Bicester Village: why you should go. Like, now.

Wed, 02 May 2012 11:06:35 GMT

There's one week left to find London fashion week bargains at Bicester Village. Despite my hatred of shopping, I urge you to go, says Jess Cartner-Morley

I don't actually like shopping. At all. I get no more free time than any of you, and, when I do, there are a thousand things I'd rather do than go shopping for clothes. So I shop online (a lot) or I do a swoop-raid if I happen to be passing a shop I like and I'm not late for wherever I'm going.

But on Monday, I did something I almost never do, and went on an actual shopping trip. To Bicester Village ("chic outlet shopping") with my mum and my sister. Reader, it was brilliant.

Things I bought that I love:

1. This Preen dress, pictured top left, from their 2012 resort collection, which has a silk floral top half, all blues and greens on Chinese yellow, and a slim bottom half in a kind of Tiffany-blue scuba material. I will wear this to at least one wedding this summer.

2. The Jonathan Saunders geometric-knit cardigan, top right, in turquoise and jade from his autumn/winter 11/12 collection. I wore it immediately. The way I feel about it right now, I might wear it every day for a while.

Things I didn't buy, probably wisely:

1. Fabulous Yves Saint Laurent black sandals with an enormous wooden wedge heel. Luckily I remembered just in time my pledge not to buy Yet More Shoes with six inch heels because – you know what? - that's Not Actually My Life.

Things I didn't buy that I now deeply regret NOT buying:

1. Celine short-sleeved knit in oatmeal, green and gold. Completely beautiful. I decided that the Saunders cardigan, being less delicate, was more practical (and it undoubtedly is) but now I wish I had bought both.

Both of my triumphs were from the British Designers Collective, which is an end-of-season pop-up store selling London fashion week designers' wares at considerably more than 50% off. It is open till 9 May 2012 for womenswear, switching to menswear stock after that. They have Bella Freud cashmere, Marios Schwab leather dresses, Nicholas Kirkwood shoes. They have the good stuff, and they have it in normal sizes. And it is the opposite experience to sale shopping: calm, airy stores, helpful staff. If you can get yourself to Bicester, before 9 May (or afterwards, if you're a man) then you owe it to your wardrobe to make the journey.

On the off chance that me-in-a-cardigan is not enough to persuade you (whaaaat?) then take a look at this video, The Art of The Detail, which Bicester have made to remind the world about their accessory offering. Don't miss (a) the dog wearing necklaces and (b) the competition at the end.

Meeting calls for public trust to run Europe's biggest indoor market

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:30:00 GMT

Supporters say: Hands off people's market as council considers £30 million partnership with private developers

It was standing room only as a couple of hundred shoppers and traders gathered at a Leeds city centre church to discuss the uncertain future of Europe's largest indoor market.

The public meeting was called by the Friends of Kirkgate Market group, made up of market supporters. It says that the facility, which employs 2,000 people on 600 stalls and generates £2m profit a year, needs major investment after years of neglect.

The Friends group revealed ideas including setting up a public trust owned by the people; a call to abandon plans to sell off 25 per cent of the market; and reduce rent by 50 per cent for 12 months. The group's latest newsletter says 'the Council's vision of the future is the stuff of nightmares'. It adds:

Kirkgate Market is one of the few places left in Leeds where people of all backgrounds rub shoulders while earning a living or doing the weekly shop – it is the 'people's market in a corporate city'.

At the Trinity Church meeting, Sara Gonzales, from the Friends, said that expensive rents, which are amongst the highest in the UK, and too little investment in the facilities by the council has hampered traders for years. She added:

The market is not too big. The council has approved plans for a massive shopping centre at Eastgate with over a hundred shops in it, so how can the market be too big?

A consultants' report in January suggested investment in the market of about £30m would be needed, with private sector partners providing £20m and the council £10m, but Gonzales told the meeting:

Private ownership or partnership with the council would erode the social function of the market and take profits away.

Trader Liz Lawton claimed that stalls were empty because rents were too high and accused the council of mismanagement. She said the market needed 'modernising, deep cleaning and redecorating'.

Under plans drawn up by consultants Quarterbridge, the market could be reduced in size by a quarter. The 1970s and 1980s extensions to the rear of the building, which were built after a major fire in 1975, would be redeveloped and existing traders would have to reapply for tenancies.

A Leeds City Council spokeswoman said:

It is key to note that we have not made any decisions about the future for the market as of yet, and are still in the phases leading up to the feasibility studies for a number of different options which could be considered for the market.

This will of course all be done in consultation with members of the public, traders and other stakeholders of the market, and we will be urging people to get involved and make their views heard.

Why I love stationery

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:50:01 GMT

The digital age was meant to put an end to paper – but we still can't get enough of pens, notebooks and, erm, fancy rubber band holders. One fan thinks she knows why

Exercise and memo books, writing sets and endless rubbers, coloured pens and propelling pencils, Post-it Notes and fountain pens, highlighters in different hues, markers – great, galumphing things – and tiny fibre-tips, envelopes all shapes and sizes, notebooks stapled (spiral-bound or sewn-spined) – I own and love them all.

I am not alone, of course. John Lewis saw a 177% rise last year in its sales of premium stationery lines. Liberty opened a new stationery hall a year ago in response to demand and is already set to expand (though who wrote in explaining their unmet need for a magnetic mini-ocean liner on which to keep their paperclips I have been unable to determine at time of going to press). Smythson reported a 400% increase in profits – to £2.4m – from 2010 to 2011. The staider, heavier side of this old guard is being leavened by products from the smaller design companies that have also sprung up to cater for our desire for fun as well as form and function: Suck UK; J-me (seeing online its pen-holders that look exactly like Bic lids with pens in them baffled me for several minutes until I realised they were GIANT REPRODUCTIONS); Rob Ryan, whose pretty notebooks I covet ceaselessly; Luckies (home of the magnetic Doorganizer, which I am convinced would change my life, and the Geppeto pencil sharpener, which has not done so but which makes me laugh every time I see it on my desk).

Shops visited by mere mortals are also holding up well. WH Smith attributed its better-than-expected post-Christmas figures to a tighter focus on selling books and stationery, and Paperchase opened 14 new shops on the otherwise beleaguered high street last year (I think my gift-box habit was responsible for only three of them), with more planned for 2012.

We all love stationery (some more moderately and tastefully than others). But why? It seems to me to offer two great and seductive promises. The first is that it will unleash your creative potential. The unsullied page, the pristine pen offer limitless possibilities (also, on a bad day, unlimited fear). "My grey goose quill," wrote Byron, "Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will/Torn from thy parent bird to form a pen/That mighty instrument of little men." And look how well he got on. Imagine what he would have been able to do with a Mont Blanc and special-edition Moleskine.

The right pen and the right paper brought into conjunction, runs the unspoken thought, cannot help but result in a sudden influx of bold, brilliant and original ideas, the germ of a bestselling novel that will in its turn be inscribed in another, perhaps larger notebook more worthy of the task, in sentences as creamy and beautiful as the pages on which they are written. I am always on the hunt for the perfect notebook. Muji (the brown paperbacked ones), Field Notes (the three-packs), the ubiquitous Moleskine and, in more whimsical moments, Cavallini & Co have all come close. Which is to say, close to being the one that will become the perfect commonplace book, in which I will continue that proud Renaissance tradition of recording useful quotations, inspiring stories and intriguing snippets, but which will eventually, in a surprising modern twist and via a complicated but plausible chain of events involving bestsellerdom, successful film adaptation and a meeting of minds with the star during an on-set visit, end in a long and happy marriage to Jake Gyllenhaal. Is it any wonder I keep buying, when only an unlined leather notebook stands between me and all this?

The second promise is baser but, I find as I get older, even more attractive than bestsellerdom, or hot monkey sex with Jake G. It is the promise of organisation. I remember at university one friend coming out of his bedroom after a seven-hour revision stint bearing a trayful of differently coloured index cards and four full lever arch files with sections neatly marked by cardboard dividers down the side and subdivided by coloured tags along the top like a stickleback's spines. "OK," he said with relief. "I may not know everything yet. But I know where it all is." I wake every morning in the hope that today I may purchase the concertina file, ring binder, set of folders or box of plastic wallets that will finally enable me to live that dream.

