WArmstrong in Edinburgh is a true institution. There are several locations, but the Grassmarket spot is a treasure trove. Frequented by locals, students and tourists alike, there is a price point for all. Whether I’ve been on the hunt for vintage cashmere, denim, fabulous 1950s dresses, garb for a fancy dress party or even a kilt, this store has sorted me out. It is always a favourite for when friends visit the city, and whether you are looking to buy or not, it is worth a visit just to see its eclectic collection. Amy
Photograph: Pascal Boegli/Alamy
An Erasmus exchange took me to Budapest, where I discovered a city full of vintage shops and flea markets. The city is dotted with Humana shops for staple wardrobe finds; there’s the Ecseri flea market for the more unusual (interspersed with the occasional plastic Stalin bust); plus chic, rambling stores like Szputnyik and Retrock Vintage – think racks of leather jackets and tulle tops among giant monstera plants. Antiques shops are also found tucked away, their contents spilling on to the pavements outside. A particularly favourite find was a set of intricate hand-painted embroidery layouts on kraft paper from the 1930s, each signed by the artist. Katie
Lyon’s canalside treasure trove
The Les Puces du Canal flea market, in the Villeurbanne suburb on the Canal de Jonage, is a treasure trove for reasonably priced vintage clothes, 1960s paraphernalia and vintage furniture (much of the latter still falling in the sub-€150 category). Sunday is the day to go; get there early and have a glass of white wine and a few oysters while you admire your haul. Rebecca
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Guardian Travel readers’ tips
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Stockport is well stocked
Pear Mill Vintage Emporium in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has a dizzying array of vintage and antique goods to browse, plus a cafe if you need a stop-off mid-shop. Prices are very reasonable and you can easily spend most of a day there. There’s even a hot yoga studio, climbing wall and pole-dancing classes in the same building if you want to throw some extra physical activity into your visit. Nearby Stockport town centre has lots of great indie restaurants, museums and shops to make a day of it. Lauren
Being thrifty in Oslo
In Oslo, Uff is a lovely family-owned chain of secondhand clothing stores. The price is cheap for Norway and it often has big sales and amazing high quality, unique, handpicked vintage items. There are several all over the city, but my favourite one is at Lille Grensen 5. You can get tops from about 100 Norwegian krone (£7.50). Sasha
A Parisian haven of heritage clothing
I was browsing in an Oxfam bookstore in Paris’s 11th arrondissement when a flyer fell out of a book I’d picked up. It promised the best secondhand clothing place in the city and it was nearby on Rue Saint-Maur. I bought the book I’d been looking at and headed straight there. La Frange à l’Envers is a haven for pre-loved clothing: it has a huge range, of colours and sizes, everything is in fabulous condition and the sales team are the perfect Parisian mix of complimentary-yet-honest. Emily
Bargains galore in southern Denmark
Photograph: Ian Hubball/Alamy
Danish charity shops are fab. Last summer in Vejle, while meeting up with family, I found some amazing bargains in charity shops: Georg Jensen candlesticks for £5; an amber necklace for one-fifth the price of the new ones in Skagen (£8); and a silver-plated Easter egg for £1. The shops are so well laid out, showing off Danish design. Simple, functional and so well made. Gabrielle Wyn
Rummaging around in Prague
I really enjoyed Prague for its cheap, vintage secondhand shopping. I found an abundance of 1980s and 90s clothes, with lots of pop-up style shops to rummage around. I was there in June, and bought a fun shirt, and a pair of gorgeous hand-painted, Czech plates at Restart Shop. Bellitex Fashion, just south of Prague’s Old Town, also had a large, well-organised selection, and I was pleasantly surprised to find some other cool, vintage clothing shops in the same street. Perfect area to explore for an afternoon … and all at low prices. Tom
Trondheim is a vintage dream
Arven Vintage in the heart of Trondheim is a dream for anyone who loves clothes with a bit of history. The rails are packed with denim classics such as Levi’s, Lee and Wrangler, plus soft wool jumpers, blouses and beautifully made jackets. Everything’s from the 1990s or earlier, and the focus on natural fabrics like wool, linen and silk makes it feel special. I picked up a gorgeous Italian wool blazer there, and people always ask where it’s from. Arven has that rare mix of quality, character and charm that makes vintage shopping such a joy. The staff are lovely too – knowledgable and clearly passionate about what they do. A true gem for vintage lovers. Sabine
