When I was a child there was various Cooperative stores selling food ,furniture and allsorts and…read moregiving a dividend. They disappeared over the years but it seems as if more food shops are appearing again. I parked near the one in Whitby and got my divi card (that has certainly changed) so I was pleased to find one on Newlands which you can park near and there is one near the Valley road. The newlands shop is a good size and is well stocked and has some good offers and stuff you cant get elsewhere. The big attraction for a lot of people is the good range of Fair Trade stuff coops sell. Before christmas the staff dressed up to raise money for charity.

Deans is a beautiful garden centre which has all the usual garden stuff and a large range of…read moreornaments and nick naks. They have an indoor and outdoor garden section with a varied selection of plants in each. They are slighlty more expensive then other local garden centres but everything is of the highest quality. At Christmas they have a beautiful display of ornaments and decorations, far better than you would get in most shops. they also do a lovely display which is nice for the children to look at. There is a lovely cafe within the garden centre which has beautiful food and has a lovely atmosphere and looks out over the outside garden area.

Of all the garden centres in the area, and there seem to be a few within a few miles of each other,…read moreStrikes seems to have the upper edge. Very well laid and maintained carpark which you access off the 172 to Stokesley. There are many many different types of products on sale here from a usual garden centre. You can find an outdoor clothing shop, a pet store with lots of stock and selling fish. There is a very good gifts selection where I can always find that something extra. The cafe is a lovely place to it and relax and choose from the quite extensive menu. You can view conservatories as you walk around the well stocked outdoor plant section. Particularly during summer months there is a fantastic selection of garden furniture and during the opposite season there is a winter wonderland set up inside. A lovely place to go on a weekend for a trip out.

i am a regular visitor to the garden centre there choice and displays are very good and there…read morechristmas displays are second to none well worth a visit for the whole family. staff very pleasant

A traditional newsagent which sells everything from toys to nespapers , books to stationary, penny…read moresweets to more luxurious boxes of streets. The shop has been responsible for delivering most of the newspapers to the local village. The shop is a well established and has been part of the fabric of the village for many years. Situated as it is on high green, there is a convenient car park in front of you. Although the shop is old in decor, you will always be able to find something of interest to purchase

quite a large store with some bargains on offer…read more lots of discounted goods, some brands wont be recognised but they are usually ok. Wide range of stock, can be very handy to pick up some last minute DIY items. the lighting is too harsh and gives everything a nasty glow. The staff are friendly but they need to open more tills at busy times

This is lovely little shop that's been on Scarboroughs busy main street for years…read more Like the name suggests, it sells all you need for your kitchen. A lot of the produce is specialised, so if there's something specific you need eg. patterned biscuit cutters - you going to get it here, not only that you're going to get a choice! I think it's really important to support little shops like this as when they go, and fingers crossed this one survives the economic downturn - out goes the specialistness (new word I just invented) that these shops provide! Most recently I popped in just before Christmas to get some new decorations for the top of our Christmas cake. There were lots of festive things to choose from and we were very happy with our purchase!

Dean's Garden Centre in situated in the quiet village of Stockton on the Forest, just outside York…read more Visit The Bothy for the best bacon and sausage sandwiches, and tremendous cake. The outdoor plants section is always well stocked and moderately priced. There is a good selection of fruit trees on a number of different rootstocks. Look out for multibuy offers on small plants such as herbs. Indoors there is a good seasonal bulb selection, excellent wildlife and bird feeders and food, and a good selection of garden tools and equipment. There is a selection of giftware and greetings cards, and they make a good effort for the kids at Christmas.

The Age Concern Shop is well situated in the town centre and is one of several charity shops within…read morea stones throw of each other.It is a fairly small shop and can be difficult to move around at busy times. It sells pretty much what you would expect from a charity shop but doesn't have room for very large items. What sets it apart is the new stuff it sells. They have some lovely animal ornaments, I particularly like the giraffes.They had some lovely scent bottles and other glass items. I stocked up for two birthdays and Christmas gifts for my daughter. If you want an unusual gift it is well worth a look.