Take me shopping in... Greenwich
Greenwich, in all its historical glory, is where a shopping trip is more of a day out of exploration rather than an exhausting trawl of chain shops. We had wonder around the village and picked out some places that you'll have to visit when in the area.
Art lovers with a interest in history will want to browse the wares of Warwick Leadlay Gallery on Nelson Road. Situated opposite the national Maritime Museum it has a Nelsonia specialism, with modern and antique books, prints and commemorative items relating to the Admiral. Stephen from Blackheath is quite a fan of this gallery as it restored an antique map from World War II and he describes it as 'Recommended'.
But if modern art and design is to your taste, just a hop, skip and a jump away is Reddoor. They sell contemporary ceramics, jewellery and art, most of which is handmade. They offer jewellery workshops with one of their designers Harriet Rouse which are great fun as well as holding regular exhibitions. Reddoor sells fantastic quality products that are reasonably priced, which is why it is one of our recommended shops.
Greenwich isn't just filled with high end art dealers though - Bullfrogs Shoes is a must for all shoe fiends. You’ll find beautifully made shoes from a variety of contemporary designers at affordable prices. They regularly have sales and it's always good for a bargain or two. They quite often have a modern twist on vintage designs, so you know you'll find something that little bit special in here.
There has been an explosion of independent shops in Greenwich and one of the most successful is jewellers Autumn & May. Mark from Waltham Abbey chose his wedding rings from here and says, "The choice of styles was great and nothing was to much trouble including fitting in with our budget." The designs are mainly in silver and gold and often use semi precious stones, a really beautiful fashionable jewellers in the covered Market.
As for fashion, the list in Greenwich is endless but for high-quality designer and vintage fashion there is no other place but Dress Circle. They have a concept of re-selling luxury clothing on behalf of their clients and giving them a percentage of the profit. As a result, they stock a wide range of good quality second hand clothes. We think that Joseph from Meopham sums up the store nicely: "Dress Circle is an Aladdin's cave of fashion treasures. Inside this cosy store, racks are jam packed with as good as new items at bargain prices."
Quirky is a word that can be over used in this day and age but we see fit to call the Daisy Cakes Bake Shop just that. It is a cake extravaganza with its well informed staff that are happy to help no matter what size your order. We'd describe it as a boutique cake shop, if there is such a thing! Helen from Croydon can't get enough of the cakey goodness. "This little bake shop maybe small in stature but it's mighty in cupcakes and cake baking supplies. Don't miss it though as it is hidden in the lanes that surround Greenwich market and could easily be overlooked."
Our final stop on our trip around Greenwich was The Spread Eagle Junk Shop on Greenwich South Street. We couldn't leave the area without popping into this treasure trove of brass, metalware, toys, scientific instruments, nauticalia, kitchenalia, taxidermy and more. It may take you a while to get through the shop as there are eight rooms to explore. The back room is dedicated to books and you'll most likely find a treasure or two in there.