Winning tip: rural French oasis of thrift shops
Lectoure, between Toulouse and Bordeaux in south-west France, is a little oasis of vintage shops and a fantastic, large brocante (flea market). Set in an old hospital, Village de Brocante Antiquitiés is an atmospheric place, where the wards now spill out with furniture, household sculptures and objets d’art – plus things that will perplex and fascinate even the most picky of magpies. I came away with a stunning set of 1960s glasses that I kept safely wrapped in my handbag all the way home. Liz
The newly opened coffee shop-cum-arboretum Creature’s was created to provide a place where one could “be a creature amongst other creatures.” To that effect, the establishment filled with native plants and succulents hosts events that promote compassion for all — there’s been a free clothing swap, local makers fairs, a nature sketching gathering and a presentation in tandem with Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (otherwise known as CLAW) about peacefully coexisting with L.A.’s native animals.
Owned by Hope Creature, the business sells plants, gifts and garden supplies in one building and organic drinks and pastries in another. A 50-foot greenhouse shelters indoor tropicals, organic edibles, drought-tolerant native plants and small potted succulents, which go for less than $2. The outdoor seating area is outfitted with plants available for purchase.
“A lot went into making this space architecturally stunning as well, with every design detail considered,” Creature says. “The space also serves as a platform for our ongoing community programming, which showcases what the space is all about — bringing people together to explore, learn and connect.”
The queer-owned-and-run cafe offers standard coffee fare including matcha, espresso, cortado, cold brew and drip options from local roaster Unity, as well as a selection of teas and pastries.
The housemates were asked to check in as passengers and crew onboard the British Eyeways Flight BB2025 with a number of rules to follow.
Big Brother announced: “Passengers, your destination is a luxury shopping budget but only if you can successfully complete your journey and that might not be as easy as it sounds. Every rule break will extend your flight time meaning a short smooth trip could quickly become a long-haul nightmare.”
Cameron and Feyisola took on the roles of pilot and co-pilot, with Jenny and Sam cabin crew and the remaining housemates as passengers.
Caroline, Richard and Zelah were on a stag do, Farida and Nancy were typical tourists, Elsa and Emily as returning backpackers on their gap year, Tate and Teja were business travellers and Marcus was a single dad.
However, after repeatedly breaking the rules, the flight became longer and longer. With the housemates having to endure over four hours on the flight, they soon quit, reports OK!.
As a result, Big Brother informed the housemates they had failed the task and would be living on basic rations. Fans vented their frustrations on social media, with one viewer stating: “The easiest task in the history of the show and they gave up.”
Another penned: “Well we all saw it coming… they FAILED the shopping task and now it’s basic rations for the lot of them. Hunger games incoming!”.
A third commented: “The easiest task in the history of the show.”
A fourth responded: “Sorry but if I was any of their employers I would be thinking a lot differently about some of them, they couldn’t follow some easy rules for 2 hours? ? ? Actually childish imo.”
Another declared: “I’d be fuming if i were in there following the task. all they had to do was f*** all and they still failed.” One person echoed: “Basic rations! !”.
During the shopping challenge, regulations stipulated contestants must not consume food that wasn’t allocated to them, whilst luggage had to remain with housemates constantly.
Contestants were also instructed to remain seated on the aircraft whilst the seatbelt indicator was illuminated. They were subsequently required to estimate their landing time without checking clocks.
Nevertheless, following more than two hours, they abandoned their challenge.
With the housemates bracing themselves for meagre provisions, numerous viewers are questioning precisely what this will entail for those within the Big Brother residence.
