If you live in Surrey or Hampshire where do you go clothes shopping?

[Littlemiss74]

My nearest town is Guildford but I’ve noticesd since Covid lockdown so many of the shops have gone. Every time I go there now i find it hard to find anything I like & come back empty handed. I’m 48 and really unsure where to shop now for my changing body.
If you live in this area where is good to shop now?

Same so Guildford is my only real choice. I'm going to try Kingston as an alternative, friends go to Basingstoke but I wasn't blown away there, otherwise it's on line John Lewis with their easy returns as I find sizing can vary so much. M&S also now do huge range of labels, but again it's faff of ordering waiting and returning.

Kingston is better than Guildford IMO.

I usually end up going to Bluewater but it depends how far on which side of Guildford you live as to whether that would be feesible.

Kingston is very good imo but a long way from Hampshire. What about Reading?

Newbury is nice - quite a few independent shops. Or Winchester.

Sometimes West Quay in Southampton - when my dd really pushes me. However, usually it's London. Winchester is nice for a mooch - I like the Anthropologie and there's a couple of nice boutiques and a really good second-hand place near the Westgate - but there's no bettering London.

When I lived in Surrey, Kingston. Now I live in Hampshire, West Quay Southampton. Kingston is far better, I really miss it.

For the Kingston fans, any recommendations on where to park?

Winchester is terrible for shopping. I would probably go to Southampton or Basingstoke.

I quite like Gunwharf Quays. Haslemere has some nice independent clothes shops, or did pre-covid.

I mostly shop online.

Woking or Camberley

Camberley

The massive M&S in Camberley.

Mint Velvet in Farnham, but you have that in Guildford.

Where did you used to shop in Guildford?

I went the other day and felt like there were still a lot of options...?

Woking or Portsmouth

I park in the Bentall Centre in Kingston.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I also like Kingston but its a bit of a way. I haven’t been to Reading so that would be worth a visit. I’d love to go to Westfield in London at some point.
Some shop I used to go to in Guildford that are no more were Gap, Debenhams, New Look, Fatface, Joules & used to love House of Fraser but not anymore.

I'm in East Surrey but I just go to Bluewater or Westfield as they seem to be the only places where there is a lot of choice.

Kingston. Park in Eden Walk. Or 30 mins on the train to Victoria and a short hop to Peter Jones/Kings Road and Knightsbridge.

I find it’s really quick to get to Kingston if I take the train to Surbiton and hop on a bus. You can’t beat it for shopping really. West Quay is awful

I park in John Lewis in Kingston because it only has 2 levels, I hate manoeuvring my long car around all the tight corners in the Bentall centre one. I also did jury service there once and used to get the train to Surbiton then, as it’s a nice walk into Kingston centre.

Parking in Kingston depends on which direction you're coming from. Bentalls from Kingston Bridge . I disagree with JL, the corners are very tight. From the south, Eden Walk avoids going round the one-way system.

West Quay is fine fir your usual high street stores.

For general mooching, Regent Street and Carnaby Street.

There is literally no point to Portsmouth for shopping. Gunwharf for pickets, yes. Chichester for a mooch but even then, a load of places closed.

Bracknell is good as it's been done up so no empty shops on the main outside part. Cant beat Kingston. I park just off the roundabout from county hall so you dont have to drive right into the hideous town centre find round.

Camberley is good. My perfect shopping trip is going into Kent.

It's really sad how Guildford has deteriorated. Plus its 3 hours minimum parking now. It's ok if you have a set idea of what you want and where but mooching about window shopping with so many empty shops and the hill now? Not worth the hill 😂

I'm north east hants- right on the Hampshire/Surrey border. Guildford and Winchester are ok if you want to spend lots and are looking for Hobbs/Jigsaw etc. my parents live In Southampton so I'd saw Westquay for more middle of the row stuff.

Last time I went to JL/Bentalls Kingston car parks you had to get there v early for a space (weekday) but this was pre covid. Eden Walk ok but a bit of a schlep if you have heavy shopping or it's raining.