Though our fondness remains, we no longer depend on stationery as we used to. Once upon a time, paper and ink were the quintessence of utility. Things existed, systems worked, money was made because pen was put to paper. Banks had ledgers and filled them in with differently coloured inks. When they told you you were in the black or in the red, they meant it literally. From the late 17th century, when a semi-reliable postal service began to emerge, letters were the lifeblood of business and of social life. In the Victorian era, etiquette books containing advice and templates for every possible permutation of correspondence between friends, lovers, professional associates and all points in between proliferated.

The protocol surrounding calling cards alone is enough to exhaust the modern mind. You turned down different corners or folded the card in a certain way to convey wordless sympathy, congratulations or simple affection to the lady of the house if she was not at home when you called. Of course, if she was at home but simply not at home to you, that changed things slightly. If a servant provided you with her card, you could try again. If she didn't – well, consider yourself snubbed and think yourself lucky there was no tweeny with a smartphone to record your embarrassment and post it on youzoetrope.com later (OK, I made that one up).

The utilitarian aspect of stationery has eroded steadily over the years, but never more quickly or apparently irrevocably as in the last few decades with the rise of digital communication. Now all is email and electrons and whereas once it would have taken an internationally synchronised effort by an unprecedentedly dedicated band of arsonists to destroy enough records to disrupt the smooth running of the empire upon which the sun never set, we are now but one solar flare away from personal, professional and fiscal Armageddon.

On the upside, calling cards are making a comeback. No, really. Twitter told me, and then I saw some in Bromley high street. Once something has come that far south of the river you know it's really happening. They look like prettier business cards, for those who prefer something a little less vulgar than scrawling on someone's hand with a Biro (superb and timeless piece of design and engineering though it is) or trying to put your number into someone's BlackBerry with a drunken thumb.

After all, stationery still makes us feel better. In a recession, you can still find something to suit your pocket and cheer you up. A notebook still carries the promise that you will one day make your mark literally and metaphorically. And nostalgia too has us ever in its grip. Whenever I write in longhand these days I increasingly feel like I am helping to preserve an ancient skill. By the time I retire, I shall be able to appear on the mid-21st century's equivalent of The Victorian Farm – Modest Catford Semi – showing viewers how we used to do it in the olden days. I will use words such as "foolscap", "deckle-edged" and refer to my uncapped fountain pen as "posted" just to watch their brows furrow. I will tell them of writing thank-you letters as a child with my Victoria Plum writing set and obliterating my mistakes with a lipstick-shaped rubber I could twist up from the bottom like the real thing ("Even the gender conditioning was better back then!"), of drafting essays in pencil and then writing them up in pen while the Amstrad CPC was just a pixellated gleam in Suralan's eye. I will tell them that I remember both the invention of the glitter pen, worshipped as a scribal godhead on its mid-80s arrival into our hitherto matt and colourless lives, and of the Post-it Note ("No, you have to understand – paper just couldn't be sticky like that! It peeled away and left no trace! We thought it was witchcraft"). If I had been born just five years earlier, I would be as old as Pritt Stick.

I thought I was exaggerating when I wrote the paragraph above. Then I went online to check the spelling of the Silvine brand of orange-covered exercise and memo books I remember discovering in the local newsagent at the same time as orange Space Dust (and not knowing which to slaver over more). They call those orange-covered books their Heritage Range now.

I'll put it in my commonplace book. Maybe it will come in handy one day.

Lucy Mangan is presenting The Stationery Cupboard on Radio 4 on 2 March 2012 at 11am.

Insiders' guide to the world's best shops

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:45:00 GMT

Paris chic, a Delhi bazaar, Tokyo gadgets … experts in fashion, food, music and more tell us about their favourite fabulous shops, where the experience is as important as what's on sale

Kiki de Montparnasse, New York

"When an erotic boutique is named after Man Ray's muse, you know it's going to be classy," says Juliet Kinsman of Mr & Mrs Smith. "There's not a whiff of Ann Summers tackiness – this sexy salon is in fact perfumed with Kiki's own seductive scents." Decked out with moody lighting, cabinets of beautiful luxury lingerie and "some 'instruments of pleasure' that might make your eyes water – with both their intentions and their price tags", this is the go-to place for everything from a "deluxe intimacy kit" ($275) to "fabulously elegant" cashmere loungewear (boyfriend sweaters $575) and French lace chiffon caftans ($595).
• 79 Greene Street, kikidm.com

C O Bigelow, New York

Open since 1838, America's oldest apothecary's shop is still helping to stock the world's most discerning bathroom cabinets. A favourite with Sasha Wilkins, creator of fashion blog libertylondongirl.com, it sells "hard-to-find beauty products from around the world as well as everyday requirements like toothpaste and plasters. Look out for the beautiful Victorian packaging on their very good own-brand products, too." These include lavender and peppermint shampoo ($9), rose soap ($9.50) and quince hand lotion ($15).
• 414 Sixth Avenue, bigelowchemists.com

Normann, Copenhagen

The Norm 69 lamp (designed by Simon Karkov) became a Scandinavian design classic almost as soon as it was first switched on. Normann's founders, Jan Andersen and Poul Madsen, knew what they were doing when they moved into an old cinema in Copenhagen's Østerbro district in 2005. Now their flagship store is a must-visit on any design junkie's tour of the Danish capital. What is less well known is how well it caters for children. "In the children's fashion and design field, the Scandinavian countries are pioneers," says Anne Duramois of luvaville.com. "Copenhagen is full of really cool children's shops, but Normann carries the best local brands in children's furniture, design, fashion and toys." This is the place, she adds, to pick up a LuckyBoySunday candy string pram decoration (around £26) or a bObles mini elephant (around £17).
• Østerbrogade 70, normann-copenhagen.com

Kinari Bazaar, Delhi

Pamela Timms, food writer and blogger (eatanddust.com), recommends this Old Delhi bazaar for "everything that glitters: saris, semi-precious stones, ribbons, beads, fancy boxes and bags – and some wonderful street snacking on the way". Known for its zari and zardozi textiles (with gold and silver threads running through them), the bazaar is an understandably popular shopping destination for Indian brides, but even the most resolute singletons are unlikely to come away empty-handed.
• Take the metro to Chawri Bazaar station, then get a rickshaw to Kinari Bazaar, chandnichowk.info/KinariBazar.aspx

Bonton, Paris

Unfathomably, this famous French brand has managed to stay under the radar for many Brits. Less surprisingly its "wonderful, colourful clothes, furniture, accessories and design items for children" have made it a favourite with Anne Duramois, co-founder of luvaville.com, a city guides website for parents: "It has several branches around Paris, but the big concept store near the Marais area is something very special. It even includes a funky children's hairdressers." Not to mention some of the coolest nappy changing tables you'll come across (€135).
• 5 Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, bonton.fr

Criminal Records, Atlanta

To understand how much Atlanta loves its iconic record store, you just need to look at how the city responded when owner Eric Levin announced that the store would have to close if it couldn't pay off $150,000 in debts, says Josh Jackson of pastemagazine.com. "Acts like The Drive-By Truckers, Kelly Hogan and Magnapop played benefit shows and fans donated enough money to keep the store afloat." It's easy to see why, he adds: "In addition to an enormous and eclectic selection of new and used music, the store carries the coolest US and imported magazines, comics and toys."
• 1154-A Euclid Avenue, criminalatl.com

ranKing ranQueen, Tokyo

For gadget junkies with money to burn, shopping means one thing, Japan, according to Kat Hannaford, editor of gizmodo.co.uk. The Bic Camera chain wins on size, with "39 stores the size of our largest Tesco, like warehouses of all the latest cutting-edge tech and gadgetry". But ranKing ranQueen is a better bet for the truly quirky. "RanKing RanQueen is a litmus test for all that's popular among younger Japanese," Kat says. "Store shelves are updated weekly with the country's best-selling products, which naturally include a lot of gadgets."
• Shibuya-ku, 2nd floor, Shibuya Station, ranking-ranqueen.net

Gerry's Wines and Spirits, London

This Soho stalwart "promises that it sells almost any drink, and it does", says Lulu Grimes of the BBC's Good Food and Olive magazines . "It is the first place we check when hunting down something we need for a cocktail recipe." And no wonder. Whether you're in search of a bottle of Boca Loca Cachaça (£19.95) to get the party started with a round of caipirinhas, or you want to rock out, Jay-Z style, on some Ace of Spades Brut Armand de Brignac champagne (£240) in its opaque gold bottle, you'll find it here.
• 74 Old Compton Street, gerrys.uk.com

