Liverpool Shopping Guide

The city invested £920m in its new shopping development, Liverpool One in 2008 and this plays host to over 160 stores and services including many of the leading names in retail; such as: HMV, Topshop, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters and Debenhams. Liverpool One also features a 14 screen Odeon cinema and many of the nation's favourite restaurant chains (Nandos, Pizza Hut, Gormet Burger Kitchen etc). Incidentally, this new retail haven is also an ideal spot to secure a Christmas temp job for the hard-up fresher.

If you prefer your shopping a little off the beaten track, Liverpool is again not shy of options. Bold Street is largely pedestrianised and runs from St Lukes (the bombed-out church) to Church Street and is a delightful combination of independent shops, record stores and cafes. The Bluecoat centre on School Lane also houses Landbaby and Purlesque, two of the best examples of local handicraft talents making their intricate goods available to buy. Perfect for an afternoon of leisurely browsing.

If you're looking to rid yourself of your student loan early-doors, then the Met Quarter will surely oblige. Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, and Flannels all call this exclusive Whitechapel mall home. Opposite from this destroyer of worlds are vintage clothes shops, Flashback Boutique and Pop Boutique. Keep your eyes peeled for Flashback Boutique's legendary “Fill a Bag for a Tenner” offer in the first few weeks of university. 

This could be your first taste of the dreaded food shop and luckily it's not too daunting an experience in Liverpool with a supermarket seemingly around every corner. Tesco's silent occupation of the UK shows no sign of abating, with Liverpool's city centre now having no less than 7 (SEVEN!) stores of varying sizes. There are a few fresh fruit and vegetable markets that appear dotted around the city centre Monday – Saturday, as well as a Mattas world food store on Bold Street, if you'd rather not aid Tesco's rise. If you drive and fancy getting all your food shopping sorted for the month ahead, then there's an Asda on Smithdown Road (a five minute drive from the city centre) that will provide all of the frozen pizzas/oven chips/pot noodles required to survive until Christmas.