Nike factory outlet.. The have great stuff here its all Nike branded and it very very reasonable…read moreprices. Its not the latest designs or styles but its like last season or ex stock they can't sell. Mens Trainers average in from £20-40 a pair depending on discount amount. Good if u wanna by a few pairs in one go. Good for gym clothing men's shorts £5-10 tops £10-20. Stock is limited so go grab yourself a bargain. Parking outside costs £1.60 for two hours and cheaper for 30 minutes.

Queen's Square Shopping Centre is a pretty good summation of everything that's wrong with West…read moreBromwich town centre. It's an unlovely, unwelcoming, tired, dated, generic shopping space with almost nothing to commend it or make you want to visit there unless you absolutely need to. Going by the logo outside, the Tesco at the rear of the centre hasn't been updated since the 1980s (although a large new store is being erected - built is too strong a word - nearby). River Island have recently abandoned their shop (at the time of writing it was holding a photography exhibition by local students) leaving only really a JD Sports, a Thorntons and a handful of other High Street names propping the place up. There's a seating area near the back, but even this isn't somewhere you'd willingly choose to be. West Bromwich doesn't need somewhere as cavernous as the Bullring, but it could do with somewhere a bit less angular, cheap and cold.

This has to be one of those most depressing shopping centres I've ever come across. The dark,…read moregloomy décor proves exactly why West Brom is considered Home of Metal, because it's dull, industrial presence hasn't changed one bit since probably the 70s. So if you're a metal head or a goth, you might love this place, and think I'm talking rubbish! I have to say, the toilets in here are the worse I've ever experienced; They literally smell of urine from the doorway alone. I wasn't brave enough to use the facilities myself, but my friend was; what a trooper! There are very few shops actually open in this centre, and I'm not sure why it's called a 'square', when it is actually 'L' shaped inside. Also, the centre is certainly not fit for any kind of royalty, let alone the Queen, so the name doesn't match the place in any shape or form. This shopping centre is only useful in documenting the dull past of West Brom. It might be useful in filming a movie/series set in the 80s, but other than that, the place is definitely in need of a MAJOR refurbishment.

Astle Park is a retail shopping centre based near the Town Centre of West Bromwich. The Nike…read moreFactory Store, GAP, M&S as well as Mecca Bingo are some of the outlets/stores you will find here. I have been here a couple of times and it is a decent shopping centre. West Bromwich is being improved further and New Square is under construction which should be completed in 2013. It will feature a Primark, JD Sports, Bank and even an eight screen cinema. So this shopping centre will have its competition in trying to attract shoppers. If you do decide to come here, you will need to pay for parking. That's of course if you drive. I have always enjoyed my shopping experience here although there have been times where I have been forced to come here with my parents. I do intend to come back here and there are so many bargains you can pick up from the many shops here at Astle Park.

Everyone loves getting expensive things cheaply. As a retail park in West Bromwich it has big brand…read morestores like Nike, Mark & Spencers, Gap, Next and Pavers alongside Mecca Bingo, a luggage shop, a bookies and of course the obligatory Subway. The important thing to note about these big brand stores is that they are all cheap outlet stores so everything is for less and they all have super clearance sections for the already reduced goods but at even crazier cheaper prices. Problem is you may not always find the right size or a jacket and trousers that match. It is however all worth it for the occasions when you can get a good M&S suite for £29 or expensive dri-fit Nike bottoms for £10. You have to be prepared to rummage and mooch, especially in Next for less. The Gap outlet isn't that cheap until they have clearances but it's always worth a check in if you are over there anyway. The car park is super cheap and alternatively if you are a public transporter coming from Brum then hop on the tram and get off at Lodge Road, from there it is just a straight walk down from the tram stop.

At first, this store seems pretty much like your average £1 shop; it sells the usual household…read moreitems such as mops, buckets, batteries, confectionary and cheap toys. However, upon nearing the back of the shop, you'll find a wall completely dedicated to nuts, bolt, screws, pins, hooks, and pretty much every other type of tool you could imagine being useful in and around the home (if you're a fan of DIY that is!) Unlike most independent pound retailers, this one has a large, spacious area, which is sleek, modern, and brand-new looking from outside to in. The shop is very pleasant to explore, and it's a great place to visit for those small and ever-useful items. It's nothing to come especially to West Bromwich for, but if you're in need of the basics for your home, and if you're a local/ in the area, I'd say that this is better than most pound shops i've come across before.

I'm a regular at the Next Clearance store in West Bromwich and I'm such a fan of their bargains…read morethat it warranted a review! This store is pretty big with a huge range of women's fashion, from casual, formal work attire to glam evening-wear. They have a wide selection of the "SP" range too, which stands for Special Purchase. This is only available in Outlet stores. The range here has been much more impressive than any other Next outlet I've been to. They have great bargains on children's clothing, which are usually very pricey. And even the men's shirts start from under a tenner. Towards the back of the store they have a "Home" section, which is usually very cluttered and messy. Even if there is something worth browsing, you're put off by the mess. But if you love quality and bargains in clothing - this is the place to shop!

These Next Clearance sheds are always chaotic, rammed and dirt-cheap. The cheapness is your payoff…read morefor spending hours rummaging through rails and fending off scary shoppers who will sometimes try to grab items OUT OF YOUR HANDS. The discounts are deep and the stock is abundant. This being Next, you won't exactly find anything high fashion or edgy. But you will find plenty of reliable work clothes and the odd nice frock. The majority of floor space is given over to women's clothes, with small areas for kids and menswear. They also stock homewares and furniture. You can snap up a bargain sofa if you aren't picky and are in a position to take items away on the day. This is no frills shopping.

