Ulverston Gallery have a fantastic range of paintings. Some of them are by local artists. The…read moreowner,Tim also does framing, not just of pictures. I saw him struggle to get a football shirt, absolutely perfect, so that it could be given as a present. When he framed one of mine he had a good range to choose from, and it cost very little. He sometimes stocks woodcarvings. I have bought a couple. They are beautiful. The shop is run by Ann, who is there, because Tim is so busy, and will shoot off somewhere else without warning! I always feel free to browse without pressure to buy.

This is a fantastic shop to buy affordable cards and the bric-a-brac that goes with them, such as…read morewrapping paper, best mum in the world cups etc. the only downside to the shop is the aisles, when its near events like Valentines day or the run up to Christmas it is near-impossible to walk round, this makes access for people with buggies or wheelchairs totally out of the question. On the upside the staff are very proficient and service is quick so worth the hustle and bustle to get those bargain greetings

The Card Factory has been open in Barrow for a year or two now, and I think its fair to say it has…read moremade us all realise how much we used to get ripped off when we only had a Clinton Cards beforehand! This store specialises in cheap, great value cards, wrapping paper, balloons etc etceverything you need for a special occasion. Cards start at 29p, and I don't think any of them cost more than 99p. Much better than the £3+ that other big-chain card shops charge! They're really nice for the price too, even some hand-made ones. I used to be a card snob and would only buy expensive cards, but this shop has made me realise that you don't need to pay those daft prices. It's only quite a small store, but they have every card you can think of under the sun. Unfortunately this includes some daft ones which card companies just invent to make more money - happy teacher's day, happy motorists day and so on - but there aren't many of those, they're mostly the usual birthday, Christmas, valentines, Mothers and Fathers day cards. They also sell wrapping paper, gift bags, and some gift ideas such as photo frames, 18th/21st boxed champagne glasses, keyrings etc - all at much cheaper prices than the usual card shops. As mentioned before, it's only a small shopthis means it turns into a complete nightmare every special occasion, as it gets packed out and you can't move. Go a few days before Valentines Day/Christmas Eve etc etc, not on the actual day itself! The staff are great though, and always manage to get through the queues and serve you quickly. If you're paying by card you have to spend at least £5 so bear that in mind and take some cash (it's surprisingly hard to spend £5 in here when everything is so cheap!) - but apart from that, it's a brilliant shop. I wouldn't buy cards anywhere else now!

I don't tend to shop in Clinton Cards that often, only if I'm in a hurry and happen to be passing…read moreanyway. They have a vast range of cards for just about every conceivable occasion, as well as birthday gifts and wrapping paper and boxes. They also sell items such as balloons, banners, streamers. However, I find them very expensive, the cards are good quality but often they are priced close to £3-£5 just for a card. In my opinion that money is better spent on a present. When I have been in the staff have been pleasant and always busy, I've never seen any of them loitering around gossiping. Although several times the aisles have been blocked with boxes left over from unpacking.

Barrow Cards is situated a little off the beaten track on Crellin Street, and I have to say because…read moreof this its very rare that I use the shop, despite it having a good range of cards and wrapping papers. It also sells token gifts such as champagne flutes for 21st birthdays and plastic, sliver coloured keys for 18th birthdays. The cards tend to be very reasonably priced, you're unlikely to find the really thick good quality cards as you'd find in Clintons, but for something that only ends up in the recycling anyway they cards of a good quality. Again with the wrapping paper, it is much cheaper than the likes of Clintons cards. The shop is small and they have fit a lot in, so two or more people make the shop very crowed and its hard to move around.