Pave, Barcelona

A bike shop, but not as you know it, this sleek industrial space displays its two-wheeled wares with the reverence normally reserved for Turner prize winners – carefully back-lit in spare, stacked, white spaces. Described by cycling writer Rob Penn as "an architect-designed, cathedral-like shrine to the tradition, lore and beauty of road-racing bicycles", it covers most of the top names in bikes, including Brompton, Cervélo and Orbea. There's also a good range of cycling gear, from Mavic Zxellium road shoes (€275) to Rapha hooded tops (€150), and they'll whip you up a latte if you need sustenance before spending.
• Carrer Alcalde Ferrer i Monés 57-59, pave.cc

The Essential Ingredient, Sydney

This gastronomic emporium is where Lulu Grimes of BBC Good Food spent "scads of money" when she lived in Sydney. "It stocks fantastic produce, world-class cookware and a great range of cookbooks that are not the usual suspects," she says. These include "covetable" copper pans (16cm saucepan from around £200) and Australian Cobram Estate olive oil (around £25 for 500ml). Since the store's move from Camperdown to Rozelle, a cookery school and an espresso bar have also been added.
• 731-735 Darling Street, Rozelle, sydneyessential.com.au

Saturdays Surf NYC, New York

It may appear to be a long way from the classic North American surf breaks but don't be fooled, says Jim Moore, creative director of GQ magazine. "This SoHo surf shack was conceived by three not-so-laid-back guys on a mission: to create a space for those living, working and surfing around NYC." The shelves are dominated by striped surf trunks (from $65) and small-collar shirts (from $108) but the shop also sells "the boys' favourite wetsuits and surfboards". If you really want to splash out, current stock includes a table made from reclaimed wood from the demolished Coney Island boardwalk – yours for a cool $14,000.
• 31 Crosby Street, saturdaysnyc.com

Townhouse, Zurich

Tyler Brûlé, editor-in-chief of Monocle magazine, describes Townhouse as "a collection of the best, brightest and most interesting international objects, carefully assembled in a simple and smartly appointed space". Owners Mia Zeltner and Sebastiaan Vadasz have built a workspace at the back of the shop to field personal stock suggestions from customers. The result, he says, "is part retail space, part creative platform". Choose from brightly striped watchstraps (£39), stallion-shaped porcelain bottle-stoppers (£75) and cotton boxers (£36).
• Weite Gasse 4, ilovetownhouse.com

Malmstenbutiken, Stockholm

Martin Brudnizki, interior designer for HIX London and St Pancras Grand, never makes a trip to Stockholm without stopping at Svenskt Tenn, which is renowned for showcasing contemporary Swedish design. "I visit for the bright colours, bold prints and streamlined forms," he says. Malmstenbutiken is another Stockholm favourite, and less well-known among Brits. "Carl Malmsten was a Swedish designer whose focus was on home-grown handicrafts. The shop incorporates some of his greatest items. Classic buys include simple wooden stools (£205) and patterned coffee cups (£48 each).
• Strandvägen 5b, malmsten.se

Record City and Thirsty Moon, San Diego

"I have it on good authority that two of the best vinyl stores still in business are within 100ft of each other in the Hillcrest area of San Diego," says Krissi Murison, editor of NME. Record City is good for "used and rare glam, punk, girl groups, indie and reggae", and has a popular $1 bargain bin, while Thirsty Moon is the place to go for "hard-to-find reissues and bizarre experimental imports".
• Record City, 3757 6th Avenue, recordcityonline.com. Thirsty Moon, 525A Evans Place, thirstymoonrecords.com

Late Night Chameleon Cafe, London

The Late Night Chameleon Cafe is a by-appointment-only concept store that is part designer fashion, books and music emporium and part arts and event space, says Mr & Mrs Smith's Juliet Kinsman. "Dalston fashionistas will steer you here for labels such as JW Anderson and New Power Studio, or to name-drop brands like SASQUATCHfabrix, and style tourists may want to swing by to visit LNCC's latest pop-up store within a store, be it vinyl- or vintage-focused." Don't panic if you're not the type to invest in some Ayame men's leopard leggings (£77); more conventional items include natural twine-wrapped lavender soaps (£12) and "super cool" incense (£9) by Japanese brand Kappa.
• 18 Shacklewell Lane, ln-cc.com

Africa Nova, Cape Town

Stylish, ethically sourced souvenirs that won't make your home look like a fresh-from-a-gap-year student pad can be harder to hunt down than a black rhino when you're holidaying in South Africa. But help is at hand from Africa Nova in Cape Town, says Sandra Fairfax, cazenove+loyd's local shopping expert. It's "a treasure trove of African artefacts from across the continent", she says. A local answer to the Conran Shop (which, incidentally, stocked work by some of the shop's artists when it hosted a celebration of South African design a few years ago), this is the place to find, among other things, felt "rock" cushions by Ronel Jordaan (from £82) or orchid silver earrings by Nic Bladen (£355).
• 72 Waterkant Street, Green Point, africanova.co.za

Fox & Obel, Chicago

"Fox & Obel is what Americans call a food market and we call a food shop," says Lulu Grimes of BBC Good Food. "It is big, fabulous-looking in a utilitarian way, and stocks really good produce. It has knowledgeable staff, too." Now 10 years old, this vast store aims to bring the world's best foods together under one roof, from meat, fish and vegetables to wines and boutique confectionery brands such as Askinosie chocolate (from $9.95 a bar). If you prefer to try before you buy, head to the on-site cafe or bistro.
• 401 E Illinois Street, fox-obel.com

Doncaster has no need for 'retail therapy'

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Yorkshire may be the UK's capital of empty shops, but Doncaster is bucking the trend. So says the town's elected mayor, Peter Davies in this guest blog.

We have the fourth most resilient high street in the country, are second only to Harrogate for the number of shops opening in Yorkshire and are home to Britain's best market of 2011. Doncaster town centre is buzzing.

It came as a surprise to me then, when I discovered from the Guardian Northerner that 'retail experts' from the Town Centre Rejuvenation Campaign will be visiting Doncaster to aid faltering businesses.

Thanks, but no thanks. What we certainly don't need is our name dragging into a stunt by an interfering PR company intent on patronising Northern towns. Doncaster town centre has not escaped the worldwide economic downturn completely unscathed but we are doing much better than most. Woolworth's might have closed on St Sepulchre Gate, but it was quickly replaced by a shiny new Clas Ohlson.

Doncaster is fast becoming a destination for tourists from all over the world and was named as one of TripAdvisor's top 10 emerging European hotspots of 2010. Visitors can enjoy our Minster, take in the wealth of Georgian and Regency architecture and see our elegant Mansion House – one of only three in the country. Of course, it's the shops that attract most people.

We have a unique retail experience in the town. Our modern Frenchgate Shopping Centre is ideally located at the heart of the town centre and connected to our busy transport interchange. The centre boasts several big department stores, all the major high street names like Debenhams and an array of independent retailers. There's also a food court featuring tastes from around the world.

Beyond the Frenchgate Centre, Doncaster's bustling high street has a good mix of independent shops and familiar brands such as Marks and Spencer's, House of Fraser and bargain-hunters' favourite Primark. With regular street entertainment in the form of classical music and opera, there is a great atmosphere for shoppers.

One of the great things about Doncaster is that there is so much to see and hidden gems to be discovered. From our many specialist shops and delicatessens, to shops like Electro Music on Copley Road who sell guitars to the stars and the New Age and Spiritual shop in Bowers Fold, to Cask Corner - a real ale-lovers paradise tucked away on Cleveland Street.

Doncaster's markets can trace their origins back to Roman times and have stood on their current location since they were granted a Royal Charter in 1248. There are in fact ten separate and distinctive markets in one location, with around 400 shops, stalls and stands. Most of these are under cover in historic listed buildings. Receiving praise from TV chefs, the markets have gained international fame and a loyal following of customers both at home and further a field. The quality of the produce on sale here has to been seen to be believed and is better than that on sale in London's famous Borough Market.

A lot of hard work and investment has gone into making Doncaster the success story it is today. That is why visitor figures for 2010/11 are up 18% over the previous 12 months. Doncaster is THE place to be in business in Yorkshire and our town centre continues to welcome thousands of shoppers every month.