The Tollgate Shopping Precinct is a new centre containing a very large Tesco on the main high…read morestreet in Smethwick. The actual precinct is very modern, clean, and has quite a stylish look about it. The staff in the precinct are really nice and friendly and seem to be able to speak many languages which helps with lots of barriers in Smethwick. There is disabled access but unfortunately no car park and so you can either park on the street outside or have a short walk from the local car park.

The Bullring was built around a Church, St Martin's in the Bullring…read more It's named after Martin Lewis who is the patron Saint of shoppers, He used to show shoppers how to make great savings on their purchases in Medieval times. Ok so that might not be true. But with recent facts about Birmingham being confused by Fox News. The bullring opened in September 2003 (I know I was working there!) It's mainly a high street fashion shopping destination but there are lots of little food units to explore round the three floors. Built into what was a sloping hill each of the floors have street level exits which can cause lots of confusion on your first visit. But fear not. There are touch screen maps around the centre to help you explore. It's huge glass roofs help natural light flow through each of the floors and you can walk from here to Birmingham New Street Station without going outside if you follow the walkways. Mornings are usually quieter than the rest of the day so if you are in a rush get there for 10am on a week day!

I see this place as more of a necessity, I don't really like going here but you have to so you can…read moreget to the majority of the shops in Birmingham city centre. Don't get me wrong, the place in comparison to other shopping centres is almost beautiful, big open skylight, actually quite clean and toilets on almost every level. But half the time the escalators are broken, the last one being a total of nearly 4 months (and having to fight through H&M if you wanted to go down to the ground level). The elevators are ridiculously slow, and usually monopolized by the owners of tiny humans in prams... which is fair enough as they would struggle with the stairs. The morale of this story is - take the stairs. Other than that gripe its generally not a bad place, just really busy. You can cut through the bullring to quickly get to any other part of town and because the whole building is sheltered its convenient for shopping in the bad weather.

Great Western Arcade is truly a highlight of the City. It's full of quirky independent shops,…read morerestaurants and services. The architecture is stunning and it's clearly well maintained and meticulously looked after. Keep an eye out for events being held here too, as it's a great way to experience this location whilst doing something a little different (so far, I have attended a summer garden party and a silent film screening). Some of the highlights of the location are the Handmade Boutique (where you can purchase something totally unique made in the City - great for gifts), Anderson and Hill (full of delicious local and imported foodstuffs) and my favourite shoe shop in the city, Sims Footwear. Loki is also of note, as it's a wine retailer AND a tasting house (an usual concept worth a try). A must for all visitors and locals alike, pop along to the Arcade and lose a couple of hours browsing, eating and (when you're really worn out from all that shopping) grabbing a couple of beauty treatments at the Spa.

If Paradise Forum looked more like this I'd be sadder that it was being knocked down…read more.. This is a beautiful arcade with lots of boutique business spaces. More recently this has become open in the evening with the likes of Bistro 1847 and Loki Wine changing the mixture of shops and shifting it into the evening. It was bombed in the Second World War and the damage must have been pretty shocking. However the visible scars of war have been long since healed and this remains a homage to Victorian values with beautiful floor tiles and historic railway style lighting which I'd only noticed walking around the balcony at night. Next time you are rushing through to Snow Hill station or chasing down to the post office walk a little slower and take a look at how beautiful it all is. Really

Grand Central is my favourite part about Birmingham New Street Station, it is a shopping centre…read morelocated above the train station, which connects into the Bullring (the city's main shopping centre), via a walkway. It can be a great to visit to kill some time before your train, or even to shop while in the city, plus the walkway acts as a cool way of getting to the train station and dogging the rain, of which we get more than our fair share of in the UK! Birmingham New Street Station - https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/birmingham-new-street-station-birmingham-3 Bullring- https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/bullring-birmingham Grand Central opened in September 2015, it still feels new and modern. The stunning balcony, lighting and architecture are nice to admire, and the perfect welcome into one of the country's greatest cities. I loved admiring the view in the dark autumn nights, while sat enjoying a coffee at Joe and the Juice. Grand Central's only flagship retailer was John Lewis, sadly this store has now closed down but there are still a couple of shops located here, which includes Tesco Express, Foyles and Whittard. The selection of food and beverage options is much better including Nando's, Tapas Revolution and Joe and the Juice. There's plenty of other options, including a Natwest bank! 4* - I do think the loss of John Lewis is going to hit Grand Central hard, it's sad to see such a huge empty unit in such a cool building, but it is a great place in the city which many tourists and locals alike are sure to visit, by choice or by chance.

Although not 100% finished, Grand Central really has the wow factor that Birmingham New Street…read morestation has previously lacked. The highlight for me has to the the huge and beautifully designed skylight, positioned right in the middle of the development. This has changed a formerly dark space, into a vibrant hub of cafes, restaurants and shops. Grand Central can only be a good thing for Birmingham, proving the perfect first impression for people arriving in the city.

This is a really great shopping centre with plenty of stores that are close to Smethwick town…read morecentre and so access is really easy and if the large car park is full there are other parking options available for those who do not mind a short walk. The centre contains Priceless Shoes, Carphone Warehouse, Peacocks, Asda and a very large Matalan as well as an indoor market. It is ideally located and you do not have to pay for parking. The centre is always monitored by wardens and helpful shopworkers.

Often very busy but a range of shops with an asda, matalan, pure gym etc…read more Parking can be very difficult (and dangerous) at peak times.