Shop Charity in '23!

Brie

Wednesday2000 said:

I had just been thinking that I didn't need any more clothes after my recent spending sprees at the chazzers (!) but I was waiting for my husband and it was very chilly suddenly and I popped in St Vincent's. My husband was late as there was an incident near Chalkwell park at about 1.30 and so he was late as there were helicopters and the buses were diverted. 

I found a very warm looking rip-off Oodie for me (£5) and a cosy River Island zip up top (£4) for my husband. Then two scarves and a book caught my eye. It was all £14. Brie would have been jealous as they had a whole rack of scarves displayed in all different colours.

can't be jealous if there's no photos!!!

And @Rosa_Damascus is right - the reason I have so many many many scarves is that I buy the inexpensive ones.  

Miró

Despite my moans about a lack of bargains recently I found a couple of nice things today locally!  A bnwt’s pair of M & S, navy, winter weight fabric, wide-legged trousers for £4.99 and a bnwt’s Lands End, pure cashmere, jumper in a berry shade for £6.99.  Jumper is a couple of sizes too big - I shall pretend ‘big and baggy’ is on trend.  Both from St Gemma’s Hospice Shop in Meanwood. 😊

Potternerd

Blue Vanilla grey jumper with raised star on the front £5. Stars are to me as scarves to @Brie and Denby to @DigForVictory.
New Look Prince of Wales check trousers £3
Black leather Jasper Conran hold-all £10 
Cornflower blue Per Una moleskin coat £25 (eek but it’s gorgeous, my fave colour.) it’s nicer than the picture.
I shall sort some donations as penance for my extravagance 😂.

beanielou

@Potternerd.  That is a fab coat.
One of my favourite colurs too.

Wednesday2000

I'm in Brighton at the moment and I popped into Oxfam for about 5 minutes. I am with my husband and brother so I didn't want to drag them around the shops.

We are staying in an Airbnb in central Brighton so I'm going to go and look around more tomorrow morning on my own.

Rosa_Damascena

Wednesday2000 said:

I'm in Brighton at the moment and I popped into Oxfam for about 5 minutes. I am with my husband and brother so I didn't want to drag them around the shops.

We are staying in an Airbnb in central Brighton so I'm going to go and look around more tomorrow morning on my own.

Ditching the menfolk is the only way you are going to get any enjoyment from browsing at leisure. 

Last time I was there I was disappointed by the lack of decent chazzers in Kemp Town and their prices, I did not spend much time along the main drag where there are plenty, as it was far too crowded. I did like Martlet's though which is in the other direction completely.

DigForVictory

Rosa_Damascena said:

Ditching the menfolk is the only way you are going to get any enjoyment from browsing at leisure. 

I tend to haul an offspring along for the reach & muscle but I then have to feed them. Still, they keep me safe when confronted by high shelves & deep freezers (rather rare in chazzers but I do venture elsewhere). Also it saves some time “what do you think?” ”Nah”. Back on shelf... Occasionally simultaneous “oohs” over the same garment for the same person but that’s not happened for a while…

A chap is to lug. 

And hold things while I ponder. (There will be no putting down & some other blighter snaffling my find. One forumites’s pain is enough.) A Dig paw will be clamped on an item until my judgement is arrived at.
Then they act as bearer, lugging bags of the fun behind me. Just mine are young & have been carefully oppressed as part of their training for years.

Wednesday2000

I went into the Martlets shop on London Road this morning, but didn't find anything. I saw two very nice red coats, but they were both £70! There was another Martlets shop that I didn't find.

I'm off to Broadstairs now. I think there are a few shops near the main high street so hopefully I might be luckier there.

Cherryfudge

You folk down south are making me homesick! That's despite having only spent the eighties down there. 

C_J

@goldfinches You are right about the Kidlington charity shops, I find them quite good for clothes/toys for my small grandchildren but not much else these days. The Blue Cross shop was recently "refurbished", but the new layout just makes it impossible to get around in there. I'm sure the refurbishment just shoehorned in more hanging rails!

Have you discovered the Sobell House charity shop on Cherwell Drive yet? That's the road which goes from the Marston Ferry road up to the JR. There is a small parade of shops opposite the turning into Marston Road, and I have found the (admittedly very tiny) Sobell House shop to be quite a goldmine for unusual bits and bobs including cookery books and kitchenalia. Might be worth a look if you are cycling by.

I also rate Bicester. Several charity shops in Sheep Street in the centre of town, another tucked away down an alleyway next to where Wilko used to be (now being repurposed as a larger £land), and my favourite - the big Sobell House warehouse on Murdock Road trading estate, hidden behind the Post Office sorting office. It can be hit and miss of course, but generally lots of books and kitchen stuff.