Big Brother airs Sunday to Friday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
Whether it’s browsing for antiques in a French brocante, stumbling on a rare vinyl LP in a Berlin record store, or shopping for vintage and pre-loved fashion in Madrid, the chance to pick up a unique souvenir or a designer bargain while abroad is an essential part of the itinerary for many travellers. We’d love to hear about your favourite second-hand shopping destinations in Europe, whether it’s a market, a particular shop or a neighbourhood or town.
The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planetwins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.
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AN ex-cricket star married to a Thai woman who tragically died in a Waitrose aged just 46 has paid tribute to his “loving” wife.
Duncan Pauline, 64, said he and his wife Wiyada were looking forward to retiring to her home country before her sudden death on Wednesday.
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Wiyada, who died in a Waitrose, was just 46-years-oldCredit: Supplied by husband
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Wiyada and her husband were looking forward to retiring to her home country before her sudden death on WednesdayCredit: Supplied by husband
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Duncan, head coach at Esher Cricket Club, said he will now have to take the ashes of his wife, who was a Buddhist, back to her family in ThailandCredit: Supplied by husband
They had already bought a retirement home and planned to leave the UK in a couple of years, however Duncan will now have to return alone with Wiyada’s ashes.
Wiyada, who was known as ‘Lek’ to her friends – which means small in Thai – collapsed while shopping at the Waitrose in Esher High Street, Surrey.
Duncan told The Sun: “I’m absolutely devastated. She went out to Waitrose at about 5.15pm and then I got a call from one of her friends.
“I went up there expecting she’d had a knock on the head but not that she was dead.
“When I got there the police told me she had passed away.
“She had a cloth over her head and she looked very peaceful when they pulled the cloth off her head.
“She was only 46, it’s a shock that she could go so young. We’ve been married for 22 years and we were due to retire in a couple of years.
“She wanted to go back home to Thailand. We even bought a house in Thailand for our retirement.
“The sad thing is she won’t get to do that now.”
Duncan, head coach at Esher Cricket Club, said he will now have to take the ashes of his wife, who was a Buddhist, back to her family in Thailand.
Holding back his tears, he said: “That won’t be easy.
“I was the one who should have died, not her. I’m a lot older than her and I smoke and drink. I didn’t even think about her going first.”
Duncan said he and his wife had shared 22 brilliant years together.
SHE SAVED MY LIFE
She once saved his life when he ended up in Kingston Hospital with a life-threatening “flesh-eating” condition.
“I got an infection in my foot from a flesh-eating thing in 2014,” he said.
“They had to cut off my leg. I went into a coma and the doctors wanted to turn off the life-support machine.
“She pleaded with them to give me one more day. And during that last day, things started to work again in my body.
“I came out of a coma and I lived. If she hadn’t pleaded with the doctors to give me one more day I would have died.”
Wiyada helped care for Duncan, who now uses a wheelchair, after he lost his leg.
The pair lived together at Esher Cricket Club, where Wiyada would cook Thai food for members.
Paying tribute to his wife, Duncan, a former Surrey County Cricket Club player, said: “She was an all-round good person. Everyone loved her. She will be enormously missed.
“We hardly ever argued – even though we worked together all day.
“She loved cooking for people and she loved the cricket club. We have 750 kids here at the club and she really had fun with them.
“She was a giver. She was always happy and she was such a loving, generous and kind person. She had a tremendous smile.”
Duncan does not know the cause of his wife’s death.
Emergency crews had rushed to the supermarket in Esher, Surrey, at around 6pm on Wednesday after receiving calls of a “concern for safety” at the store.
Both the high street in the town and the Waitrose itself were closed as medics tried to save her life.
Tragically, despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the time of the incident, Surrey Police issued an update to those in the area, saying: “We are currently on scene following a call to a concern for safety in Esher shortly after 6pm this evening (August 20).
“Waitrose on the high street has been closed, and there is a significant emergency services presence in the area as we deal with this incident.”
A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: “Officers were called to Waitrose on Esher High Street shortly after 6pm yesterday evening (August 20) by the South East Coast Ambulance Service, who were responding to a medical emergency at the location.