Situated on the main East Coast rail line, Doncaster can be reached very quickly from many cities: York 20 minutes, Leeds 40 minutes, Hull 1 hour, Manchester 1 hour 25 minutes, Newcastle 1 hour 28 minutes, London 1 hour 30 minutes, Liverpool 2 hours 50 minutes and Edinburgh 3 hours. If you've never been, come and see what Doncaster has to offer.

The Northerner warmly welcomes guest blogs and the right of reply - not that we need persuading about the charms of Donny ourselves. Indeed Martin Wainwright had a poem about the Dome leisure centre published in the Guardian long ago; so long ago that you'd have to search the Guardian's digital archive to find it.

How to shop online

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:04:05 GMT

Morwenna Ferrier's guide to being a successful online shopper

This hair? Groupon.co.uk. The shoes? Topshop.com, ta very much. Same goes for this outfit (eBay.co.uk), the bra (M&S online), lipstick (Debenhams.com) and the cool song (Friends' "I'm His Girl"; iTunes) playing on a loop in my head.

For almost a decade I have bought virtually everything I own online. It started in 2002. I was living in Italy and didn't know how to buy a flight home in Italian, so I used the internet. So easy! Then, back in the UK, I found Amazon and my entire university reading list for under £50. In 2004 I discovered eBay and its wealth of mid-90s Levi 501s and finally, circa 2009, I broke the other golden rule and bought drugs: Suan zao ren tang tablets from China for me, potassium drops for the cat and codeine for us all. Dubiously sourced medication, yes, but so cheap.

It's not an addiction: I can stop, I just don't want to. According to e-commerce site Pitney Bowes, 98% of us have shopped on the internet (although I've yet to meet someone who hasn't been on Amazon). There are various reasons for the move online: people working during normal retail hours, for instance, or living in an obscure, Westfield-less place or, suggests Zia Zareem-Slade, head of online shopping at Selfridges, wanting to "get a sense of control" and to "learn to budget".

All lovely, logical reasons, none of which apply to me: I work from home, live in London and don't need to budget because I only hanker for tat. I shop online because I don't like shopping. I was once mildly groped through the changing-room curtain of Topshop in Yeovil aged 16, which put me off somewhat, plus I'm a fainter with low blood pressure – hot, airless department stores are a minefield. Internet shopping allows me to browse Lakeland products while drunkenly buying a song from 7digital because I can't be arsed to locate the CD upstairs. I'm also brilliant at eBaying. To not use those skills would be like Gigi Buffon not using his enormous hands.

To my mother, the internet is cold and vast, but to me, provided you play by the rules, it's a safe place in a brutal world which prevents you from having to leave the house. Here's how:

1. How to bid successfully on eBay

When it comes to eBay, so proficient am I at selling stuff that people ask me to do it for them for a cut. Or a skirt. I'm also excellent at bidding and more than capable of stringing together an outfit for under £9. I am basically the MacGyver of eBay.

Successfully eBaying requires two things: dedication and a willingness to wear dead people's clothing. So, when browsing, an open mind is far more effective than knowing exactly what you want – eBay works topically, so avoid anything worn by Kate Middleton and all high-street capsule collections, eg last week's Versace line for H&M, which wily types bought en masse and are currently reselling at marked-up prices.

Always search for items under "Newly listed", not "Ending soonest", and try to check eBay with some frequency: bi-hourly, seven days a week or thereabouts. Like I said, dedication. Even the secondhand stuff gets snapped up very quickly. Likewise, know that people sell stuff when they're a) hungover b) bored, so be ready to bid on Sunday afternoons between 3pm and 5pm and weekday mornings between 9am and 11am. Additionally, the "Save search" device will alert you by email to specific items as and when they appear.

Be prepared to operate in different time zones. The US is good for vintage and Apple, China for wigs. Also, set yourself a budget and, should you win, pay quickly using PayPal. I once sent a cheque abroad which failed to materialise and spent the next 10 days negotiating a refund with a buyer in Hong Kong using BabelFish.

Sniping is key. Try Auctionstealer, an online tool which bids for you at the last nanosecond, meaning you can watch The Cube while simultaneously winning a grater. Some friends think sniping spoils the fun of bidding. I think these people have a gambling problem.

2. Why coupon sites are fraught

Much like Ryan Gosling gifs, deal-of-the-day sites are currently experiencing an online explosion. These are sites which sell vouchers online that you then use in real and online shops. Like supermarket coupons, but marginally less naff.

I can personally vouch for two sites: the largely underrated Vouchercloud, which offers meagre but worthwhile discounts off meals and toasters, and Groupon, because it understands that most people are vain and want to shellac their nails for a song.

A warning before you start: buying coupons for stuff you didn't know you wanted until you read an email requires proper evaluating. Weigh up the merits of those acai-berry supplements. Ditto a pedicure in February. As someone who has bought three cut-price haircuts at three different salons since May I can safely say that, nice hair aside, presenting a printed-out coupon to a cashier feels deeply uncool. Stick to discounted meals, or save face and buy vouchers for online goods: eco bulbs and cases of wine. Those sorts of thing proliferate on Groupon.

Elsewhere Ocado, Sainsbury's and Asda offer discounts off your first online shop, vouchers for which can be found at Myvouchercodes. I also recommend Oscaruk, which gives hefty discounts for things like season tickets and holidays to the over 50s, and Moneysavingexpert, the website of Radio 2's Martin Lewis, which provides links to regular, legit print-off coupons for high-street stores such as Gap and Kurt Geiger. These do come with the Faustian twist that you have to provide your address and email, but a discount is a discount.

3. Why it's OK to buy clothes you haven't even touched

Ten years ago, nobody dared buy clothes online. Then someone dared to dream and the shopping site Net-a-porter was born, and suddenly thousands of us were buying clothes we'd never handled, let alone tried on.

In order to participate, it's crucial that you know your measurements. This, friends, requires a tape measure, because sadly "four hand spans" means very little on My-wardrobe. However if, like me, you only found out you were a 30D and not a 32B in late 2010, then you can just about wing it if you know your dress size.

Also: stick to safe colours, don't be hoodwinked by the fit model (most websites tell you which size she's wearing anyway), and check the returns policy, which is almost always "within 30 days" provided the item is unworn – although you may have to pay P&P. Failing that, enlist some outside help. The digital dressing service Dressipi takes your measurements, skin tones and budget to calculate (bear with) your "fashion fingerprint", while Meemee deploys avatars to try on clothes so you don't have to. Or you can always do as I do and view Net-a-porter as a really expensive tombola.

4. Where to go if you want a complete one-off

Etsy is a site that allows its users to sell handmade goods, and its buyers to commission bespoke items. I first discovered it after misgoogling Lady Gaga and finding a rather spectacular oil portrait of the singer eating a bloodied unicorn in the savannah. What the artist lacked in subtlety she made up for in entrepreneurial flair, because via Etsy someone had actually paid hundreds of dollars for it.

On Etsy you can buy everything from appliqué and pendants to lanterns made of Quavers. Not wildly encouraging, granted, but delve deeper and you'll also find an array of pottery, wall hangings, scarves and brooches. Thanks to the decent photographs one rarely gets stung, although watch out for the multitude of fake Louis Vuittons found bafflingly under "Pets". And remember: nothing is too weird for Etsy, the best of which you can find on Regretsy, a non-affiliated "fail blog" based on the fact that the demand for quilted spats goes on.

5. Why buying food online and locally is not an oxymoron

One of the major ethical arguments against online shopping is the damage it causes the high street and, specifically, local shops. Thankfully a number of companies are gradually offsetting those evils. Hubbub, an online delivery service for local independent shops in London, was set up just over a year ago by Marisa Leaf, a former barrister with a pretty gung-ho dislike for Tesco. It works thus: you pick out what you want from a slew of local shops, and for £3.50 a man in a van delivers it to your house after work, a sort of posh meals-on-wheels meets Ocado. It started in Islington and has since progressed to Hackney. By this time next year it plans to be all over London, and in five years all over the UK and, says Leaf, has already earned "tens of thousands in revenue for local businesses".

An equally promising site is Thefarmshed, a family-run all-organic business in Cumbria, and Hobbshousebakery in the West Country, which delivers delicious frozen bread to your (local) door. More of the same please, internet.

6. How to ensure you are getting the best deal

Jarring adverts aside, comparison websites are an irrefutably brilliant means of getting a good price if you know precisely what you want. You search for an item and up pops a page on which varying brands offer you their best price. While the moneysupermarket.com family has accrued a fairly cultish following, I would gladly recommend these alternatives: Tunechecker, which allows you to look beyond iTunes to MP3 pastures new for the cheapest deal on music. Kelkoo, which is excellent for flights and lawn mowers, includes the best offers it can find on eBay, too. Thefashionpixie provides price comparisons on high-street clothing and Simplifydigital is an Ofcom-approved site for finding cheap broadband.

