To find Trago Mills one of the weirdest shopping experiences I've ever had...

[Nancery]

On holiday last week we ended up in Trago Mills as we wanted to buy DS (22m) a tractor as we'd gone on holiday with no toys. I'd heard vaguely about it via my former partner who used to bicker with his mother about it (he refused to set foot in the place due to it's bizarre political messages and umpteen other reasons, his mum thought he was being ridiculous as it's cheap!) but didn't know loads. Well... From the signs around the building informing you you will be prosecuted for stealing the plants around the moat, the signs about shoplifting and the consequences almost everywhere you look, the having to queue to to have your receipt and bags checked, the extraordinary statues of the 'money grabbing tax man' or anti Europe posters - I am
Bonkers. All of it! And more than a little bit sinister.
And the place was bloody packed!!

I've clearly not lived have I?!

It's in Torbay
My inlaws love it !

I'd forgotten about the existence of this place and it's bizarre security systems!

We used to get taken there as kids, and the paranoia of losing your receipt was insane.

But did you get a tractor?

Is it in Cornwall? I vaguely remember going past years ago ans dh saying he had terrible memories of being dragged around there by his parents, oh and his nana loved it in there.

Seems to be the pace of dreams and nightmares in equal measure - I want to go there to see myself

coconutty I will try to find links...

It is very odd but good value. Don't recall having bags and receipts checked.

It's famous/notorious in the west country

What happens if you've lost your receipt? Do they call the police? Does your stuff get taken off you?

I'm having all kinds of flashbacks just on seeing the name of the place!

Not been there for at least thirty twenty years, but the memories are vivid.

I had to Google it coconutty, it sounds Welsh, but they're stores in Devon and Cornwall. One in Newton Abbott. I want to go now to see!

There was a weirdy shop in Boscastle we got dragged round as kiddies

We went in a few years ago while on holiday, it was like a massive, cheap garden centre shop, all piled high and badly lit.

Is it that strange candy coloured castle place that you can see from the motorway in Devon? Always wondered what it sells, sounds weird and possibly wonderful ps what does it sell?!

vivalabeaver I wish I'd tried that! No idea! I am half imagining security brandishing machine guns whisking you off.

I like Trago mills :-) my friend lives round the corner from the one near Bovey Tracey, and we take the kids on the little railway when I go to stay with them.

There are three branches, two in Cornwall wall and one in Devon. Known here as Janner Disney land!

It is pretty grotty inside, I agree. At least the parts we quickly rushed through, I didn't stop and browse...

Trago Mills is like the cheap Disneyland for Janners. There's one in Liskared, Flamouth and Newton Abbot. Über cheap but the dad who founded it (has since passed) was rigidly against Europe and refused to take any card payments. Bags etc are checked when you leave but then there's the obligatory miniture trains, fun fair and ice-cream parlours are there for fun fun fun!

OP - embrace the experience. One of us. One of us. One of us

I have no idea what happens if you lose your receipt, I just recall mass group meltdowns when people thought they had lost their receipt! The fear of all the signs, guards, and turnstiles was immense.

I also recall getting stuck out side once, because I thought my parents had gone out, so went through, and got security checked but then discovered they hadn't. But I couldn't go back in with what I'd bought since I'd already been stamped, and I couldn't' get in the car to stash it either. I was only about 9, but they wouldn't let me back in with goods at all, despite not being able to find my parents.

tshirtsuntan Yes, that's the Devon one! They sell all sorts of stuff. You can get some really good deals on home stuff like tiles and rugs.

I went to the one near Bodmin. Looked like Eva Braun ought to be hanging out the window. No idea what others look like

It's a very strange shop. Like a mock-up of how a totalitarian dystopian society would buy cheap crap for their homes.

Bizarre place there were peacocks at the one I went to

SEmyarse - that's outrageous!

I'm so glad theres someone else who feels like this about the place. I went once to the cornwall one with now exp, we both came away saying wtf? Never again!

I got dragged to the newton abbott one a few years later by a friend and although my ds who was a toddler at the time loved the little train I still found it a bit bizarre and scary!

An outlet place where you can buy a kitchen?? Wow!

shop.trago.co.uk/ex-display-kitchens-467-c.asp