“Despite the best efforts of paramedics, a woman in her 40s died at the scene.
“Her next of kin have been informed. There was a significant emergency services presence in the area, including police, South East Coast Ambulance Service, and the Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey, Sussex.
“Waitrose was closed to allow emergency services to carry out their work, but has since reopened.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with our customer’s family and loved ones.
“Our Partners acted quickly and offered support while the emergency teams arrived.
“We’re now making sure everyone is supported.”
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Tragically, despite the best efforts of emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the sceneCredit: Supplied by husband
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Duncan said he and his wife had shared 22 brilliant years togetherCredit: Supplied by husband
In the tangled family of Hollywoods, Hollywood would be the obvious golden child, West Hollywood its ritzy older sister and East Hollywood its indie-cool younger brother. North Hollywood, however, is harder to classify. Perhaps you can call it the elusive half-sibling — sharing the family name but somewhat lacking in family resemblance.
Separated from its siblings by sprawling mountains, the oft-slighted San Fernando Valley neighborhood has been described as a bedroom community and a way station for fledgling actors. It’s a socio-architectural liminal space, one in which a historic train depot is home to a hip coffee shop and downtown streets are immediately bordered by suburbia.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
North Hollywood’s lingering sense of fragmentation is consistent with its slew of past lives — from late-1800s wheat titan to modern cultural center — punctuated by infrastructure milestones like the 1913 completion of the L.A. Aqueduct and the 2000 extension of the Metro Red Line.
The neighborhood has even gone by a few different names: first Toluca, then Lankershim, for the real estate pioneer Isaac Lankershim, who helped catalyze the development of the San Fernando Valley. North Hollywood adopted its current moniker in 1927, as film studios poured into the area and residents at the behest of enterprising developers petitioned to rebrand their town as a Hollywood hot spot. It was, as Tom Link wrote in his 1991 book about the neighborhood’s history, “like a new movie star discarding an old name in order to appear more attractive.”
Today, North Hollywood is an eclectic nook with its cultural epicenter in the Noho Arts District. Dotted with petite theaters, boutiques and pie shops, the 1-square-mile patch was revitalized at the turn of the century with the northward extension of the Metro Red Line and the concurrent opening of the North Hollywood Metro Station. At a critical time for its development, the Metro made North Hollywood an anomaly: a hip and walkable L.A. suburb.
Especially for a locale beyond the hills, North Hollywood is remarkably central, nestled among popular neighbors Burbank and Studio City but boasting reported monthly rent averages hundreds of dollars cheaper than both. And while it’s already home to a high population of young, single professionals, it’s poised to draw even more millennial and Gen Z renters with a transit-oriented development projected to create swaths of affordable housing units in the next decade. Surely, the barcades and artisan coffee shops will be glad to see them come in.
Whether you get there by car, train or bike, here’s how and where to spend your time in North Hollywood, the enigmatic neighborhood whose charm sneaks up on you. — Malia Mendez
What’s included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we may include gems that linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What L.A. neighborhood should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
IKEA fans won’t have to wait much longer — the Swedish giant’s long-awaited new store will open its doors in just 48 hours.
The brand-new branch, located in Brighton’s Churchill Square Shopping Centre, takes over the former Debenhams site which has been empty since 2021.
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Quick bites and drinks will be available at the Swedish Bite kioskCredit: IKEA
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Bosses say the new shop has been created with the ‘city at its heart’, with displays inspired by local homes and Brighton’s seaside styleCredit: IKEA
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The Churchill Square store will open 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on SundaysCredit: CLEVERSHOT
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Churchill Square Shopping Centre in BrightonCredit: Alamy
Shoppers will be able to step inside from 10am on Thursday, August 14 , to explore thousands of affordable homeware items, and tuck into the famous meatballs.
Spread across two floors and 6,695 square metres, the store will offer 2,600 products for immediate takeaway and access to the full 12,000-strong range via delivery or collection.
It’s the first full IKEA store in the city, meaning Brighton locals will no longer need to trek to Croydon or Southampton for the full shopping experience.
