What to buy in England
 

Last year when we went to Paris I asked this question and got some great ideas.

Now that we can get so much here in the states from other countries, what do you buy in England that you can't get here?

What do you bring back that you know is a better deal there than here or not available here at all!!!

We are only going to England.

Thanks

I cannot think of anything that you can't buy here, cheaper that Britain. I don't travel to shop however, I travel to see things and places different from where I live. Nothing wrong in spending time shopping, just not what I think travel is about.

Here's a recent thread with some ideas: http://tinyurl.com/c9eqje

In terms of clothes, etc., you won't find much that is either wildly different than that in the States or much cheaper. My list usually focuses on Lush products (I don't have one near me, and the things I buy are cheaper in the UK) and snack food. ;) If you're into tea, you can get some great ones.

Where in England are you going? That might get you more suggestions for local things.

I have never tried to buy Rx drugs in the UK but I bet they are cheaper than in the US.

I don't do much shopping on holidays either but always bring back a calendar of that country (so I have an entire year of lovely photos), an authentic regional cookbook and interesting foods/ingredients. In England we bring back interestingly-flavoured crisps that we cannot get in Canada for family, the housesitter, etc.

Cadbury's chocolate in England is the very best. The one we get in the US tastes totally different. You must at least try to taste one and see if you like it. I stock up on those. Many of the other items such as china by Royal Dulton etc. are available at various US stores, and are less expensive here.

Well all the usual locally knitted stuff in out of the way shops. Ditto mugs
The odder foods, marmite and patum pappareum (spelling), if nothing else pop into Waitrose and see what they have
Calander
I like Local publications of international books. For instance I have the US versions of the Dark Materials trilogy though I live in UK

In general, prescription drugs are only cheaper in the UK if you can get them on the NHS. Some drugs which are OTC here, Prilosec for example, still require a prescription in the UK. Not a good plan to count on prescription drugs as something to bring back because they are cheaper or readily available.

Also, for all travelers, chemists (pharmacies) don't do refills of current US prescriptions; you would need to see a doctor first to get a new presctiption written. So, take am ample supply of what you need for the trip and keep a list of the generic names separate from your drugs in case your drugs go missing.

Favorite things I like to bring back are blackcurrent jam and gold label tea, both from Marks and Spencer. They also do chocolate-covered toffee popcorn which is addictive.

Clotted cream fudge. Leads to clotted cream arteries.

Lots of good fudges at the better food halls (M&S, Harrod's, etc). And there's a wide variety of Cadbury sweets that you can get in UK but not US.

Nurofen plus -- it's advil plus codeine. Good stuff. And OTC in the UK.

And whisky -- many a Scotch, usually from independent bottlers, that you cannot find in the US. Go to Royal Mile Whiskies in London.

When I was there, I got some small china decorative pieces, a vase made in Britain. You could go to some specialty shop and get something British made. That would be your best bet or some type food that you can't find in the US.

The English have some lovely soaps and colognes-I love the Bronnley and Penhaligon products.

"You could go to some specialty shop and get something British made"

You might also find those pretty porcelain models of Gloucester Old Spot pigs flying in formation round the shop, whistling the Dam Busters' March.

But if you DO find anything British made, report it to the police immediately. They're lying.

Incidentally, it's just not true that "In terms of clothes...you won't find much that is either wildly different from the US".

Young women's fashion (as sold in British-owned places like New Look and TopShop) is very different from what you'll find in mass market US mall stores, though many old fogies are too fashion-blind to notice. The two major international chains, Zara and H&M, have slightly different clothes in the UK from those they sell in the US - and oddly they're cheaper in Britain (look at the pre-priced labels in the stores).

Primark sells much the same Chinese and Bangladeshi crap as Old Navy - but it's cheaper. And UK clothes prices, in £'s are falling 10% a year, while, in $'s, they're increasing slightly in the US. Factor in the collapse of the pound and real mass-market clothes prices are turning into a steal.

Wow... at 28, I'd never thought of myself as an old fogey. ;)

It is a bit different fashion, but not so different that I'd bring clothes back as a souvenir, which is what I thought the OP was getting at (though there's always the possibility that I'm mistaken). I always go to H&M when I'm there, but just because I don't have one near in the US and I heart H&M in general. My opinion is that if you like clothes shopping enough to spend your travel time doing it, go shopping. There are some good stores we don't have in the US. But if you don't want to shop, don't go out of your way to do it because you think the clothes are that different. Though perhaps flanner disagrees with me. :)

I like to buy things I can't get here. I'll look at the Lush products and candies. I do like to "pop into the stores" to see what they are showing. I've given up bringing gifts home...too expensive and the extra weight is no fun to haul around. As usual the drugstore will be where I start.