Equally good for specific items are those websites which sell labels for very little. Some which are well worth a look are Outnet (which sells Net-a-porter's out-of-date stock), which is ace if you're indifferent to catwalk developments, and eBay's relatively new Fashion Outlet, a shopping experience infinitely more fun than Bicester Village. Of course there is an argument that life is too short to "shop around", but if you've the time and inclination, it is estimated that you can save on average £10 a pop.

7. How to be safe on the internet

We lose on average £30bn a year to online fraud. Cheeringly, a third of this is at Christmas. I've no idea how much I spend online a year – I would estimate upwards of £1,500 on cat accessories alone – but I've never lost a dime. How? By following these six rules:

1) Only ever shop on reputable websites. These come under the umbrella of Websites Your Mum Has Heard Of.

2) Before purchasing anything, momentarily view that website as a Where's Wally – ie re-read the micro print, check that the web page has a small padlock in the bottom corner (this means it is secure) and ensure that the web address starts with https. All this means that it is fun and safe.

3) When using eBay, only pay with PayPal. Don't email bank details and never send cheques.

4) Register your cards with the anti-fraud services Verified (Visa) or SecureCode (MasterCard).

5) Don't shop online using public computers. Buy your own computer (it's 2011) or, if you do use a shared one, log out when you're done.

6) If you're spending more than £100, pay with a credit card, as your bank should refund you if something goes wrong. Banks: not completely evil then.

Tesco moves closer to store on last UK mainland postcode without one

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:19:00 GMT

Harrogate council votes in favour after five-year debate - but opposition says it's not all over yet

The last postcode in the UK mainland without a Tesco supermarket is closer to losing its unusual status.

Councillors in Harrogate have voted in favour of a store which was first proposed by the company seven years ago on the derelict site of the town's former gasworks.

Eight acres of weeds and concrete between Electric Avenue and the Little Wonder roundabout have been targeted by the firm since 2004 when it paid £3.5 million to add them to its land bank.

The HG code has two Tesco Expresses but is the last in the UK apart from the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland not to have a full-sized outlet.

A special planning committee of Harrogate district council has now approved the development by ten votes to three with one abstention after a testy meeting interrupted by protests. Opposition to the 7.345 sq m (45,000 sq ft), 24-hour outlet remains vigorous, based on fears for the future of smaller shops in a town famous for retail ever since its early 19th century popularity as the site of a sulphurous 'stinking spa'.

There has also been concern about traffic and the possible contamination of the site from its long use as a gasworks. Debate remains intense. Opponents intend to fight on against the proposal, which includes a public benefit sweetener of Tesco making an additional £1.5 million in the town centre.

Supporters point to the success of existing supermarkets in Harrogate, side by side with smaller shops, and the benefits of some 360 full- and part-time jobs which are expected to come with the building and staffing of a superstore. Geoff Webber, north Yorkshire county councillor for New Park where the site stands on the corner of the Skipton and Ripon roads, said that in an area of high employment, these would be snapped up.

Tesco, which has an Express outlet in the HG postal code area, welcomed the decision which follows revisions to the original plan submitted in 2007 but withdrawn in the face of objections the following year. The current application, making the shop smaller and with more sustainable features, was first submitted in 2009, revised last year and has been making its way through the planning system since then.

It still requires final approval from the full council and the backing of the Health and Safety Executive which previously advised against the plan and could ask the secretary of state for communities and local government, Eric Pickles, for a public inquiry.

Record shops: in tune with musicians

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:05:13 GMT

Independent record shops are more important than ever. In honour of official Record Store Day, on 16 April, we asked five artists to tell us what their favourite shop means to them

Isobel Campbell, singer

Amoeba Music 6400 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles

Amoeba is enormous! It's the largest independent record store in the world. I went there for the first time in 2004, when I was finishing my first record with Mark Lanegan. You could spend the whole day in there. It has everything – jazz, lots of imports, DVDs and film posters, second-hand stuff and new stuff. If I'm looking to find something, the chances are I'll find it in there.

My boyfriend and I once went into Amoeba to buy a Fleetwood Mac DVD. We came out with a Harry Nilsson DVD, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, a David Bowie CD... I ended up spending about $200. We were in there so long that when we went outside, his truck had been towed away! It cost him more to get the truck back than the cost of the stuff we'd bought.

I love the convenience of online music shopping. But still, we should think twice about doing everything at the push of a button. It narrows our experiences. Sometimes it's just nicer to wander into a shop and have a look-see, so you can smell the records, hold them and touch them...It's a shame that so many record shops are closing down. It's good to have independent boutiques, rather than cookie-cutter chain places – that's what makes life interesting. When I was 19, I'd go into every record shop I could. That's how I discovered bands like the Zombies. Sometimes things just catch your eye – that happened with Felt Mountain by Goldfrapp, years ago. I thought, that's an interesting cover. I'll buy that. It's really sad because now, if you go to a supermarket or department store to buy CDs, they're only selling the top 5. It's cheapening music, but that's just the way things are going.

Sometimes you end up meeting people in record shops with mutual interests, who you become friends with. So many bands must have started just because they hung round record shops. When I was growing up in Glasgow, I went to John Smith's on Byres Road. Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub would be in there all the time, Bobby Gillespie, Eugene Kelly from the Vaselines... the whole Glasgow scene! And Belle and Sebastian, before we'd even met each other.

I really do think the internet is amazing, but the human contact you get in record stores makes everything a bit more sociable, especially for music nerds. They probably don't have that many places where they can let off steam like that! GKR

Mark Ronson, musician/DJ

Rough Trade West, 130 Talbot Road, London W11; roughtrade.com

Rough Trade is the shop that I spend the most time in when I'm in London. The stock is really well curated – if they have a record in there, there's probably some merit to it.

The staff know me and they even make fun of me as, from an independent record shop point of view, my work means I straddle the line between cool and uncool. But they do it in a loving way, the way your big brother might. Then they recommend about 10 new things for me to check out.

I'm indebted to record shops. They're where I found the samples for a lot of the early music I made. When I produced "Littlest Things" with Lily Allen, for her first album, we went record shopping for inspiration. I dug out the soundtrack from Emmanuelle, the softcore 70s porn film, and that's where we found the piano loop for that particular track. Next thing you know we're back in the studio and Lily's writing along to that loop.

Most of my memories from my teens and early 20s are of hanging out in record shops. Now DJs have software that means they get sent all their promos on MP3. But it's not the same as having to make sure you're in the right shop on the right day, just so you can get your hands on the new Notorious BIG track and be the first to play it in a club that weekend.

Compared to America, shops in England are better for having a guy behind the counter who gets to know you and recommends things you'd like. I think it's because, over here, early shops were partly based around records being imported from the US. My stepdad worked in a record shop in Portsmouth in the late 50s and early 60s and he says that they were always waiting for that new box of 45s to arrive from America.

I can imagine a world without record shops, as they're dwindling, but it would suck. The visceral experience of being in there, leafing through the racks, is more fun. And you're much more likely to discover something great that way, by accident, than by being on iTunes. GG

Will Kennard, Chase & Status

BM Soho, 25 D'Arblay St, London W1

It used to be called Black Market Records when I first started going there in 1994 or 1995, when I was about 15. I'd be in the basement, where they sold all the drum'n'bass records. The shop was tiny, with two, big, PA-sized speakers that took up half the space. Big-name DJs like Ray Keith worked behind the counter and they'd be blasting white labels and promo recordings out really loud.

It was an iconic place, one of the centres of the whole drum'n'bass scene. Everyone in there would try to be cool, so the place had a bit of a moody vibe to it, and it could be intimidating. And there was a hierarchy among the customers: DJs would get the VIP treatment, be invited into the back room and given all the promos first. The odd tourist would wander in and people would take the piss out of them. So it was very cliquey, but that just made me want to be part of it even more.

I always dreamed of working there, but you could never get a job unless you were a friend of a friend of someone already there. But if you did work there, you were almost famous and could get bookings as a DJ. At that time, I was just DJ-ing in my bedroom and desperate to be part of the drum'n'bass scene in any way that I could. There was no internet back then so the only way to discover new music was to go to a club or record shops.

