited TK Maxx shops all the way from Birkenhead to Bangor and the one thing that connects…read morethem all is that they rarely fail to disappoint. The main difference between those stores and this new branch in Llandudno is that I don't have to travel as far to be disappointed anymore. I visited this branch a couple of days after the store first opened and it all looked a bit shabby and messy. That was in fairness partly due to the fact it was very busy (whether that will still be case once the novelty has worn off only time will tell) but somehow the place didn't look as bright and shiny as a new business should. The range of stock wasn't great and although this is an outlet shop it's still expensive, although I guess if you really have to have a Ralph Lauren polo shirt you're better off paying £24.99 for one here than paying £70.00 elsewhere. The children's clothing section was very limited and about two thirds boy's clothing compared to one third girl's, which isn't great for me as I have two daughters. The shop was full of rude customers standing in the middle of aisles and not letting anyone past or otherwise barging other customers out of the way. On top of all of this the store is located on a retail park which allows parking cowboys to fleece customers and it's in a town with very poor road links which makes getting in and out difficult at peak times. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I won't be rushing back.

Twenty years or so back no day out in Chester would be complete without a visit to River Island. It…read morewas, in my mind at least, one of the trendy shops. These days I have a branch on my doorstep and on the rare occasions I go in there I find myself wandering the menswear department muttering things like that material looks a bit flimsy and HOW MUCH!!!. I accept that I no longer fit their target demographic but some of items on offer these days appear to me to be extremely garish and there are things I wouldn't be seen wearing if they paid me. There are some nice clothes mixed in but ultimately this is a shop for people who value style over substance.

Boppers Boutique in Colwyn Bay is a childrens clothing shop which specialises in stocking school…read moreuniforms. I believe that they have exclusive rights to stock uniforms for a lot of schools in the area so if you need a uniform you've got no choice but to go there. They aren't cheap but as any parent will be aware school uniforms are always a rip-off!

I've shopped there for years and always found the staff to be very patient and helpful. Yes, they…read morehave the monopoly on the bespoke school kit but they never push products on you that you don't need. You can try things on and they'll advise on things like growing room and durability. Anything with a school logo and ties you'll need to buy from there but buy the plain items like trousers, skirts, shirts, socks etc elsewhere, like supermarkets or online - it's a lot cheaper!