Thanks for your ideas. The days of bringing back wool sweaters are over!!!

we're headed to Bath, the Cotswolds and London if that means anything to anyone for local items.

Thanks again.

If you want to sell your firstborn to finance it, go to Charbonnel et Walker chocolate shop. Talk about addictive!

The little Lilliput Lane buildings are fun to bring back, and I enjoy drinking my morning coffee from a bone china mug I got at the China Reject shop (microwave and dishwasher safe).

I, too, travel to see places and things that are different from my home area. However, I still like to bring something back that reminds me of my trip. It doesn't really bother me that I may be able to get the same thing at home. I like to buy something of a more permanent nature rather than food items or "throw away" type souvenirs. I never even gave a thought to buying medications, but then I am fortunate enough to not have to take any medications on a regular basis.

My sister, daughter, and I just came back from London and we stocked up on scarves for ourselves and for gifts. Yes, you can buy many similar scarves here at home, but they are tons cheaper in London: Plain single-colored scarves are two for 5 pounds (about $3.75 each) and multi-colored ones are two for 10 pounds (about $7.50 each) at street vendors and souvenir shops. Nicer scarves can be found in nicer stores from 10 pounds and up. Here at home, even the cheapest scarves are at least $10 each. I'm still wishing we'd bought more for gifts.

We went to the markets in Camden Town Locks and found some very cute, original clothes for insanely good prices: very cute tops for 10 pounds and up. While there we found a wonderful candle maker who sold the most amazing scented candles for only 8 pounds each. I really wished I'd bought more of those. We also bought some original and very inexpensive T-shirts and toys to bring home to family

On Regent Street and Oxford Street we came across a few reasonably priced clothing stores and got a new coat and other tops.

I also brought back some candy bars that we don't have at home for my other children - my sons loved the Lion bars and the candy bars that are "for boys only."

I do like bringing home some of the typical "souvenir type" souvenirs, and I'm really happy with some of the golf towels, key chains and pens I brought back. These weren't expensive, and they make good gifts. They also make me smile every time I see them now at home.

"...the candy bars that are 'for boys only.'"

Right, Yorkies. The sides have "THEY'RE NOT FOR GIRLS" emblazoned upon them. No idea why a candy bar would be gender specific.

I would buy an Alex Begg cashmere scarf.

AvalonDive,

Thanks for the heads up about the market. Scarves are great since my DD lives in NYC.

I love bringing back trinkets. They so remind me of my trip, it makes the trip last longer because you bring it home with you.

I'm still using some hand lotion I bought in Paris last year, and we are going to France first for a few days and I promise you I will pick up more of it...since the Euro is better against the dollar right now...I'm hoping it will stay that way.

Keep those ideas coming. My friends are always amazed at the details I know about when I travel and it's all thanks to you guys.

Antiques.

I had a friend who made a living buying old Mercedes in England, shipping them back to the US and selling them here.

Except for shipping. I would probably suggest buying old furniture and art at the auction houses.

I have a small teapot I bought years ago. It was handpainted (no idea WHERE it was handpainted...) and is a cute scene of a meadow with sheep in it. I used to use it for steeping the tea each morning, now I just steep it right in the mug.

You can get PG Tips here in the US, so no need to bring them home. Other types of tea may be nice to find.

I collect Starbucks mugs (no laughing!) and you can find London city mugs there.

I always come home with tons of books. Waterstone's always seems to have a 3 for 2 sale going on, which may be a wash with the exchange rate, or maybe not. They also used to have the classics dirt cheap, no idea if they still do that (Penguin classics).

Depending where you live in the US, I'm skeptical you will find much in London that you can't get in the US. Some foodstuffs and Tylenol/Paracetamol with Codeine, for sure, but beyond that I struggle to think of too many items that aren't available in New York or LA. However, if you don't live in a major city in the US, then London has a lot of fashion that you simply won't find at your local Macys.

With the decline in the value of the pound, I've actually found prices in London to be pretty competitive. For luxury items, in particular, there are actually some bargains to be had.

Is Westaway and Westaway on Great Russell St. still a good place to buy cashmere sweaters?

Over the years I found interesting things at the made-in-Britain shops, such as lovely little Welsh soapstone boxes. We also like Cadbury's milk chocolate, which seems to be sweeter than what is exported to the U.S.