If I was 15 now, I'd probably still be going to record shops, but I'd be scouring the internet as well. It's all online forums now. I'd hate to think there will be a day when there are no record shops, but they're probably going to be a bit more rare than they are now. GG

Miles Kane, musician

Probe Records, The Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool

I've been going to Probe since I started buying records as a teenager. They've put me on to a lot of good music over the years, especially a lot of great 60s stuff such as the Nuggets compilation and records by Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra.

I get on well with a guy who works there called Bob, who likes a lot of that 60s stuff. Through him I discovered a compilation series of music from old Italian cop shows and films, called Beat at Cinecittà. The guitar sounds are amazing, as are the covers, with photos of a girl lying down eating spaghetti, or lying on a car, that sort of thing. The sleeve for the Last Shadow Puppets album [Kane's collaboration with Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner], with the girl on the cover, was partly inspired by discovering those compilations.

I get a lot of my inspiration from music, right down to the lyrics, because I'm not a big reader of books like some people. So being able to see the album cover is important, because you might be inspired by the haircut some guy on the cover has or the font on the artwork. GG

MistaJam, DJ, 1Xtra

Rob's Records, Hurts Yard, Nottingham

Rob's is the second-hand record shop in Nottingham. There's no real cataloguing of the stock, everything is stacked from floor to ceiling and you just go through piles of records until, with luck, you find something worthwhile.

Rob's was the place I went when I was looking for old records to make beats. Sometimes I'd buy records because I liked the sleeve, or because I recognised the names of some of the session musicians who worked on it, or it was really cheap.

I've found lots of great things in there at random, records I never expected to be good, like the Bee Gees' Spirits Having Flown. It was only £1.50 and when I listened to it, I realised how much it had been sampled by other producers. GG

Are gift cards a waste of money?

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:01:00 GMT

Gift cards worth £580m are languishing in drawers – and many will expire before they can be used

When, in its new year sale, preppy retailer Jack Wills reduced the cost of the sherpa fleece that 14-year-old Isabel had set her heart on, the teenager was delighted. The new price was £50 – precisely the amount she had been given in a gift voucher from her grandmother.

However, Isabel was unable to use her voucher on the Jack Wills website because it had been bought in one of the retailer's branches. Then a week later – the earliest she could get to the shops – she found that the sale had ended and all the sherpa fleeces had been sent back to Jack Wills's warehouses.

Her mother called Jack Wills to ask if a fleece could be returned to Isabel's local branch so she could use her voucher to buy it, and the retailer agreed. But despite two attempts to arrange this – including a visit to the store – the fleece failed to materialise.

No one at Jack Wills was available for comment, but the store is not alone: surprisingly few high street retailers acknowledge the trend in online shopping when it comes to their gift cards. Next is flexible, but Topshop, Gap, H&M, TK Maxx and Abercrombie & Fitch will only accept gift cards in store.

"A lot of stores say they're working on it but it's not in their interests to make spending gift cards too easy," says Oliver Smith, a finance researcher at Which?

"They hope the effort of seeking out a shop will put people off and they can get money for nothing."

The policy is a lucrative one. A survey last September by Groupola.com suggested that Britons are sitting on unused gift cards worth almost £580m. Some 70% of us have unused cards at home and half of us expect never to get round to using them.

Should you rediscover your Christmas treat during a summer clear out you may find the token is no longer valid. Most stores, banking on customer amnesia, impose an expiry date on their cards, which can be as little as six months from the date of purchase. Given that a card such as Curry's allows you to pre-pay up to £5,000, a four-figure sum could be wiped out if you don't redeem it within the store's two-year deadline.

The imposition of expiry dates has increased in the past few years since cards were introduced as an alternative to paper vouchers.

"Retailers used the shift to reassess their policy and a lot of them introduced expiry dates," says Andrew Johnson of the online voucher reseller Voucher Express.

None of the stores I questioned were prepared to justify their deadlines. "The usual argument is that it's actually a product you're buying rather than a money substitute," says Smith.

More likely it is to keep the company auditors happy by shedding liabilities as swiftly as they can get away with. Moreover, since few retailers allow you to register high-value gift cards, the risks are the same as carrying hundreds of pounds of cash in your wallet – if the card is lost the money vanishes too. Voucher recipients should also be aware that gift cards are not accepted in concession outlets in department stores.

Sylvia Rook, a spokeswoman for the Trading Standards Institute, said it was a question of "buyer beware".

"You wouldn't go and buy a television without checking that it was going to suit your requirements, so you shouldn't buy a gift card without asking about any restrictions," she says.

"While the store should tell you all relevant information at the time of purchase, and cannot impose terms which are unfair, it may be hard for you to argue an expiry date is unfair if it is clearly stated on the voucher or associated documentation."

The economic slump has exposed another problem facing gift card holders. When the music chain Zavvi went into administration in 2008, 12,500 customers found that their gift vouchers were refused, even though the stores were still trading.

Voucher-holders are classed as creditors, and by law must take their place alongside everyone else owed by the failed company, including banks and HMRC. Since voucher-holders are unsecured creditors, that is usually at the back of the queue.

A safer but pricier alternative to vouchers is "open-loop" gift cards, which are beginning to infiltrate supermarket stands and can be used in any store online or off that accepts Mastercard or Visa.

These resemble a pre-paid credit card, the advantage being that, unlike conventional gift cards, they are regulated by the FSA and the credit on them is ring-fenced; the downside is that you have to pay an issuing fee or, in some cases, a fee for every month that the credit remains unused.

And in the not so distant future, goodwill from distant relatives may be electronic. E-vouchers are already used by online stores such as Amazon and HMV and M-vouchers, sent to a mobile phone, are emerging. Recipients will be able to store the gift on their phones rather than keep piles of unwanted plastic, so even though most of the current pitfalls will apply it should minimise the problem of lost vouchers.

You won't see this lot on Jonathan Ross's 100 Greatest Toys!

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:06:52 GMT

This Christmas your child too can have strong biceps, sore fingers, and a lifetime of misplaced patriotism thanks to this parade of yuletide tat

Pumpaloons, £20

This year, why not give your children the gift of pointlessly back-breaking manual labour? Because that's the idea behind Pumpaloons: gigantic inflatable men that you have to blow up with a footpump as quickly as possible, before letting the air out and repeating the process again and again. A wildly popular toy this year, presumably because the hottest trend for next spiring is the Going To School With One Big Thigh And One Tiny Thigh look.

Arm Wrestle Mania, £14.99

Like most parents, you're desperate for your child to grow up to be the kind of person who spends their days in bars challenging strangers to tests of strength to prop up their disintegrating sense of self-worth. So why not get them started early with Arm Wrestle Mania? It'll make your kid grow up to become the pitiful alcoholic that you've always dreamed of.

Hamleys Singing Bulldog, £20

A befanged, scowling, genuinely ferocious-looking plush bulldog that comes wrapped in a cape made from the union flag. Press its paw and the dog will lead you in a stirring rendition of God Save The Queen. Pat its head and it'll presumably call you a poof and then try to glass you in the mouth for being a bit foreign-looking. Merry Christmas, kids!

Hamleys Sweet Peas Tinkle Thyme Doll, £20

Possibly designed to reduce the problem of underage pregnancy, the Tinkle Thyme doll is an innocuous-looking plastic baby that urinates on demand while staring directly at you with its huge dead eyes. No idea where the Thyme part of the doll's name comes from, although an explanation might be found by looking at the other dolls in the Hamleys Sweet Pea collection, Dribble Dill and Fart Marjoram.

Poop & Scoop Barbie, £19

Say what you like about Barbie's negative effect on the feminist movement, you can't deny she's brilliant at clawing up animal shit. Poop & Scoop Barbie aims to instil a sense of civic responsibility in young girls by teaching them how to to clean up after their pets. First you feed Barbie's dog Tanner some brown biscuits. Then they pass through his body and pop out of his anus. Then you pick them up and stuff them back into Tanner's mouth!

Maisto Swarovski Mercedes Benz SLS Gullwing, £1,500

Just the thing to buy if you're offensively wealthy and looking for a gift that your children will be too frightened to ever remove from its leatherette presentation box. It's basically a 1:18 scale model of a Mercedes, except covered in 7,800 precision-cut Swarovski crystals. And it costs as much as a real car. And it's genuinely horrible to look at.

