United Kingdom Shopping and nightlife
Shopping in United Kingdom
Shopping in the UK can range from tiny, independent stores in small towns to giant shopping malls on the edges of cities.
London is a shopping Mecca ringed by huge out-of-town centres such as Westfield and Bluewater, which are packed with big name chains. In the city itself, there are neighbourhoods with specialities; for instance head to Notting Hill for chi-chi trinket shops and loads of antiques, or Charing Cross Road and the area around the British Museum for bookshops. Oxford Street is London's most famous shopping street, drawing the crowds with high street fashion leaders such as Topshop and Urban Outfitters.
Leeds is a major shopping centre in the north of England, famous for its smart Harvey Nichols department store, while Manchester revels in cool and trendy clothes and music shops. Edinburgh also has excellent shopping; stroll along gorgeous George Street, with its stunning views of the castle, or head for the quirky Grassmarket for an alternative shopping experience.
Nightlife in United Kingdom
As the home of theatrical giants Olivier, Gielgud and, of course, Shakespeare, the UK certainly offers plenty of theatrical pleasure. Most major cities have at least one theatre, with London, Stratford-on-Avon and Edinburgh famous centres for performing arts. In August, Edinburgh bursts at the seams with artistic endeavours as the celebrated Edinburgh Festival of comedy, theatre, literature and much else takes over every venue. London's theatre district stretches from the South Bank to the West End, and offers all sorts of plays and musicals. Cinema has made a come back in the last five years, and most cities have at least one multiplex and independent cinema. Red carpets are rolled out most weeks in London's Leicester Square for star-studded film premieres. Northern cities including Manchester and Newcastle have big reputations for their clubbing scenes, while live major music venues can be found around the country including The Junction, Cambridge; MEN Manchester and London's O2 Arena.