Bosses say the new shop has been created with the “city at its heart”, with displays inspired by local homes and Brighton’s seaside style.
Six roomsets have been co-created with residents, including ceramicists Adam Johnson and Dan Mackey, to show off colourful, space-saving ideas and a nod to the city’s famous beach huts.
Adam said: “We’ve always loved IKEA because it’s like an interiors disco – and what’s life without a little sparkle?”
The first floor houses a 100-seat Swedish Deli serving meatballs, plantballs and sweet treats, all with sweeping sea views.
The Swedish Food Market will sell ingredients and snacks to enjoy at home.
On the ground floor, bargain hunters can snap up pre-loved and discontinued items in the Re-shop & Re-use area.
‘OMG how did we not know?’ boot sale fans scream as shopper reveals ‘one of the best’ that’s open whatever the weather
There’s also a home planning hub where shoppers can get one-to-one help designing kitchens or bedroom storage.
Quick bites and drinks will be available at the Swedish Bite kiosk.
Market Manager Karina Gilpin said: “Our city centre location in Churchill Square means customers can conveniently drop in while out and about, to seek inspiration for their homes, browse our range, access our expert planning advice, or enjoy our delicious meatballs or plantballs.”
To celebrate the launch, the first 100 IKEA Family Members through the doors will get a blue FRAKTA bag with a mystery gift card worth between £1 and £1,000.
Brighton will be IKEA’s third city-centre store in the UK, following Oxford Street and Hammersmith in London.
The opening is part of the retailer’s push for smaller, high street-friendly locations, moving away from giant out-of-town warehouses.
The Churchill Square store will open 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.
Where is my closest Ikea?
A quick way of figuring out if you have an Ikea store near you is by using the retailer’s locator tool on its website.
You just have to enter the town or city where you live, or your postcode and it will pull up the nearest site.
Below we reveal the full list of Ikea stores in the UK:
Croydon
Hammersmith
Greenwich
Lakeside
Wembley
Birmingham (Wednesbury)
Nottingham
Bristol
Cardiff
Exeter
Belfast
Manchester
Warrington
Edinburgh
Gateshead
Glasgow
Leeds
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Reading
Southampton
Ikea’s new Oxford Street store
Total retail space of 5,800 square meters over three floors.
The store will be of similar size as IKEA Hammersmith.
About 6,000 IKEA product lines will be showcased. Half of these, about 3,500 IKEA products, will be available for immediate take-away.
Checkouts will be located the ground floor and –2.
Larger furniture can be purchased / ordered for home delivery, for click and collect, or for collection off site. Within the M25 customers can collect from IKEA Hammersmith, 19 lockers in partnership with Shift, 11 pick up points in partnership with Tesco, as well as at 1,907 DPD pick up points.
There will be focus on sustainable solutions, supporting people to live a more sustainable life at home. It will have a small Re-Shop and Re-Use section selling second-life, second-hand and discontinued IKEA products.
IKEA is creating 150 new jobs at the Oxford Street store, with the retailer receiving a record 3,730 applications in just five days when recruitment opened earlier this year.
IKEA will introduce the first Changing Places Toilet at Oxford Street / Regent Street, the only available facility in a 4,000 feet / 1.2 km radius from Oxford Circus.
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The Swedish Food Market will sell ingredients and snacks to enjoy at homeCredit: IKEA
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The opening is part of the retailer’s push for smaller, high street-friendly locations, moving away from giant out-of-town warehousesCredit: IKEA
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A quick way of figuring out if you have an Ikea store near you is by using the retailer’s locator tool on its websiteCredit: IKEA
Lucy says her experiences of shopping addiction are like a “physical and an emotional drowning”
A day of retail therapy can be just the ticket for some people to help them feel better about themselves. But what happens when you can’t stop shopping?
Surrounded by racks of shirts, dresses and jumpers, Lucy tells me that she could spend up to 14 hours a day searching out new clothes as an escape from reality.
The 37-year-old’s life may sound like a dream, but Lucy is clear that excessive shopping damaged her life.
