Ahh yes another one, if Pound World wasn't enough for you then there's Poundland! Woohoo! More…read morenon-pound busting budget basket fillers for your delectation. There are lots of various household items in here to be had, from de-icer for the car in those winter months, which seem to get longer and longer with each year. Really they do don't they?! Now Poundland is currently stocking a selection of character Easter Eggs, retailing at £1 each or £3 for four, with a variety of characters to choose from, be it The Simpsons, High School Musical or Peppa Pig, if they get a Glee one I am totally there! There are plenty of other branded home items to be had in here too, from body lotions and toothpaste, face wash, shampoo and conditioners, handwash, soap, baby food, baby juice, cold and flu remedies, seriously Beechams All in One £1, Boots, £4, Bargain! Pop, crisps, chocolate, stationary, colouring books, random car stuff and garden things that I need nor understand, but it's there.

Pound shops are always a winner. This one has all the usual stuff - deodorants, candles, kids toys,…read moretravel accessories etc etc. Typically it's a bit of a mess and the staff really don't want to be there, but you can't argue with the prices. Obviously not everything is good value, but if you spend some time you can really find some bargains. Often you'll find brand names at half the price. Definitely worth calling in if you're shopping in this area.

This gorgeous gem of a material shop is somewhat hidden, being tucked around the corner (on a busy…read moreroad, granted) and so slightly off the beaten track, but that doesn't seem to detract from the quality herein. As the canal bubbles away next door, people mill in and out, browsing the many racks of bargain cuts, huge rolls of material and various assorted items. I came here for the first time a few weeks ago and it's like a crafties' dream. The shop itself is much bigger than those I've visited in Leeds, so there's a lot more choice, and the staff are really lovely and helpful. They have tons to browse, including a number of rolls with money off, and a range of racks with bargain-priced cuts. I purchased some gorgeous tapestry style material and some beautiful embroidered silk for a mere £10! It was meant to be a little more but she knocked off a few pounds and rounded it down to ten. Although there was a bit of a queue, which can't really be helped when purchasing different types of material, that certainly made it worth the wait. For a seriously dreamy browse bring your imagination and let it run wild. There's so much in here to choose from you'll forget what it was that you wanted to make in the first place and start a number of new projects based simply on the exciting material they have in stock!

Lovely little place. Really enjoyed looking. Got a few patterns half price and lovely material to…read moremake my dress. The two ladies who served us are lovely. Will be making a few more visits to this little gem.

York Designer Outlet McDonald's Indoor York…read more The York Designer Outlet is a large outlet mall, it's operated by McArthurGlen which is a familiar brand across Europe. It's set a couple of miles out of York City centre, it's served by multiple buses including the 415 Sapphire although on this occasion I travelled via car. The mall is fully indoors, it is over two floors with the upper level mainly consisting of places to eat including McDonald's, Five Guys, Wagamama and Pizza Express. For coffee, there is a Starbucks downstairs and a Pret upstairs, amongst a few other options. There is a good number of stores here, and few empty units. Brands with stores here include Adidas, Hugo Boss, Levi's, Nike, Marks and Spencer, Puma, Superdry, The Body Shop, UGG and others. The brands in question mainly sell out-of-season/fashion gear, I did find the prices still to be a little expensive for what should be an Outlet. I did find it a little confusing to get around the mall, especially with multiple entrances and exits, the construction of the mall is designed to force you to walk all the way around, and getting from one entrance or store to another looked so much easier on the map than it was in principle. I notice this has also been mentioned in other reviews, even going back 10 years, so it seems they haven't bothered to do anything to improve the experience in a while. There weren't any employees for the centre dotted around to ask for help either which made things worse. Good selection of brands to shop and dine at, although dining options here is predominantly fast food and coffee.

Excellent shopping experience- I would recommend it wholeheartedly- I visit (usually) once a week.read more

This is a great store! We managed to find a new bag for my mum and it's perfect! They have a…read morereally super selection of everything and their prices are amazing! Staff had the line moving efficiently and quickly! Very happy the purchase!

