These sell very nice clothes for that special occasion but are quite expensive…read more The clothes are excellant quality and the staff very helpful in helping you with that special outfit whether for a wedding or another event. The changing rooms are very spacious and shop is very well laid out.

This is a really cool shopping mall with all the stores you would expect and some wicked ones on…read morethe walkway that you wouldn't - I stumbled across a wooden stand which had some fabulous items! As you would expect, its all clean, well maintained but unless you are used to it, it was a bit confusing, signs weren't brilliant in large crowds. Theres plenty of parking and entrances taking you into the lovely market town of Banbury. Recommended for your weekend browsing!!!

Now called the House of Fraiser, this is a good department store.There is about 3 or 4 levels to…read morethe store. On the top level is the cafe, which always serves lovely food at reasonable prices, there is quite a big seating area so it is quite easy to get a table. They stock well know brands for men, women and children, also they sell shoes and homeware items.

A great old style department store where you can lose a few hours. The handbag ranges include…read moreRadley and the prices are in line with others. the cosemtic counters are always happy to give free advice and make overs. There are a number of designer type clothing bits, with Mexx and Oasis for the younger lady and some more older type womenswear upstairs. the cafe is ok. There cards and stationary is good and there is a good selection of jewellery - although mainly costume

This is one of the smaller branches of a quality chain of department stores…read more Beatties has recently been taken over by House of Frasier, but I don't know if this store has yet been re-branded. Layout, selection, displays etc are the high standard you'd expect of a quality department store; unfortunately selection is very limited due to it's size Has the best stocked habidashery department in the whole of Northampton

Beatties is a really nice department store that sells good quality items and has a really good…read morerange of products. They sell similar ranges to BHS and Marks and Spencers such as clothing and accessories, homewares and soft furnishings, gifts and seasonal items, but they also have fantastic cosmetics and perfume counters where you can get advice on skin care and make up and I believe that they do some demonstrations too. They often sell gift sets that are unavailable in other stores. The clothing ranges are split into departments for differnent ranges and designers and they offer clothing designers suitable for all age ranges. The store is a large one which has two floors accessible by an escalator. There is free parking in the Grosvenor centre where it is situated and the store can be accessed through two separate entrances. The store is nicely laid out and although some of the items may be a bit more expensive than smaller stores, they often sell things that you cannot get in other stores and it is a great place to pick up a variety of goods, so fantastic for Christmas shopping.

While on a trip to London we made a quick stop here to purchase a delightful umbrella for my wife…read moreto use during our travels. Fair price, helpful customer service reps, and a clean, well-lit store... I've got no complaints at all and we would gladly go back again if we ever visit Oxford again - hopefully we will.

I love this shop. It used to be a real rabbit warren of a place, a bit like an old fashioned…read moredepartment store. (Think 'Are you being served') It was gutted a few years back and although the building looks the same on the outside inside it's a totally different place. There are three floors (as per usual) which are jam packed full of things to peruse and buy! The womenswear floor is large with a wide range of items for women of any taste. They have a Coast branch inside and a big collection of fancy dresses to suit. The homeware floor is big as well with quite a decent range of kitchen utensils which is nice because a lot of stores skimp on things like this. All in all the store is nice and bright, it can get a bit congested on the escalators and in the lobby though so be careful.

A good old traditional department store, part of the House of fraser chain, which specialises in…read morequality items. Everything from Homeware, to menswear, ladies wear, perfume, make-up, shoes etc. Also benefits from a busy coffee shop. The restaurant is however a dissapointment being dated and dull

I haven't been to Cavendish House for about 20 years and nor will I ever again. Let me explain why…read more I used to visit when I was home on leave from the Forces but on one occasion I was prevented from entering by a very pompous and unpleasant Doorman. I'd smiled at him and said 'Good morning', as I always did - perhaps this one was new, as I didn't recognize him. He simply looked down his nose at me as though I'd made a bad smell and stepped in front of me as I was about to enter. I asked him what was wrong and, rather than replying, he just gave me the most disdainful stare. I had no idea what the problem was. I wasn't in my Sunday Best but I was certainly presentable - clean clothes, clean shaven, smart hair cut as you'd expect from a military type. He looked old enough to have done National Service himself. I politely asked him again what the problem was and again he said nothing, just continuing to look at me with utter contempt. When I wrote to Store Management, I received no reply. I was utterly disgusted and can only put it down to snobbery.

The cafe upstairs in Fred Winter has really loveely food (and that includes the vegetarien…read moreoptions). the man and lady that run the show are lovely! They really make you feel welcome. But beware if one of the young 'n's serves you! They forgot our order meaning we had to wait over half an hour for a sandwich and when they brought it it was the wrong stuff as they had obviously just made it up to cover us the fact they forgot the write it down! Nice food though.