At one point, Lucy found herself not paying her bills so she could continue to buy clothes.
“It’s like a physical and an emotional drowning. I have felt like I’m just under a weight of clothes constantly,” she says.
Lucy has no idea how many garments she owns, but they take up an entire room in her West Yorkshire home as well as several suitcases – and a 35 sq ft storage unit.
“Clothes acted like an armour to not feel the feelings that I did in real life,” she explains.
Lucy set up a fashion Instagram account and her shopping eventually “spiralled” to the point that she was spending £700 per week – eventually racking up £12,000 of debt.
“It was the first thing I would think about when I woke up.
“You keep looking for clothes in the same way someone might keep drinking because they haven’t quite reached the point of escapism they were hoping to reach,” she recalls as she continues to recover.
‘Penny drop moment’
She says seeing influencers online with copious amount of clothes “normalised” her habits.
It was not until a therapist told her she may have oniomania – the compulsive urge to buy things – that she realised it was possible to be addicted to shopping.
She describes the second in her NHS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) session that she heard about the disorder as a “penny drop” moment.
Shopping addiction, also known as compulsive buying disorder or oniomania, is when a person feels an uncontrollable need to shop and spend, despite the negative consequences.
It is not known how many people have it. A review of research suggests it affects around 5% of adults but a more recent study says it may have risen to 10% since the pandemic.
Now Lucy and others across the UK are calling for a better understanding of the condition and for more support from the NHS.
“I think the resources are currently lacking. The research and understanding of oniomania is just not there in the same way as addiction to substances,” Lucy says.
Natalie has around 400 bottles of perfume which she bought in around two years
Natalie has what she calls her “cupboard of doom” with more than 10,000 household items in her Rotherham home.
For the 40-year-old, her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) “triggers” her to buy certain things – including a particular number of items and colours.
The cupboard is home to 300 tubes of toothpaste and 3,000 washing pods.
“It just escalated to the point where I was going out and just wasn’t settled until my boot was full of stuff,” Natalie says.
At the peak of her addiction, she would be at the shops every day and could spend up to £3,000 a month – including £1,000 on toiletries.
“I cannot stop – and I do not want to stop either. If I see something online, I need it. I don’t care how I get it, I need to get it.”
The mother-of-one recently spent £1,000 while on a flight – mainly on perfumes – and says she has about 400 fragrances, bought in little more than two years.
Natalie, who works in private nursing, says ads have a “massive effect” on her buying habits and she can spend around six hours a day watching perfume videos online when she is not working.
She has undergone therapy both within the NHS and privately, but feels it was not successful as she is not yet ready to stop – but is focused on trying to cut her shopping.
“I think every addiction should be treated the same and more help and therapy should be available [from the NHS] to people who want it,” she adds.
HANDOUT
Zuzanna, 18, told the BBC she can spend her wage within a week of being paid – mainly on beauty products
The BBC has spoken to 15 people who feel they have a shopping addiction.
Many talked of a mental toll and feelings of guilt and shame. One said they developed an eating disorder as a result, and another said it became a “monster” in their life.
All felt that social media contributed to their addiction.
According to experts, the proportion of retail sales online has more than doubled in the last decade, up from 12% in May 2015 to 27% in May 2025.
Digital advertising body IAB UK says advertisers’ spend on social media content grew by 20% last year – standing at a total of £8.87bn.
Zaheen Ahmed, director of therapy at The UKAT Group, which runs addiction treatment centres across the country, says they have seen more people with a shopping addiction.
He explains that the hormonal anticipation of a purchase could be equated to the reaction of a drug user securing a hit.
Mr Ahmed says that social media use as part of smartphone ownership is “the new normal”.
“Social media is impacting our lives big time and it is contributing to our urge to buy, urge to spend, urge to interact every time.”
HANDOUT
Alyce saw Stanley cups trending – which ended up with her buying five
Shopping became a coping mechanism for issues surrounding Alyce’s self-confidence and esteem.
She started using Buy Now Pay Later schemes when she was aged 18 – a decision she describes as a “gateway” to other credit.