TK Maxx is both a blessing and a curse. The store is humungous, which bodes well in terms of…read morechoice. You can literally get lost in a sea of clothing, and there is such a vast range that they are sure to have what you are looking for. The handbag section alone is about 6 aisles, with all the colours of the rainbow covered. My favourite items to look for are their dresses. They have so many quirky pieces that you will almost certainly find something unique. All of their stock is marked down designer clothing so that is another bonus - bargains galore! On the flip side, the vast array of choice can often be overwhelming. If you aren't in the mood/tired/in a rush, then this place can be as hellish as Primark to sift through. Too much choice and too many people. The other dark side to TK Maxx is once again, the designer clothing element. Whilst in a lot of cases it means that the unique brands are more affordable, it also means that the one item that you might fall in love with is something like £300 marked down from £500. Whilst a £200 saving is great, it's not so much if you only meant to spend £40 in the first place! So I have a love-hate relationship with TK Maxx. On so many occasions I have walked away with some really lovely, quirky and well made frocks. But then on a few occasions I have run out screaming (or, at least, briskly walked out tutting) with nothing.

I love this place and go out of my way to go there. An…read moreAlladdins cave of treasures from shoes to fabrics..kitchen ware to religious icons..suits to saris.Balti trays and cooking utensils are very reasonably priced compared to any cook shop. This store is massive! It packs a lot of stuff all under one roof! Lovely sari fabrics from around £15.99. I often buy the plain white silk ones for £15 and cut into smaller pieces and dye for other things.Ornate saris make wonderful furnishing fabrics too. A great selection of haberdashery..lovely ribbons and trims. A bargain bin with short pieces of amazing fabrics at about 8 pieces a £1. Some stunning jewellery as well and indian cosmetics and hennabindis, henna tattoos and I also stock up on incense. The huge emporium is a gleaming bazaar with rolls of silks in every possible shade. Racks of spangled shoes and sandals seem to come straight from Bollywood. Yet there are also racks of little girls' organdie dresses like those worn by Shirley Temple in the 1930s. Indeed, something about Bombay Stores is very comforting for English people: it is as if time has stood still. For the Asian community is a taste of home. There is order and calm, no pressure selling and plenty of space to wander from the boutique, selling Bollywood pop hits and videos, to the cafe, en route to the fabrics, suits and shoes. I always keep carrying armfuls of stuff to the checkout but now they have also devised a new idea. In fact there's so much that the only way to shop for larger goods is to browse the store and pick up tickets for each item that you want to purchase, and when you're done you go to the checkout, give in your tickets and all your items will be ready to pay for and collect. I bought a huge, thick fleecy throw for about £20 and everyone wants to steal itit is so soft and luxurious! The brains behind Bombay Stores is 68-year-old Abdul Kader, who came to Britain in 1957. He knew nobody, and started with nothing, but there were jobs. He worked on the London buses and in the Bradford mills. By 1963 he had bought his first business, a former fish and chip shop. His capital was only £100 and his wife, Maryam, worked long hours in the shop making dresses while he drove buses on a double shift to pay for the enterprise. He expanded to the present premises in Shearbridge Road in 1983. Today, annual turnover is £10m and he employs 70 workers. Very efficient and helpful service. They have a cafe for wonderful samosas, coffee and good western style kids meals too. Bombay Stores in Bradford not only sells fabrics that attract customers from all over the world, it also brings together a multicultural community. It is the UK's largest Asian department store. They have a web site with a small online catalogue and various department goods. Opening times: Mon to Fri 10:00am till 07:30pm Sat 10:00am till 08:00pm Sun 12:00pm till 06:00pm

A great place to find interesting and colourful fabric/trims, Bombay stores has stacks of the…read morestuff. The wide range offers everything from simple plain white cotton to the most heavily embellished and luxurious satins perfect for wedding dresses. They have a dedicated bridal section and I believe they do custom made wedding dresses these do not come cheap but you get what you pay for. The extensive trims section offers glittering diamantes and a fantastic selection of buttons. They really do have everything you need at Bombay stores. The only thing that does start to get irritating after a while is the music as Bollywood tunes really aren't my thing but it's an INdian store so it fits well with the shop.