Barbie Video Girl, £61

If the little girl in your life won't stoop to cleaning up after animals, there's always Barbie Video Girl – essentially a Barbie with a open wound carved into her chest. Inside the wound is a tiny video camera that has thousands of uses. You can create your own movies! Secretly spy on your parents as they make love before selling the footage to your classmates! See what it's like to sit in a corner being ignored for months and months! Exciting!

Face Bank Money Box, £19.90

The Japanese Face Bank Money Box is probably the single most nightmarish gift that you could ever give or receive. A Lynchian box with a malevolent-looking baby's face embedded into the side, it mechanically grinds its freakish mouth open and shut when you give it a coin before swallowing it forever. It makes saving money so harrowing that it's probably to blame for the collapse of the Japanese economy.

Just Like Home Three-piece Sweeping Set, £5.99

Does your daughter or niece want to be a leading medical malpractice lawyer when she grows up? Banish these high-minded flights of fancy from her mind forever with the Just Like Home Three-Piece Sweeping Set! After all, nothing says "prepare yourself for a lifetime of thankless servitude" than the expectation-lowering gift of a miniature plastic broom and tiny plastic dustpan and brush set.

Stinky The Garbage Truck, £60

Stinky is apparently this year's most sought-after toy. If you've never seen one, imagine an updated Furby that looks like a lorry instead of a Mogwai and has traded all its naivety for obnoxious demands for food, endless cries of "GARBAGE!" and non-stop farting. It's a good job children don't instinctively mimic their surroundings as part of their normal human development.

The G2 Christmas gift guide: £3 and under

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

The best presents to buy for everyone this Christmas, with special offers for Guardian readers

The G2 Christmas gift guide: £10 and under

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 GMT

The best presents to buy for everyone this Christmas, with special offers for Guardian readers

The best Christmas markets in 2010

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:00:04 GMT

From Bristol to Birmingham, some of the best Christmas markets for 2010

Manchester Christmas Market

One of the largest Christmas market in the UK, it takes over eight spaces in the city. See jewellery in Exchange Street, beauty products in New Cathedral Street and a new French market in King Street.

▶ 18 November to 21 December, various venues, manchestermarkets.com

The Bristol Christmas Market

New for 2010, Bristol's Christmas Market joins the existing German market, but has a focus on local produce. That includes food and drink as well as pop-up shops.

▶ 29 November to 19 December, Broadmead West, between the Podium and Union Street.

Frankfurt Christmas Market, Birmingham

The big mama of German Christmas markets celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. With 180 stalls, it boasts everything from the obligatory Gluhwein to handbags, toys and cosmetics.

▶ 18 November to 23 December, Victoria Square and New Street.

Lincoln Christmas Market

One for the foodies, Lincoln shows off its local produce at this market with the Lincolnshire Larder section. Highlights include cheese from FW Read & Sons and Ostrich from Oslinc. To keep up, follow the market's Christmas Elf on Twitter – yes, really.

▶ 2-5 December, various venues, lincoln-christmasmarket.co.uk

Greenwich Market, London

Always known for antiques and crafts, Greenwich Market is open seven days a week in the run up to Christmas. More than 150 stalls will sell fashion, handmade jewellery and stocking treats. Perfect for a twist on tradition.

▶ 24 November to 31 December, King William Walk, London SE10. greenwichmarket.net

Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays, London

Not quite a Christmas Market, but still worth a look. The stores on London's Columbia Road Market (usually closed in the week) are hosting late night shopping evenings throughout December. With everything from millinery to street art for sale, you'll get your gift shopping done in no time.

▶ 1, 8, 15, 22 December, Columbia Road, London E2. www.columbiaroad.info

Interiors special: Where to shop in New York, for both goods and inspiration

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:04:28 GMT

Here's the lowdown on the hippest New York homeware stores. Plus the bars and hotels where trends are set

Where to shop

Brooklyn Flea is the largest market of its kind in New York. Its Saturday Fort Greene market on Lafayette Ave has mid-century modern, arty kitsch and vintage clothing.

A&G Merch Berry St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Cavernous showroom of contemporary, reasonably priced wares for design buffs.

The Future Perfect Great Jones St, NoHo and North 6th St, Brooklyn (thefutureperfect.com). Quirky products from upcoming designers, but quite a price tag.

Greenhouse Atlantic Ave, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Stylish, eco-friendly home furnishings, from cabinets to wine bottle-bottom tumblers.

Erie Basin Van Brunt St, Red Hook, Brooklyn. Owner Russell Whitmore makes weekly trips to upstate estate sales, filling his clapboard antiques store with household items and objets d'art.

Moon River Chattel Grand St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Beautiful, utilitarian objects for the home.

Green Village Starr St, Brooklyn. Secret source of junk for dealers, market vendors and interior designers. Sells everything from bikes to bowling balls. (A $20 rug from here apparently sold for nearly $2,000 in Lower Manhattan.) Prepare to rummage.

Aero Broome Street, SoHo. Mouthwatering home decor shop, including new and vintage pieces. Take a credit card.

Where to hang out

Hotels are great barometers of cool. Ace Hotel in Midtown is the trailblazer for utilitarian rooms furnished with mid-century modern classics. The 60 Thompson in SoHo is inspired by "American bohemia – Kerouac and Pollock", according to the NY Times, while Thompson LES in Lower East Side is "achingly hip right now" (Guardian writer Emma Brockes). West Village's Jane Hotel has artistic vintage interiors with patterned tiling, antiques and feminine wallpapers. All three have been at the forefront of interiors trends.

Mast Brothers Chocolate, North 3rd St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a hip, artisanal chocolate factory run by two bearded brothers from Iowa, part of Brooklyn's thriving foodie scene. Rustic vibe with exposed brick, beams and a long kitchen table.

Brooklyn Fare, Schermerhorn St is an 18-seat chef's table in a grocery store – first Brooklyn restaurant to earn two Michelin stars last month. Purveyors of the simple equals wholesome vibe.

Saturdays Surf NYC, Crosby Street, tucked between SoHo, Chinatown and Nolita, is a beautifully curated surf shop that doubles as a coffee house.

The Rock Shop, 4th Ave near Carroll St, Brooklyn is the bar of choice for cultural hipsters.

The Plaza Hotel, 5th Ave, one of the oldest, most iconic joints in town, is a scene for brunch.

Bistrot Bagatelle, West 13th St, Meatpacking District, Manhattan is a French bistro having a fashion moment.

Readers' tips to the best vintage clothing shops

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:18:00 GMT

Been there readers recommend their favourite places to stock up on retro outfits and vintage pieces, in the UK and abroad

UK AND IRELAND

Winning tip: The House of Avalon, York

This shop is full of quirky surprises. After picking through a stunning array of vintage gear, from gorgeous tea dresses to sparkling handbags and headgear, you can enjoy tea and cake in the cafe, where classic films are projected on to a screen. You can also get your hair styled into a retro do. The shop is a project of the Avalon Group, which provides work opportunities to people with learning disabilities.
Apillay

• 5 High Petergate (+44 (0)1904 622055, thehouseofavalon.org.uk)

W Armstrong & Son, Edinburgh

W Armstrong & Son (founded in 1840) on the Grassmarket is the heart of Edinburgh vintage. It has room after room filled with genuine military uniforms and jackets and 1940s fancy dress, complete with trunkfuls of top hats, wigs and Venetian masks. Other vintage gems can also be found at shops along Teviot Place and Frederick Street.
Lucejane

 • 81-83 Grassmarket (+44 (0)131 220 5557, armstrongsvintage.co.uk)

Vintage Warehouse, Nottingham

A big vintage emporium with loads of cool clothes. It is fairly jumble sale-like and requires a good trawl, but I've acquired some great finds here. There is a £1 bargain pit with some nice materials if you rummage. Even if you don't buy anything, it's a fascinating place to wander around.
Lottieback

• 82-84 Lower Parliament Street, +44 (0)7578 763873

Southsea, Portsmouth

There's a selection of vintage shops in the Albert Road area. Start with Tango Tea's flapper and art deco collection then on to Style in the City and the One-Eyed Jockey with clothes from the 1970s or, for a real 1950s feel, step into Dead Man's Glory and bop to skiffle music while riffling through the rails.
JayDee25