In the end, Alyce, from Bristol, was saddled with debts of £9,000 after spending up to £800 each month on new items, particularly ordering clothes online.
“The more I had to open, the more excitement there was.
“But once I opened the parcels, the buzz would wear off and I’d be sad again – so then the cycle continues.
“Social media is essentially another version of QVC, but one younger generations can watch,” the 25-year-old says.
Alyce, who works in business administration, has since overcome her addiction with therapy and is now almost debt free.
“If I hadn’t done that, I don’t really know where I would be,” she says.
“It does genuinely change your way of thinking and creeps into everything you do – your whole life revolves around payday when you can shop again.
“It just becomes so overwhelming.”
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story you can visit the BBC Action Line for more support.
The NHS says it is possible to become addicted to just about anything – but there’s no distinct diagnosis for a shopping addiction.
One reason is because experts dispute how to classify it, with some believing it is a behavioural addiction, while others link it to mood or obsessive compulsive disorders.
Professor of addiction at the University of York Ian Hamilton says shopping addiction has “caught psychiatry on the back foot”.
The expert, who has worked in the field for three decades, said he believes we are still two or three years from the disorder being more widely recognised as a formal diagnosis.
Prof Hamilton says the retail sector has lifted some of the strategies used by the gambling industry to keep people engaged online.
“I don’t think it’s any accident that people find it difficult once they start this loop of spending, buying, feeling good then having remorse.”
The academic adds the rise of influencers is not just a coincidence.
“It’s one thing having an item described to you, [but that] doesn’t have the same impact as seeing a glossy well-put together video package which extols the virtue of an item and only shows the positives.”
Pamela Roberts, psychotherapist at the healthcare provider Priory Group, is clear: “We need to learn different coping strategies but we can only learn [them] when it’s recognised as a problem – and that’s only done when it’s made official,” she adds.
An NHS spokesperson said: “NHS Talking Therapies provides treatment for a range of conditions including OCD and provides practical skills and techniques to help cope.”
They added that anyone struggling with obsessive and compulsive behaviour can contact their GP or refer themselves for therapy.
There are some people who are not phased by the security checks and scanners and brazenly try to smuggle illegal substances through the airport – a number of them have now been nabbed
13:14, 22 Jul 2025Updated 13:15, 22 Jul 2025
Some travellers have been caught out at Manchester Airport lately(Image: Teamjackson via Getty Images)
Thousands of families will be jetting off to and from Manchester Airport for their summer getaways. While most holidaymakers are mindful of the 100ml liquid rule and removing large electrical items from their hand luggage, there are always a few who slip up.
Yet, there are some travellers who seem unfazed by security measures and audaciously attempt to smuggle illegal substances in their luggage. A number of these so-called “tourists” were nabbed by vigilant security teams and police at Manchester Airport.
Among those caught was a pair of friends who claimed their suitcases were brimming with shopping, a woman who flaunted her holiday snaps to staff before being apprehended, and a boxer who accepted an “offer he couldn’t refuse”.
They claimed they went shopping in New York – their luggage told a different tale
Sophie Bannister, 30, and Levi-April Whalley, 31
Sophie Bannister, 30, hailing from Withington, and her mate Levi-April Whalley, 31, from Lancashire, appeared to have returned from a fabulous shopping spree in New York, touching down on British turf with suitcases that seemed to overflow with new purchases.
Their suitcases, however, told a starkly different tale. Upon their return to the UK, the pair were caught with over 35kg of cannabis in their baggage.
In April, seated together in the dock, the women clasped hands and wept as the court was informed of their attempt to smuggle the drugs into the country, reports Liverpool Echo.
Both women pleaded guilty to the charge of fraudulent evasion of prohibition. Bannister’s 20-month term was suspended for 18 months, while Whalley was given a 16-month sentence which was also suspended for the same duration. The court heard that both women were susceptible to exploitation due to their personal and financial struggles.
The remorseful friends disclosed to the Mirror the series of events that led them to become entangled in a cannabis smuggling scheme, which seemingly began with a single message on social media.