If you're in York, I recommend this shop if you're into journaling and crafting. Lots of blank…read moresketchbooks and journals, handmade paper and art supplies. I also picked up a calligraphy set as a gift. Such a lovely shop.

What a gorgeous shop! Situated in one of the more run down arcades in Leeds, Upstaged Vintage is a…read morewelcome addition to the thriving vintage scene. The thing that makes this one distinctive for me, is I could tell that the owners are very selective when buying stock. In many vintage shops, it seems evident that a large order has been delivered from wholesalers, and it doesn't always seem completely genuine. There is an old-fashioned, celebratory feel on entering the family run local business. With bunting and fairy lights decorating the place, and an iconic washing line hanging from the ceiling displaying 50's style lingerie, it feels special. I can't speak highly enough of the pieces on sale. The faux fur coats and numerous jackets are absolutely stunning. I tried on a classic pilots waistcoat and jacket. Complete with gold buttons and a stripe on the cuffs, it was beautifully tailored to fit a women. Collections of tea dresses and evening gowns from the 1930's to the 1980's adorn the interior. There is an interesting shoe section of the shop, with some truly unique pairs on show. Upstairs, there are further delights in store. It is a burlesque pin-up boutique; filled with a wide range of corsets, gloves, burlesque accessories and pin-up style lingerie. Dita Von Teese would be in her element. The woman running the shop was absolutely lovely, she was patient and attentive whilst I dithered over what to try on. There is a men's section of the shop and they also sell goods online. Although Upstaged Vintage is not in an obvious location, the treasure you uncover when discovering it, is reward in itself.

Who would have thought that tucked away in the Grand Arcade was a shop that is some kind of vintage…read moreheaven? No, not me, and so imagine my surprise to nip in the other day and discover it?! According to the guys in there people often say that they had no idea that it existed, which is really quite shameful, since it has been here for over a year! Imagine that. And all the delights that I have missed. The ground level shop space has two changing rooms, which you will need, and all the glorious vintage items that you could possibly wish for. There are beautiful eighties puffed sleeved dresses, glorious gorgeous full length coats - one in particular which was absolutely divine but sadly a size wrong for me. They also have some beautiful classy hats, gloves, scarves, shirts - you name it. It's hard to actually describe the amount of beauty within, you really must go and see it for yourself. The people in there are lovely, friendly and vintage fans themselves so you won't be short on advice either! Prices are ranging, but considering they are selling high end clothing for a fraction of the original price I would call it bargainous - investment pieces. The upstairs section also deserves a special mention in its own right. Set out as a burlesque boutique it has a number of beautiful items especially collected for ladies who perform burlesque acts. There are fitted corsets galore, of the finest quality, in a range of sizes. I couldn't sing louder about such a cool and exciting place to shop. It's beyond fancy dress in every sense of the word 'fancy', it is divine! You absolutely must visit, if only for a browse.

What a lovely charity shop! My Mum and I had gone for a wander in Meanwood on our return to Leeds…read moreand we nipped in here, drawn in by the delights in the window. They had a number of gorgeous tea sets, bowls and other things in the window so we nipped in for a proper rummage. I managed to pick up a huge coffee pot set for five pounds and a large fruit bowl for three pounds, all specially wrapped up by the lovely staff. It has to be said they were particularly helpful and friendly, which is wonderful given that I'm assuming they're volunteers. The shop was abuzz with folks looking for a bargain, and whilst the majority of the space is taken up with clothing, there's plenty of ornamentals, kitchen ware, games, and other oddments to pick up. If you've the patience to rummage through you're sure to find a fab new frock, pair of trousers, tea set and much more. A delightful find and I shall be back soon!

This is an absolute gem among Leeds' charity shops. A quick glance in the window revealed an…read moreamazing display of vintage china ornaments, crockery and trays with some very unusual and charming pieces. Darting straight in I wasn't disappointed as there was many an OTT vintage hat displayed high on the walls and a determined search through the rails and shelves yielded yet more bargainous finds. The Community Shop does have many average charity shop items, but within them you're guaranteed to find some lovely bits and bobs - a treat for any junk shop enthusiast!