Calling all London mums - best shops to test prams in Central London?

[corgikelly]

I posted this on the Products board, but I'm trying to maximise the potential for success...

I live in Brussels but am in London pretty regularly for work, and will be at the end of this week. I'm staying for the weekend at least in part just to test drive prams (the selection in Brussels is the pits!) -- so I need to know what the best shop options are in Central London. I want to get my hands on as many as possible! So far I'm doing:

Pram Shop in Notting Hill
John Lewis (Oxford Street)
Mothercare (Oxford Street)

Where else can I go? Time and transport options are relatively limited; a good chunk of Saturday is going to be taken up with my boss' hen spa party, so I'm focusing on Central London. But if pram test-driving utopia is a long tube ride away, I'm still game!

TBH I would just go to John Lewis, they have got a big selection there.

Make nursery appointment with John Lewis Oxford Street - you're then guaranteed an hour of one to one attention trying out prams (big selection) and other baby stuff

If you're going to John Lewis, then you might as well go to Mamas & Papas (diagonally across the road on Regent Street)

yes John Lewis. It's worth researching online in advance - the mothercare site is good. (more choices online than in-store.)

I live around the corner from the Pram shop in Notting Hill and found them absolutely rubbish. I walked in eager to chat to someone as its a small shop and was completely ignored - I stood around like an idiot for ages while a woman sat perusing a magazine on a beanbag and another woman sat in the back office doing some paperwork. Both knew I was there but ignored me - even the toddler in the shop looked miffed at a customer walking in. I walked out feeling terribly embarrased by the whole experience - highly unrecommended.

Thanks for the input, everyone. I tried to get a consultation appointment at John Lewis, but the woman had to stop herself from snorting out loud at my hope of getting one with less than two months' notice...so I guess we'll be on our own.

Why am I not surprised that a Notting Hill pram shop would be rather snooty? I'm prepared for that, and I'm really just curious to see an Emmaljunga pram "in the flesh" can't find them anywhere in Belgium so I figure if they ignore me, I'll just start playing with the merchandise uninvited! But Oxford/Regent Street will definitely be the main focus.

there is a shop on the Northcote Rd but the name escapes me

Lilliput in Battersea but ring first as I think they are closing down

John Lewis is fine without an appointment - you'll just have to wait for a while to grab someone who works there. If you can swing it so that you go during the week, possibly in the morning you'll have more luck.

Mamas and Papas always have loads of staff on hand, so pop there from JL, they're very close. Then you could whizz up to Mothercare near Marble Arch (2 stops up) and you'll have three places covered.

Oh, don't get me started on the Notting Hill Pram Shop. Just appalling service. Spent a fair deal of money with them only to find when I went to collect my order that it wasn't complete and constantly got fobbed off as to when they might actually get the right products in to fulfill my order. Absolutely dreadful.

JL on Oxford Street is ace.
Also there is a big Mamas and Papas near topshop - top of Regent Street I think.

The shop on the Northcote Rd is OK. We went in there last Sunday afternoon with DH on a whim, they were busy but we got good service and had someone show us everything we wanted and tell us their perceived pros and cons of the prams we are thinking about. It's a tiny shop but they do have lots of models. It's called Peppermint and is a 10mn walk from Clapham Junction, straight down St John's Rd, which then turns into the Northcote Rd. It's on the right hand side.

I hold a selection of fine vintage coachbuilt prams, Wilson, Silver Cross, nanny prams. I also have a selection of new Silver Cross prams. I hire out my prams at very reasonable prices, from short to long term hire.

Coachbuilt prams offer baby the complete rest, ideal for strolling, or simply resting in the garden on a beautful summers day. Old fashioned, maybe, but it does allow your little one the perfect rest.

Please contact me for my telephone number.

I second peppermint on northcote rd. No appointment and they were fab, also put pram together and gave us another lesson when we collected it.
They do Internet price match too.
Customer service lady was super helpful and they courierred something I left in the shop to my home for free(!)

Forgot to say was really disappointed with jl as am normally a big fan but found the assistants disinterested ( I went without an appointment and it seemed like a heinous crime).

Salters at freed mans on barking road in E6 were knowledgable and flexible.

Have Lunch afterwards in Tippy's cafe further down barking road towards east ham town hall. .it looks like a cheapy caf, but the Thai food is amazingly tasty

I thought mother care had been demolished on oxford st...am I confused?

depends what brands you are looking for. jl is very good, but they don't stock stokke- harrods does.