We usually shop the museum gift shops and often find delightful Christmas tree ornaments, note paper, calendars, et al along with interesting jewelry. We also stock up on tea at the supermarket and if Irish soda farls are available the day we're leaving, I stuff as many as will fit into the suitcase and freeze them as soon as we arrive home to enjoy over the next several months. For laughs, we seek out the most seriously unsophisticated souvenir T-shirts we can find. The one with the snarling bulldog is a particular favorite.

There has been a bit of a resurgance of union jack themed stuff recently.

Accessorize have a brilliant union jack sequinned clutch, Liberty have face and hand cream ('steam creme') in union jack tins, and loads of places are doing union jack doormats (the latter maybe not quite so luggage friendly, admittedly).

A flag as a doormat? That's interesting.

Regular tea - Typhoo Tea, Tetley's, brook bond, much cheaper than anywhere else and, IMHO, infinitely better.

http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/England_1.htm

We were in London about a month ago, and I struggled with where to buy some simple but memorable souvenirs. I did a little nosing around Oxford and Regent streets but didn't find much except the street vendors' scarves, which Avalon Dive mentioned. I bought one for my twenty-something daughter, and she's worn it nearly daily since.

I finally visited the National Trust shop on Caxton Street, and that was a real find. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...choolgiftshop/ It's got a nice selection of reasonably priced items: I got biscuits and tea and coasters and a book and a few other things. I recommend it. I liked the William Morris print bags they had and then noticed they were tied to an exhibit at the V&A. As our hotel was near the V&A, I decided to stop at the shop there and look at the bags. They had them, but in only one print, whereas the National Trust shop had three or four prints.

I'll just go there next time we're in London, and not shop anywhere else.

How about marmelade? Any suggestions for a good brand and a good place to shop for it?

Every day at the office I use my "Mind the Gap" mug I bought from a shop in one of the Tube stations (it's particularly meaningful as I bought it the day after the July 7 tube bombings) and at home, dish towels with the Tube map on them (wish I had a couple more).

Also, it's probably passe to buy blue Wedgewood pieces but I do enjoy the collection I've accumulated over several trips. Yes you can get it anywhere and probably ebay but that's not where I got them, and they are light small pieces (I'd bring a bit of bubble wrap).

Old books and prints. The are a number of shops on Museum Street opposite the British Museum. Ulysses at 40 Museum St. will ship for you as I'm sure will others.

I've a number of posters from the London Underground Museum in Covent Garden and the National Rail Museum in York. They are reproductions but there is a wide choice of subject matter: gardens, sports, the zoo, seascapes, shopping. You change with the seasons. I also like the special exhibition posters from the museums. A Pissaro poster from the 1993 exhibit at the Royal Academy is a great reminder of that visit. You can buy a tube to keep them safe while traveling home.

Replicas of cathedral bosses can be found in most of their gift shops and there has usually been a selection at the Crypt gift shop at St. Martin in the Field. They are molded from stone dust generated from renovations of the cathedral, about 4 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Quite heavy but a unique reminder of your visit.

I agree w/ jsmith about the underground museum gift shop. el-cheapo version, buy the tins at the airport dutyfree shops when leaving, they're the candy filled double decker bus, telephone booth, so on. while in the uk, drop into any supermarket and buy cheap uk tea bags, once home, take the good candy out for your personal pleasure and replace it w/ the cheap tea bags. gift wrap and your all-set. only recommended for the non-traveler.

Ten years ago on a trip to London a friend and I went to the London Hard Rock Cafe to buy a pin for a friend back home who collects them. A vendor nearby was selling sweatshirts with just the word "London" and the flag. He wanted 14P each but I asked if we could buy 2 for 20P since that's all I had and we were leaving the next day. I still have my sweatshirt, it was well made, hasn't shrunk and is colorfast. I saw my friend a few years back wearing hers and it was also in good shape. While not fancy, the shirt is warm for wearing around the house in winter or working in the yard. And something that I actually use and reminds me of that trip.

Also for those you feel obliged to bring back a little something I've purchased Harrods pens and coffee mugs.

Not sure if you've ever been to a LUSH store in the states, but when I was there this past February, everything is half the cost than what it is here in the states.

They've got great bath bombs, soaps, shampoos, etc at all half of what you'd pay in the states. My luggage smelled like the shop and I wish I would have gotten more!

www.lush.com
Check it out!

The London Transport Musuem shop recommendation (above) is a good one.

The reproduction travel posters are very affordeable, and they do slightly more quirky things like espresso cups with bits of the tube map on.

If I were the recipient I would think that a way cooler present than a Harrods teddy, or shortbread.

You can buy "mind the gap" panties there. Just saying....