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 Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:46 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN UK (SCOTLAND) |
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SHOPPING IN UK (SCOTLAND)
EDINBURGH
Edinburgh doesn't have quite the shopping options that are available in Glasgow, but it has a combination of traditional department stores, such as the classic Jenners, and newfangled boutiques. With the recent addition of the fashionista's favourite, Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh is challenging the more style-conscious city to the west. New Town's Princes Street is the main shopping artery in the Scottish capital, with leading department stores, whether the homegrown Jenners or the British staple, Marks & Spencer. But for the posher shops, such as Cruise or Laura Ashley, George Street tops the lot. For tourists, Old Town's Royal Mile can present the mother lode of Scottish souvenirs, whether it is tartan or trinkets.
Shopping hours in Edinburgh are generally from 9 or 10am to 6pm Monday through Wednesday and on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, shops open at 11am or noon and close around 5pm. On Thursdays, many shops remain open until 7 or 8pm.
The Shopping Scene
For visitors from abroad, prices in the U.K. may seem high. In recent years, the pound has been strong relative to other major currencies, such as the U.S. dollar or the euro, which is, of course, now used by most countries in the European Union. Still, the prices for most retail goods in Scotland have not soared since the mid-1990s. Actually, in some cases -- for example, clothes -- costs to the consumer have come down in real terms. Nevertheless, many items carry the same numerical price in pounds as they would in American dollars. For example, a pair of running shoes that cost $50 in New York might well be priced £50 in Edinburgh, making it 50% to 100% more expensive.
Best Buys
While you may find a bargain at the tourist-oriented shops along the Royal Mile, unique gifts are perhaps best found at the shops in the city's various national galleries or the one in the Museum of Scotland.
GLASGOW
After London, the capital of Great Britain and a city at least ten times the size of Glasgow, Scotland's second city apparently has the second most retail space in all of the U.K. It is a shopping mecca for everyone in the west of the country and apparently a reason for people to visit from northern England, too, as it is not as far away as the shops of London's Soho. The main area for retail therapy is defined by the pedestrian malls of Argyle Street, Buchanan Street, and Sauchiehall Street, which join together and form a Z shape right in the heart of the city. But for more unique shops and fashions, it pays to venture to the Merchant City and the West End. And perhaps the city's most unique shopping experience is at the flea-market-like stalls at the weekend Barras market in the East End of Glasgow.
In general, shops in the city are open Monday to Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9am or 10am until 6pm. And be warned, they tend to close sharply, regardless of the number of potential shoppers that are still out on the sidewalks. Only on Thursday do the shops stay open "late" until 8pm. Most established stores are now open in the afternoon on Sunday, too.
The Shopping Scene
For visitors from abroad, prices in the U.K. are not going to be a major selling point. In recent years, the British currency, pound sterling, has been trading strongly against other major currencies, such as the U.S. dollar or the euro (which most of Britain's partners in the European Union now use). The good news is that prices for most products in Scotland have been stable since the mid-1990s and in some cases -- for example, clothes -- prices have come down in real terms. Nevertheless, many items carry the same numerical price in pounds as they would in American dollars. For example, a digital camera that costs $300 in New York might well be priced £300 in Glasgow, making it 50% to 100% more expensive.
Best Buys
Among the few retail goods that are high quality and priced competitively are fine wool knits, particularly cashmere scarves and sweaters -- or as the Scots prefer, "jumpers." Anything produced within the country (with the exception of whisky, which is taxed as heavily as all alcoholic products) should be less expensive than at home: from smoked salmon and shortbread to Caithness glass, those beguiling clear paper weights with swirling, colourful designs. Second-hand shops, often run by charities such as Oxfam, are also potential gold mines for bargain hunters. Finally, given the number of artists in the country, getting an original piece of art to bring home might represent the most value for money.
Shopping Complexes--Princes Square (Buchanan St.; tel. 0141/204-1685; www.princessquare.co.uk) is the city's most stylish and upmarket shopping centre. Within a modernized and renovated Victorian building, the mall has many specialty stores, men's and women's fashion outlets as well as restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Nearby, between Argyle Street and the River Clyde is the St. Enoch Shopping Centre (tel. 0141/204-3900; www.stenoch.com), whose merchandise is less expensive and a lot less posh than what you'll find at Princes Square. It resembles a fairly conventional mall with a couple major department stores and a food court at one end.
If you're after a fancy watch or gold ring, go to the Argyll Arcade, the main entrance to which is at 30 Buchanan St. Even if the year of its construction (1827) wasn't posted above the entrance, you'd still know that this collection of shops beneath a curved glass ceiling is historic. The L-shaped arcade contains one of the largest concentrations of retail jewelers, both antique and modern, in all of Europe. It's considered lucky to purchase a wedding band here.
The latest contribution to mall shopping in the city centre is the Buchanan Galleries (tel. 0141/333-9898; www.buchanangalleries.co.uk), at the top of Buchanan Street. Completed in 1999, this mammoth development is hardly ground-breaking but it does include the rightfully respected John Lewis department store.
On the western outskirts of town, the Braehead Shopping Centre (tel. 0141/885-1441; www.braehead.co.uk) opened most recently and somewhat controversially as it appears to be taking people away from the city centre. Its major draw is a sprawling Ikea store.
Trawling the Stalls
The Barras, held Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm, takes place about .5km ( 1/4 mile) east of Glasgow Cross. This century-old market has traders selling their wares in stalls and shops. You can not only browse for that special treasure, but you can also become a part of Glasgow life. Alas, as the old traders have died off, younger hawkers are not replacing them. And the authorities have had their hands full with the sale of black-market goods, especially tobacco, whose proceeds apparently fund organized crime. Still, where else can you see an auction of 10 pounds of chicken legs, with a pound of bacon thrown in for free? The nearby Paddy's Market, by the rail arches on Shipbank Lane, operates daily if you'd like to see an old-fashioned slice of Glaswegian street vending. |
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