A History of Fred Winter Ltd (https://sites.google.com/site/fredwinterltd)…read more Fred Winter was a 23 year old Suffolk man who described himself as a draper and auctioneer when he opened his first store on the 25th June 1858. The store was located at 17 and 18 High Street Stratford Upon Avon, and sold general drapery, haberdashery and high quality outfitting for gentlemen. By 1881 Frederick, his wife and a family of five daughters and three sons, shop assistants Clara Cowles, Frank Gibbons, William Potter and James Thornber, and two servants Mary Lively and May Morris, lived above the shop in what is today Marlow's restaurant. This was to be Stratford first real department store [the Shipston sheep farmer JC smith didn't open his store, now Debenhams, until 1870] and was a huge success not only with the towns growing population but also with customers from far and wide as is the case today. Frederick Winter died in 1897 aged 62 leaving the running of the business to his 31 year old son Fred. Fred was a skilful retailer and businessman who by 1908 had incorporated the spacious premises at 14 High Street and turned it into a thriving business. In March 1917 Fred bought the freehold to Reynolds grocery store at 30 and 31 High Street and for the next seven years the company operated from both sides of the street selling everything from reels of cotton, luggage, straw boaters to Aquascutum coats. The lease holds of 14, 16, 17 and 18 High Street were relinquished in 1924 and the Fred Winter store operating solely from 30-31 High Street, became a limited company. By this time Mr Fred Winter had become a local dignitary serving as Mayor on more than one occasion and was responsible with 'Marie Corelli' in uncovering and restoring many of the famous half timbered buildings in Stratford. He died aged 71 in 1941. The business then passed to his 43 year old son Frederick Charles [Eric] Winter who instigated many innovative retailing changes plus the modernisation and enlargement of the store with the building of Bell Court in the 1970's including a large modern extension on the back of the existing Fred Winter Ltd Frontage in High Street. Frederick Brian Winter, the great grandson of the founder took over the business in 1973 and under his skilful guidance achieved unrivalled success over the next 25 years. By the early 1990's Brian's son Guy Winter was in the business and the store became renowned for selling an ever increasing range of merchandise that included furniture, carpets, furnishing fabrics, dress fabrics haberdashery ladies fashion, bed linen, gifts, china and glass. By the late 1990's Bell Court had become run down and a decision was made to build a brand new store behind an existing building in Henley Street. The large and stylish building was completed in 1999 and has undoubtedly become Stratford's premier store. After Brian Winter's retirement a few years ago the company is now under the overall direction of Guy Winter. Steve Newman

Great store, lots of variety. I bought too much in UK and needed an extra suitcase for the trip…read morehome and found a very nice on sale at a very reasonable price. Sales people were helpful and polite as would be expected in UK. Last time I was in Oxford ('08) I also bought a bag so it is my place to go for luggage type purchases, although they have other things as well.

Boswells is a GREAT department store where you can find so many varying things that you can do a…read morewhole load of shopping all at once. From bed linin to plates, from shampoo to hankies, from alarm clocks to pen knives.... it really does have everything. The kitchen dept. is pretty large doing some really unique cutlery, place mats and odds n bobs. At christmas time it also sells alot of christmas decorations and candy goods etc. The staff are helpful and their are quite a few tills which is good as it can be quite busy. The goods are cheaper than most other department stores and so for that reason alone are worth a browse!

Smallish Marks & Spencer. Only been in there once,wouldn't really go again. Prices are to dear. The…read moreshop is ok but you can get things cheaper.

THis is a small store which offers only a limited range of Marks and Spencers products. It tends to…read moreoffer more of the basic stock rather than some of the newer more fashionable ranges. Of course their world famous knickers still feature heavily and there is a range of gifts and cards. The food department is small and a little disappointing in its range although teh food itself is good.

Quite a large department store for Aylesbury now part of House of Fraser. The goods bought here are…read moreof very high quality with clothing names like Ted Baker and Superdry. There is a fantastic make up section as soon as you walk in with the brand new brand Urban Decay with stunning gift ideas like make up sets with a difference. As well as the large clothing and lingerie section, there is a large area with household things including electrical appliances. There is also a nice sized coffee shop that does light lunches.

This is a nicely laid out department which is now owned by House of Fraser. It has a nice range of…read morecosmetics and perfumes, homewares, mens clothes and womens clothing. It has stopped doing childrens clothing though. It does a range at Christmas, but unfortunately this is not as nice as it used to be. The staff are very friendly and happy to help. They also offer a personal shopping service. It has a large family friendly coffee shop which has just been refurbished. Again, the staff are very helpful and clearly a lot of effort has been put into the quality of staff. Beatties is in Friars Square shopping centre and is close to a large car park which helps.