Overview, Glasgow

Spending the day shopping is really not my idea of fun, but Glasgow has the reputation of having the best shopping outside of London, and when I absolutely have to go shopping Glasgow is somewhere I know I can buy anything I need. If it's clothes you're looking for and you are not on a tight budget then Buchanan Street will be the place for you. For those on a tighter budget either go during sale times (best sales being after Christmas) or you will find plenty of 'TK Maxx' stores around the city.

What to buy: If you are interested in Scottish whisky there is a shop specialising in the various types in the Princess Arcade on Buchanan Street. If you are interested in buying a kilt or kilt accesories then you will find these up the top of Buchanan Street (can't remember the name of the shop, but think it might be 'MacGregors').

Sauchiehall Street is Glasgow's most famous thoroughfare, partly because of its Scottish-sounding music-hall name, partly because it is such a popular street for shopping. Sauchiehall Street was always noted for its quality shops, with stores such as Pettigrew and Stephens, Copeland and Lye, Daly's, Hendersons - but Watt Bros is the only one to survive from these early days. When shops only opened for five and a half days a week, Sauchiehall Street always closed on Saturday afternoon. More "working class" customers did their shopping in the slightly more down-market Argyle Street, where the shops closed on Tuesday afternoons. Sauchiehall Street always had a good number of tearooms for the benefit of thirsty shoppers and the most famous was Miss Cranston's "Willow Tea-Rooms" (matching the name of the street).

What to buy: You can shop anything & everything from the high street shops on this Street. Clothing & Entertainment everything is there.......

What to pay: Its depends which shop you going to...

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For serious shoppers, Glasgow has it all, from the stylish Italian Centre, to the traditional Fraser's, and Victorian Argyll Arcade for jewelry and Princes Square for trendy shops and cafés. Princes Square is a blend of old and new architecture. There is the 1990s glass and steel St Enoch's Square and even more modern Buchanan Galleries. The rather magnificent interior of Frasers is worth a look, as is the Argyll Arcade. City centre shops are concentrated in Argyll Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street which form a kind of Z. Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch Centre are in this area, although the Italian Centre on Ingram Street is a few streets away. Here are some photos of some of the shops.

If you are a shopaholic then the city centre is a must. Glasgow is home to all the usual 'high street stores' and a few less usual ones too! The two main shopping streets are Sauchiehall Steet and Argyle Street. There are also shopping centres in the centre of the city ('malls' as our North American friends would call them) - the St Enoch's Centre, Buchanan Galleries and Princes Arcade being the main ones.
If you prefer out-of-town shopping try Braehead (which has the advantage of being open in the evenings) or East Kilbride. There is also Glasgow Fort but I hesitate to recommend it as I haven't been there.

What to buy: Anything and everything!

What to pay: It depends on what you buy and where you buy it!

Along Buchahan and Sauchiiehall St's there are many shops to choose from, Mrs Bonio definately impressed, does little for me though - sorry!