Everything a corner shop could need, plus alcohol…read more If you're an avid reader of my reviews, you will recall an Italian Bistro I used to work at which used to send me out for pizza because it was on the menu but we didn't cook it. The same bistro used to send me running out to the 10 til 10 to get Amaretto for the occasional late night regular who'd prop up the bar and regale us all with the week's gossip. So it has always been the place for me where you can get emergency alcohol. And there's a decent selection. I do miss the way it used to be with a wooden frame separating you from the drink and grubby windows which students and tramps alike pressed their noses against whilst picking their drink of choice. These days they're a lot more trusting and let you get the majority of stuff yourself, but then they've obviously come under new management too, if the gaudy new shop sign is anything to go by. I have before and after pictures for comparison...

10 til 10 is a small convenience market that is actually open from 9am to whenever they feel like…read moreshutting, which is sometimes as late as 2 or 3 in the morning. I guess by lowering the expectations about when the shop was going to actually be open they expected that people walking past at midnight would be pleasantly surprised and would venture in and but Snack-a-Jacks and Blossom Hill rose aplenty. This is a particular gem if you have a friend, or indeed if you are a friend, who lives around the area. In which case a few six packs of export strength lager and a bag of minstrels procured at just-above-supermarket prices mean that the party can keep on going long after the last orders at the Pilgrim has been rung. Oh hells yeah.

This is your one stop shop for anything and everything you will ever need for your life at uni. I…read moreremember asking classmates where I could find forks and laundry detergent and they would reply "at the spa" thinking I had to go to some beauty and day spa in town. I didn't quite understand and then one day, I saw it. Just a few yards from my dorm room. It is like a liquor, supermarket and wal-mart all condensed into a compact corner convenient store. The only thing was that they couldn't quite understand me when I asked for 'aluminum foil' because you have to say 'aluminium.' When I would run out of vodka, luncheon meat, gravy granules, tea and crumpets, frozen pizzas for 99 pence, or even fried chicken to get me through the cold, grueling days of studying, this Spar came to the rescue, everytime. I only have fond memories of this lifesaver. Oh yea, and they have instant ramen and siracha sauce too! What a relief!

SPAR is the largest convenience shop on campus and offers competitive prices on campus. Although…read morestill more expensive than supermarkets or other places in town, you are paying for the convenience. It offers a much wider range of goods than the comparable LUSU shops. This often means that I walk from the other end of campus just to get a particular brand or item that I can't buy in the nearer LUSU shop (aka Central Stores). I hear the SPAR baguettes are amazing, but I've yet to try them.

Glan Conwy General Stores is a local shop for local people. It always reminds me a bit of…read moreArkwrights shop in 'Open All Hours'. It is very small and isn't the sort of place you'd ever think of for the weekly shop. However if you need a newspaper, loaf of bread or tin of beans you'll probably find them here as despite the lack of space they squeeze in most of the basics. It isn't the best location for parking but I suppose most of the potential customers live within walking distance. They also have long opening hours and always seem to be open when I go there. A very useful community asset.

Started off as a newsagents and has gradually expanded and become a convenience store. They sell a…read morelimited range of goods, essentials such as bread, milk, eggs, plus other grocery items such as fruit, vegetables, tinned food, toilet rolls, pet food. They also have a range of magazines and newspapers, stationery items and greetings cards, and they also have a variety of wines, beers and spirits. The range isnt huge and can sometimes be quite expensive, but it is handy if you are in the middle of cooking and realise you have an ingredient missing. They also have a cash machine, but the service charge makes it rather expensive to use.

Spar has recently moved from a nearby location to the corner of Dale Street (where there once lay a…read moreHSBC). This Spar definitely has the most futuristic look about it with its glossy, glass-panelled and chrome finish on the exterior. I don't often shop at Spar because prices are generally expensive compared to competitive stores and of course it isn't really the place you'd go to do your weekly shopping; it's more of an emergency shop for locals and business folks nearby. Spar is located in a prime location for office workers in the area and has ideal products for people on-the-go. This makes it a great place to grab a quick lunch and newspaper or magazine. Let's say that this is your super mini-mart!

This is a very conveniently located store located on busy Dale Street. As you would expect it's…read moregreat for essentials like bread, milk etc and also good for picking up a bottle of wine on your way home from work to the train station :) They also sell a wide selection of magazines and newspapers plus lottery tickets and scratchcards and there is a food to go counter at the rear of the store for freshly prepared sandwiches and pizza. I think its open from 7am til late. There is also a cash machine in store too but it charges £1.50 for withdrawals.