• albertroad.insouthsea.co.uk

The Real McCoy, Exeter

Tucked away at the end of the kitsch McCoy's Arcade is the even more kitsch The Real McCoy. With its baby pink colour scheme and 50s cafe to entice you in, the shop is an archetypal Aladdin's Cave. Gorgeous replica clothes, real vintage coats, waistcoats, pyschedelic 60s dresses and evening wear are scattered everywhere, and on the second floor you'll find leather jackets, jeans, fancy dress, and famous band T-shirts. Teenagers love it for prom wear. I love it for the hot chocolate in the cafe after a spending spree.
JillCarolineB

• Fore St, 21/21 McCoy's Arcade, +44 (0)1392 410481 therealmccoy.co.uk

CorinaCorina, Warwick

They take original vintage pieces, rescue, re-work and update them to create unique one-off garments. They also source and sell gorgeous, wearable vintage, everything from 1940s clothes to 1970s leathers and retro items.
Girldoesvintage

• 37 Smith St, +44 (0)1926 400087, corinacorina.com

Unicorn Vintage Clothing, Oxford

Step into Unicorn and you will find yourself standing in roughly three square feet of floor space, surrounded by piles upon piles of untamed clothing. You will soon be greeted by a helpful lady who, once you have requested an item, will dive - quite literally - into the realms of clothes and nearly always return (sometimes a considerable while later) brandishing the said item, be it bodice or brogues.
Gcahill

• 5 Ship Street

The Assembly Rooms, Lancaster

A vast range of second-hand clothes sold from a number of stalls under the one roof. From Bebe Babette Costumiere for rent or to purchase period clothing, to the wall-to-wall madness that is Malcolm's Place.
Andrew42

• King Street

The Northern Quarter, Manchester

Vintage addicts should head to the Northern Quarter for their daily dose. The number of vintage shops here has blossomed in recent years, with shops catering for all tastes. For girly, try Retro Rehab; for bargain basement go to Ryan Vintage. Those feeling altruistic have Oxfam Originals or for full on, whacked out craziness head to American Graffiti. Not to mention many more hidden backstreet gems. Failing that head straight to Afflecks Palace - possibly the world's only punk/goth/vintage/alternative department store.
BettyK

• Retro Rehab, Oldham Sreet, +44 (0)161 839 2050; Ryan Vintage, 46 Oldham Street, +44 (0)161 228 1495; Oxfam Originals, 51 Oldham Street, +44 (0)161 839 3160; American Graffiti, 10-14 Hilton Sreet, +44 (0)161 228 3677; Afflecks Palace, 52 Church Street, +44 (0)161 839 0718, afflecks.com

Urban Village, Birmingham

A fantastic vintage shop selling all sorts of quirky, cool and often mad wares from days gone by. There is also an excellent accessories and home section. Located in Digbeth's old Bird's Custard Factory, now a thriving centre for artists, designers and creators of all genres.
Cosmicgirl1600

• The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Digbeth, +44 (0)121 224 7367, urban-village.co.uk

Ding Dong Vintage, Durham

A classy jam-packed vintage store in the heart of Durham City. Many vintage designer pieces and friendly staff.
HeatherJaneSteeley

• 45 The Gates, Durham City, +44 (0)7887 536409

Fur Coat No Knickers, London

Fur Coat No Knickers is a vintage wedding dress shop in Kingly Court just off Carnaby Street. The dresses are mostly 40s and 50s pieces altered to fit by two girls who spent years in West End theatre fitting actors and actresses.
117words

• Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, +44 (0)20 7734 4338, furcoatnoknickers.co.uk

Rellik, London

My wardrobe is crammed with vintage and I love the fact each piece has its own secret story of previous lives and mistresses. There are so many great, low-cost vintage shops in London, but if you are searching for something special (with a price tag to match) then this tip is for you!

Rellik stands on its own down the end of Golborne Road, as if it's been snubbed by its Portobello peers. You will discover rail upon rail of designer names and high-quality pieces - a sleek 50s Dior suit, or some vintage Vivienne Westwood. It's all scandalously glamorous but also surprisingly wearable. And as you pass over your credit card you can relieve yourself of retail guilt by remembering that buying vintage means you can be more ethical while enjoying your individuality. As my mother would say as she trawls the charity shops: "second hand has soul".
Emsdarling

• 8 Golborne Road, +44 (0)20 8962 0089, relliklondon.co.uk

Radio Days, London

If you wanted a time machine - you've found it. Radio Days sells more than just clothes - packed with all sorts of collectible items, you could stock up on everything you might need to move back in time, from magazines through cups to clothing. As well as being wonderfully laid out, the staff/owners are extremely friendly and interesting and the stock is carefully chosen. It's a real experience.
Ladylouise62

• 87 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, +44 (0)20 7928 0800, radiodaysvintage.co.uk

Poppy Valentine, Norwich

Amazing clothing and handbags made from genuine vintage fabrics.
Flightydan

• 11 Royal Arcade, +44 (0)1603 928802, poppyvalentine.com

Bedlam, Derry, Northern Ireland

Come here Thursday to Sunday to find really great retro pieces. A variety of different stall-holders trade in this fabulous shop, located in the basement of an old 19th-century library, selling vintage clothes and furniture to antiques and lamps.
Elgee73

• Old Library, Great James Street

Enchanted Vintage, Co Sligo, Ireland

Enchanted Vintage's San Franciscan owner Victoria really knows her stuff. Clothes, bags, shoes, hats, jewellery, even wedding gowns, are sourced from America and the UK, and Victoria can tell you the history of each item. She guides you to colours and cuts to suit your shape, and accessories to match. Her knowledge and enthusiasm make her a real asset. There is a wonderful website, but nothing beats rifling through the racks yourself.

I was looking for a unique dress for an important ball, and snapped up a beautiful green and gold gown (very Irish, I know) for €120. No danger of bumping into someone wearing the same thing! Pre-ball, I went to meet up with friends in a local Dublin pub, and got stopped multiple times on the way there by strangers who wanted to know where I had bought my dress. I told them it was from a shop in Sligo, but assured them all it was well worth the drive.
Sinead2502

• Benbulben Centre, Rathcormac, +353 71 914 6680, vintageclothing.ie

EUROPE

Garage, Berlin, Germany

I can't recommend this shop enough. Floral dresses, retro college jumpers, patterned leggings, and jeans, jeans, jeans! I found a pair of perfectly fitting Levi's for €7. They charge €14 a kilo on much of their stock. My sister and I spent a good couple of hours there because we were spoilt for choice and had limited luggage space.
Ellieetc

• Ahornstraße 2, Schöneberg, +49 30 2112760

Episode Vintage, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The London branch of this shop is nothing compared with this one, which focuses on the 70s and 80s. For girls looking for sequins it's paradise; guys wanting tapered trousers or casual flannel will be just as pleased.
Rkswaine

• Waterlooplein 1, Old Centrum area or Berenstraat 1, Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) area, episode.eu/splash.jsp

De 9 straatjes (the 9 little streets), Amsterdam

In the city centre, between the Singel and the Prinsengracht and behind the Royal Palace, are nine little streets dotted with interesting shops, galleries, places to eat, and the best vintage shops. I love Laura Dols for fabulous party dresses for the ladies and classic dinner jackets and morning suits for the gents. You can pick up a pair of gloves there for €5 or an 80s ballroom dancing dress for €100. For vintage day wear my favourite places are Zipper and Exota. Zipper stocks original synthetic sports clothing as well as leather jackets and jeans with prices ranging from €10 to €100. Exota does great floral dresses in the €50 price bracket.
augustevp

• de9straatjes.nl; Laura Dols on Wolvenstraat (lauradols.nl); Zipper (zipperstore.nl) and Exota (exota.com), both on Hartenstraat.

AND BEYOND ...

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, US

The whole area around Williamsburg's Bedford Avenue – the home of many New York hipsters – has so much affordable vintage on offer that many shops sell it off the footpath - a cheap way to buy vintage clothes and the stuffy musky smell of most thrift stores is not an issue.
Emigood

• Bedford Avenue

Red Light Vintage Clothing, Seattle, US

This place is seriously amazing – I was so overwhelmed by the array of clothes, I had to go three times. They have designer pieces, costumes for fancy dress and even clothes from the turn of the 20th century. I think you could buy something for any occasion.
nic12

• 312 Broadway Avenue East (+1 206 329 2200, redlightvintage.com)

Ziggurat Fashion Emporium, Wellington, New Zealand

A great selection of vintage clothing, shoes and accessories plus rails of more recent second hand New Zealand designer labels.
Outies

• 144 Cuba Street, +64 4 385 1077