Where in the UK do you think has the best shopping?

[TheTurnOfTheScrew]

12yo DC1 wants a shopping trip for her birthday. We do actually live 15mins drive from the centre of a big city with decent shops, but to make it more of an occasion I'm up for going somewhere different - even doing an overnight trip if I can get a decently priced Premier Inn. Where do you rate?

Depends

Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, Leicester or London

I'd say Manchester but really it depends what kind of shopping you want. Manchester has Affleck's Palace and the Northern Quarter (lots of artsy/geeky/alternative shops) and big high street shops in both the Arndale and the Trafford Centre but not a great deal in the way of high end brands so if your twelve year old wants to go shopping for Vivienne Westwood handbags and Jimmy Choo shoes London is probably your best bet.

Westfield Stratford is the best shopping centre I've been to in the UK. And Oxford St has everything so that's always a good option.

Bath has a very very good selection

Milton Keynes

I did a trip to Leeds with my 15 year old niece and she loved it!!

Westfield Stratford is the most depressing place on earth. Bluewater is good down south if you want a shopping centre.

Westfields Shepherds Bush is wonderful.

I would say Westfield is the best mall but as you want an overnight stay, I'd definitely go to the Trafford Centre in Manchester and stay at the Premier Inn over the rioad. Hope you have fun!

I am not super-keen on London for shopping (this is not general anti-London bias - I lived happily there for years but always found Oxford St/Covent Garden/Bluewater a bit soulless, although admittedly haven't been to either Westfield).

We definitely have no need for high-end designers! Just somewhere pleasant to wander with a good mix of High Street stores and ideally a few independents/alternative shops, and some decent lunch options.

There is lots of high end shops in Manchester, also the Vivienne Westwood shop itself.

Liverpool.

Manchester
Great range from Primark to designer
Big enough to have everything but small enough to navigate easily.
Leeds ok but Manchester is better

Brighton’s great if you want alternative shops and has most of the high street brands, although not sure what they’re like for teenagers / pre-teens. No good department stores though.

I second Leeds and if you are staying overnight a side visit to York by train or the cityzap bus is easy

I’ve also heard Nottingham is good but I haven’t been myself

Frequency Manchester has a wonderful VW shop and there's a Jimmy Choo concession in Selfridges!

It certainly doesn't compare to London but is much more manageable for a day out. If you had two days you could do the Trafford Centre as well ...

Leeds. I had a rather soul-less business meeting there, and did a detour via the shops on the way home, hadn't realised how good it was.

Bath is lovely. Decent shops and just pretty in general.

Bluewater is good down south if you want a shopping centre.

I don't think Bluewater's that special, not for a birthday trip. And there isn't really anything else to do nearby. I'd look for a city centre, to give the experience of visiting somewhere different, and a choice of other things to do if you get tired of shopping. I like the idea of having an overnight stay in a hotel, though.

(And I'm another person who loves London but doesn't really rate Oxford St.)

Leeds has a really lovely indoor market with lots of alternative shops.

I can vouch for Leeds and the Meadowhall Sheffield is pretty good or the Trafford Centre.

Chester. And you can finish the day with a trip on the river.

Another vote for Bath, some interesting shops, and with other things to see too, also quite compact so easily walkable.

Also with Manchester there are a couple of good theatres so you do that in the evening if you’ve got any energy left