Shopping
Although like many British cities Derby, Nottingham and Leicester have suffered from what advertising people in London call ‘generic’ high streets, the 3 cities also have a lot to offer the boutique shopper. In each of the East Midland’s main towns you will find interesting and locally run lanes of shops providing all the latest fashions.
Nottingham
Nottingham’s Lace Market and Flying Horse Walk are both fine examples of local businesses fighting back and you can find more than a dozen chic designer outlets operated there by local people.
However, world famous fashion brands have also set up their own stores, including Hugo Boss and local lad Paul Smith.
For those who want the mega mall experience Nottingham has that too in the shape of the 120-shop Victoria Centre with everything from John Lewis to House of Fraser. The city also has a handful of other malls in and around the centre including the Broadmarsh Centre which is perfect for the big weekend shop.
Leicester
Leicester’s ethnic flavour provides it with an edge in terms of retail mixture with Indian jewellers and fabric shops around the Belgrave Road area providing colour to any shopping trip. Like all modern towns, Leicester has its obligatory mega mall – theirs is known as The Shires and has everything from Karen Millen to Toni & Guy, as well as all the usual chain names.
Another card up Leicester’s sleeve for discerning shoppers is the historic Haymarket Square area of town. The narrow pedestrianised lanes and collection of arts, crafts and fashion boutiques rival those of Nottingham and yet are still considered to have their own unique character.
Derby
Facing this kind of shopping competition it is no surprise that the smaller Derby does not rank as highly as its East Midlands siblings. But it does have some curiosities which will attract. One shopping gem of the town is the Victorian Market Hall – a great piece of homely British architecture which houses a flea market, food stalls and cosy cafes. This should refresh Londoners tired of the brashness of Oxford Street.
As with its larger siblings Derby also has a small arts and crafts area known as the Sadler Gate as well as the ubiquitous mega mall in the shape of the Eagle Shopping Centre with retailers from Argos to French Connection.
Beyond the civic centres are, of course, hundreds of small villages and a smattering of market towns like Melton Mowbray of pork pie fame. Shoppers looking for farm fresh food from locally grown vegetables to Christmas turkeys will find Good Life-style satisfaction.
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