to be shocked at the price of childrens shoes, (I know I am, I think) but going to moan anyway!!!

[HappyNewYearFeet06]

Lol, its that time of year where we queue for hours to get our dc's new shoes for school.

My 2 yr old dd decided she would grow too so she needs new shoes too. She is too narrow for Clarks so one trip to Startrite and £34 later, eeeek!

Still need to get 2 pairs of school shoes and new uniform for ds who is going to a new school.

Ho hum, I feel better now!

[Themasterandmargaritas]

Think yourselves all incredibly lucky, we can get Start Rite shoes here in Kenya, but the price after import duty, tax etc is about £10 on top of what you are all paying. I have spent £100 in the last week on 1 pair of school shoes for dd and 1 pair for ds. I have tried to buy locally made Bata shoes which are brilliant value, but sadly they just fall apart too quickly and I know the Start-Rite ones will last.

Like the Start-Rite outlet in Norfolk, we lived very near to Clark's Village in Somerset and before I left I bought dd the next size up school shoes for £10, 2 pairs of sandals for £4 and a pair of first walkers for ds2 £8. Obviously I am not getting that measuring expertise but I thought I got some good bargains. Sadly dd's feet didn't grow quite as much as I had anticipated so hence the vv expensive Start-Rites

[ShowOfHands]

I'll explain anyway as I've got to run.

It's on Broadland Business Park North. If you're in the city you drive down the Prince Of Wales Road towards the train station, over the crossroads and follow the road round the back of the train station, signposted Yarmouth/A47. Keep going and following signs for Great Yarmouth until you come to a big roundabout signposted the Broadland Business Park North. About 10 minutes from the city centre in a car (or on the 17 bus).

If you're coming from outside Norwich then get off the A47 at the Postwick exit (east of the city) and follow signs for Broadland Business Park North.

It's near Makro.

I can be more detailed if that doesn't make sense.

[Mercy]

If your children have average feet, then try TKMax (not sure if they do school type shoes though tbh).

Dd and I are also cursed with narrow feet and heels; there are only certain styles we can wear - so I don't think feet 'normalise' unfortunately.

[ShowOfHands]

pop1973 It's only open on weekdays and I think it closes at 4pm. Very busy in school holidays. Do you know Norwich before I start explaining where it is?

[onepieceoflollipop]

ShowofHands sounds like you have found a great solution as well.

[pop1973]

Does anyone know where the Startrite factory is in Norwich and how to get to it, opening hours etc.

[ShowOfHands]

Went to Brantanos. Nothing fitted. They tried shoe after shoe. I'm not buying into a delusion. I tried everwhere. Only Startrite fit atm. And they cost me £8 from an outlet store, I'm hardly being ripped off.

[CarGirl]

yes I forget we've been "blessed" with the narrow heels too - arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I had heels spurs removed as a teenager which made shoe shopping much easier tbh before that it was even worse.

[onepieceoflollipop]

listen to collision ladies. (and Cali who said it first)

We had first class treatment in Brantano. £11 for a pair of leather shoes. The cheaper ranges may not come in official width sizes, but the staff know (and tbh parents can see immediately) which are the wider and narrower sized shoes. (much the same as when most adults buy shoes really)

My friend was very when I paid £11 and she paid £36 for Startrite. Also I had excellent customer service.

The Clarks Delusion I call it.

[ShowOfHands]

Nope, legs too chubby. Her feet are only a 4 in length but she's got seriously chubby feet and legs. Can't get her legs into the wellies with all the trying in the world.

I'm not bothered by cheap shoes, I just can't find any to fit.

[Tittybangbang]

DD has feet like flippers - wide toes, narrow heels. Startrite are the only shoes that fit her properly.

[CarGirl]

DD2's feet have become narrow over time so "normalised" but I have nightmare feet.

Summer = birkenstocks
winter = boots

trainers occasionally (had to get childrens ones to get extra wide to fit)

It is horrific I need extra wide fitting but only haave size 3 feet and they mostly don't do extra wide until a size 4.

Unfortunately dd3 seems to have inherited my feet but at least she will be at least a size 5 as an adult to make it easier.

Ugg boots though are generally wide and are soft so will mould to different feet shapes - hence I wear leather boots - oh but they have to zip down to the base of the ankle else I can't them on........I can't wear uggs for that reason.

[happyhoney]

Have stopped doing the clarkes/startright thing - after reading threads on here about them being a rip - off.

[ShowOfHands]

But riven, you forget that children often have rolls of fat they've stored (my dd certainly does) so the high arches only exacerbate the problem of very round feet. Adults don't have the same chubby, rounded little feet that need to grow and develop normally, not be squished into something that cuts into them.

[ShowOfHands]

I have the same issue as CarGirl. I spent weeks and weeks going to every conceivable shop for shoes. The only place I eventually found was the Startrite outlet. DD is a 4I with an extremely high instep so all shoes either don't even go over her toes or cut in and leave weals.

[CarGirl]

Believe me I have tried cheapo shoes, dd3 cannot get her feet in them because of her high arches, they cut into the top of her foot. It really is a desperate hunt to find anything that fits, especially as school have banned boots!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMO clarks shoes are useless startrite have always sold a much wider variety of styles so there is something to fit IME

[collision]

but why did you all give in to Clarks and Startrite when there was the huuuuuuge long thread from Cali that we were all being brainwashed by Clarks??

do you see other children in different countries walking badly with deformed feet because they are not wearing Clarks??

I realised Cali was right when I went into the shop and ds2 was measured as a 8.5H. 'sorry we dont have that size so we shall re-measure and give you an 9G and hope that it is OK!'

' no thanks,' I replied to the 17 yr old shopgirl...'I will leave it for now.'

DS2 does have wide feet but I am not going to be conned again by them. He doesnt need school shoes yet. DS1 needed some and we went to NEXT and they seem fine. I have kept the receipt and will see how long they last.

DONT CAVE IN TO CLARKS BRAINWASHING TECHNIQUE!!!

[ShowOfHands]

Fimbo, my dd isn't old enough for school yet! That's why it's cheaper for me I suspect. Most school shoes are £14 I think. They have one pair that fits dd usually as she has extremely wide, high feet so we just get what we're given. But they fit and protect her feet. Whaddya know there are advantages to living in Norfolk...

[Mammina]

thanks (looks on the map to see where livingston is

[muggglewump]

A lovely Mnetter sent me Clarks for DD but otherwise she has Shoezone/Asda/Woolies shoes.
I can't afford the prices Clarks charge and when I bought her them once when she was about 2 they were too big, gave her blisters and she tripped over her feet.
I don't buy the Clarks for kids thing.

That said I went in today to look for shoes for me (Job Centre are paying) and they said they start in a 4. Great when my feet are size 2-3.

[CarGirl]

I live in Surrey - where is the outlet shop????? She is an adult 5 anyway btw, how much are those do you reckon????