Rachel's Guide to Newcastle and Beyond!
December 7, 2017 in Shopping 4
*CollaborativeĀ Post with ‘We Are North Tyneside’
I love a bit of retail therapy and although I know I can rely on my old favourites in Newcastle city centre and intu Metrocentre in Gateshead, it’s nice to unearth new and exciting places to shop.
I recently spent some time exploring North Tyneside and was amazed to discover how much it had to offer a shopaholic like me. From huge retail parks to quirky hidden gems, North Tyneside is retail heaven.
Here’s a guide to some of my favourite places to shop in North Tyneside…
Some of my favourite fashion stores are here at Silverlink Shopping which is just off the Coast Road near Wallsend. The H&M is huge, so is the New Look store and there’s Outfit too which brings together Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Burton all under one roof!
This was my go to place on Black Friday and I got some absolute bargains which I only had to carry a few yards to the car! I also head to Silverlink when I’m feeling crafty as there’s a massive Hobbycraft store.
www.silverlinkshoppingpark.co.uk
For a completely different shopping experience I adore the market that occupies the two platforms of Tynemouth Metro Station every Saturday and Sunday from 9am – 4pm. The gloriously restored Victorian station welcomes hundreds of visitors every weekend who come to browse the eclectic range of stalls selling everything from vintage clothing to locally made sausages.
I’m never quite sure what I’m going to walk away with but on my last visit to Tynemouth Market I bought Christmas cards, some 60’s records, a bath bomb and pies! I also got to meet lots of cute and friendly dogs whose owners didn’t mind me fussing over them. What will you discover?
The coastal towns of Whitley Bay and its smaller (but more upmarket) neighbour Tynemouth are bursting with fantastic independent shops. I love to support local businesses, particularly at Christmas when I’m on the hunt for unique gift ideas. Green Ginger is a favourite haunt of mine, it’s an old converted church in Tynemouth village that has been converted in to retail space for small boutiques, there’s a fantastic shoe shop and an artisan cheese shop, need I say more?
Across the road from Green Ginger on Front Street is Razzberry Bazaar which is every bit as cute and quirky as it sounds. This vibrant shop is crammed to the rafters with clothing, jewellery and homewares from around the world. Expect handcrafted textiles from Rajasthan, basket bags from Morocco and Nepalese hand-knited scarves!
Tynemouth is also a haven for trendy parents who want their kids to stand out from the crowd. There’s a couple of children’s boutiques in the area but my favourite is Tribe, which recently opened on Percy Park Road. You can read more about this adorable little shop on Pip Milburn’s parenting blog.
Over in nearby Whitley Bay, there are loads of thriving local businesses to discover! I definitely recommend Clusters Bespoke Jewellery if you’re looking for a special gift, they have a very talented in-house goldsmith who created a unique engagement ring for a friend of mine and it was beautiful!
I also love window shopping at the toy shop which is just like the one I used to visit as a little girl before the likes of Amazon even existed!
For local cards and artwork it’s always worth popping in to Meander and For theĀ Love of the North which are two gorgeous gift shops situated next to each other on Whitley Road.
As well as an abundance of independent shops, Whitley Bay also has its own indoor shopping centre. It’s rather small but it is quite handy for stocking up on the essentials at Boots, Sainsburys and Home Bargains.
www.parkviewshoppingcentre.co.uk
It might not have have the same kerb appeal as some of the other places to shop in North Tyneside but if I’m in the area I can never resist a quick scour of the rails at Royal Quays Outlet Shopping Centre near North Shields Ferry Terminal. I’ve found some absolute bargains in the Clarks and Next outlets in the past and my other half James loves the Nike store.
www.royalquaysoutletcentre.com
If you take a shopping trip in North Tyneside, you can share your finds on Twitter by tagging @WeAreNTyneside. You can also follow them onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ Instagram. If you think I’ve missed anywhere on my North Tyneside Shopping Guide then as ever I welcome your comments below!
I live in North Tyneside and shop at all of these places. We were in the toy shop on Whitley yesterday and got some great stocking fillers for the kids xx
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[…] North Tyneside is heaven for shopaholics like me! I love scouring the stalls at Tynemouth market and picking up unique and quirky finds at the independent shops in Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. A shopping trip in this part of the north east always guarantees a fun day out, especially when you make time for a spot of lunch at one of the many local cafĆ©s too! Find out more about my favourite shopping spotsĀ in this post: http://www.lifeingeordieland.com/shopping/shop-till-you-drop-in-north-tyneside/ […]