To feel uncomfortable in Harrod’s?

[Chocolattay]

I went in with my mum and baby recently on a day trip to London. I obviously knew I wouldn’t get very far with my measly £200 spends but I thought I could at least get earrings or something for baby.

Goodness me, I was very quickly humbled. I immediately felt insecure. Staff buzzing around me constantly and when I said “Oh I’m just looking around” they stared me down and walked off.

I just felt very unwelcome and inadequate the whole time. We did have a meal in one of the restaurants which was nice but I couldn’t get away quick enough afterwards. It didn’t help that we ended up getting lost for half an hour trying to find the exit, and the area with the escalators etc made me claustrophobic.

I breathed a sigh of relief when we got out. Then I went and spent my money in the nearby Zara instead.

All my friends say they love snooping around Harrods but I hated it. Anybody else?

[quote NeedAHoliday2021]@Thewiseoneincognito there’s lots in Harrods for under £200 [/quote]
Exactly, it's a department store!

Liberty is definitely not just for tourists. It's my favourite shop, I've been going there since I was a nipper. The building is amazing, great location and lots of interesting Liberty products

I always take family when I they are visiting UK they love it we go to the chocolate bar (it’s tucked away easy to miss) ds of course used to love the toy department

I used to work there some of the staff are very judgmental and some waiting to bag a rich husband. I really had no understanding of what wealth truly was (even though I grew up in a area of London that had a lot of old money) it’s staggering

It was nothing for women to spend £500-£1000 on makeup or buy a few designer bags (worked in luxury goods goods and perfumery hall) middle easter customers nearly always paid in cash and would carry around thousands of pounds

One customer asked to look a little black clutch bag, it was plain nice soft leather she took her time looking at it then asked the price I remember it being £800 and she replied oh thats not too made and a good price for such a sweet little bag at the time I wasn’t earning much more that that a month. She didn’t buy it but bought another bag (it’s seemed better value to me)

Better stock than Selfridges. There I said it.

(as an aside, does the word "spends" enrage anyone else?)

Yes, glad I'm not the only one...

Middle Eastern (not Easter) 😳

When I was a child we'd go straight to the pets department. It was only puppies and tortoises back then as they'd stopped selling alligators and lions etc.

What a nice thread thinking of all these old shops.
I remember the last time I went to Selfridge's, some bloke set his coat on fire. Hed been smoking a pipe and but it in his pocket (because you weren't allowed to smoke pipes in Selfridge's) . Then clouds of smoke started following him. An assistant in the makeup department got his coat off him and jumped up and down on it to put the fire out.
It's a real shame so many department stores have closed.

I can see how it can feel intimidating to the unseasoned shopper. It’s usually always busy with both wealthy people and those of limited means, many of whom play the ‘look at me I’m in Harrods’ game. It’s a tourist destination and if you accept it for what it is you can easily pass a few hours.

The staff are always lovely, Laduree cafe is great for coffee and ice cream and the accessories halls are brimming with treasures galore.

Harrods is just a shop, it’s really sad how anyone can feel intimidated by it!

DD and I went there in January. As we got off the escalator and was stood there trying to get our bearings we noticed a statuesque couple dressed fully in matching white and gold Hermes patterned clothing (he had sliders on in January FGS) stood necking right in the middle of walkway. They were clearly stood there to make themselves look as conspicuous as possible.

I felt a bit underdressed in my puffer coat with rucksack on my back 😂

Such a long time since I've been in London but i used to love Peter Jones, Selfridges (feels so light and airy compared to Harrods) and Liberty.

I suppose Harrod's is one of those things that always seems quite glam and interesting but the reality isn't quite as good?

(gosh @YellowAndGreenToBeSeen 'spendy' makes my eye twitch)

A friend of mine worked in Harrod’s for a brief period of time. She quit when a small child CLICKED HIS FINGERS AT HER to summon her over

O/T but that puts me in mind of time we spent at a downmarket Majorcan hotel when the waiter was berated by a five year old who'd apparently been WAITING for the tray of jelly he was bearing.

However the kid didn't end up wearing it has always been beyond me...

@sageandbasil

My old boss loves Harrods because "they greet you at the door by name" They don't greet me at the door by name letttt me tell you

Reminds me of one of my husband’s colleagues “oh I adore Nobu, it’s like my sitting room. You always bump into all of your friends there!” Um, nope. Nobody I know eats there multiple times a week.

She wasn’t even a massive earner, just spent her entire disposable income on overpriced sushi, as far as I can tell.

I used to love the toy department! I took dc when they were younger and they just wanted to go to Hamleys.

Totally with you on feeling claustrophobic in there.
Liberty’s on the other hand is my paradise.

I can understand why Harrods is intimidating

The wealth is beyond what many of us see in everyday life

Most staff are very nice (such a mix of staff too some real eccentrics) but some are not

It’s a great shop to look around and many things can’t be bought for £200 or less even if it is Harrods marmalade (which is very nice)

Did your infant really really want earrings from Harrods? Yabu.

I last went there when I had my 4mo baby. I found it extremely dull. John Lewis on Oxford Street is a much better day out.

@HRTQueen I forgot about the marmalade!

The op wasn’t planning to buy earrings for her infant

And so what if she was

@AppleNo8

Yes, she has very expensive taste. I once got her earrings from Selfridge’s and she promptly projectile vomited on them after seeing that they were Ted Baker and not Gucci. And she was also fuming I’d gotten them in Selfridge’s.

I used to love a mooch round harrods on a day trip to london. Not been for years but went last week. And was also disappointed. The pet department is rubbish now and all dog related.