She flaunted her holiday snaps to staff – then they nicked her
Larissa Lins, 27, was jailed
A mum who proudly presented her vacation snaps to officers at Manchester Airport found herself under arrest when they spotted a revealing detail.
Larissa Lins, aged 27, insisted she had travelled to the UK to “research nice places” after transiting through France and Portugal from Brazil. Despite her claims of innocence regarding any illicit activities, the photo gallery she shared with the officials inadvertently revealed her time in France.
While browsing through the images, they came across a snapshot of the “white pellets”. Further investigation revealed that Lins had ingested, concealed, and stashed away a kilogram of narcotics both inside and outside her body.
After admitting to her role in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on importing a class A substance, she was sentenced on October 17 last year. The court informed her that she will “almost inevitably” face deportation back to Brazil after completing 40% of her term.
Boxer behind bars after irresistible offer
Edward Nesbitt was sentenced to 12 months for importing cannabis through Manchester Airport(Image: GMP)
A former pugilist and father of two found himself under arrest at Manchester Airport following what he described as “‘an offer he felt he could not refuse”.
Edward Nesbitt, aged 36, was one of two drug mules imprisoned in May, alongside Yoke Woon, subsequent to the seizure of a suitcase crammed with 23 kilos of cannabis at the airport. Manchester Crown Court listened to accounts of how Uber driver Woon arrived with the contraband on a flight from Singapore in March.
He abandoned the suitcase on the luggage belt in Terminal 2, where it was retrieved by Nesbitt, who had landed on a different plane from Amsterdam. Prosecutor Mark Pritchard detailed how Woon, aged 43, touched down at T2 just past 8:30 am on March 4 on a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore, using a Malaysian passport.
Friends admir ‘you’re going to see it’ as luggage scrutinised
School pals James Poutch and Lewis Ellis were caught smuggling cannabis(Image: Facebook)
Two school friends faced the music after a “naïve and stupid” decision following their three-week revelry in Thailand. Lewis Ellis and James Poutch jetted off in April to experience a festival dubbed as “the world’s biggest water fight”.
Upon their return to Manchester Airport via Abu Dhabi, Ellis, 20, and Poutch, 19, were stopped for a luggage inspection.
Ellis didn’t hesitate to confess to customs officers: “I have cannabis in my bag, I may as well tell you because you’re going to see it.”
The search revealed a staggering 37kg of cannabis stashed in their bags. Both Ellis and Poutch were handed suspended sentences at Manchester Crown Court.
AFTER nearly three decades of trading, a popular House of Fraser store is set to close.
The department store in Victoria Centre, Nottingham, which first opened in 1997, will roll down the shutters in October this year.
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House of Fraser has been struggling since 2022Credit: Getty
It’s bittersweet news for shoppers, who have been treated to a 20 percent off sale inside the store.
The once-thriving shopping hub was nearly shut in 2022 after Fraser Group chief exec Michael Murray described the brand as a “broken business”.
At the time, he said: “House of Fraser was a broken business when we bought it.
“We’ve completely changed the operating model. It was mostly concession, the stores were way too big, they were under‑invested.
“Our future vision is that House of Fraser will diminish and Frasers will grow.”
Once boasting more than 60 stores across the UK, the department store has steadily shuttered locations since its 2018 acquisition by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group.
Between 2022 and 2025 alone, over a dozen sites—including flagship locations like Oxford Street and regional mainstays in Cardiff, Cheltenham, and Nottingham—have closed their doors.
The closures reflect a deeper failure to adapt to a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
Many of its stores were oversized and heavily reliant on concessions—third-party brands renting space—which offered little control over stock or customer experience.
Frasers Group is now repositioning itself around a new retail vision, investing in smaller-format “Frasers” stores and upmarket lifestyle hubs, with sport and luxury offerings as its focus.
The Sun has approached House of Fraser representatives for comment.
House of Fraser is just one brand struggling against recent economic pressures and changes in consumer habits.
A combination of rising inflation, energy costs, and interest rates has squeezed both household spending and business margins, creating a perfect storm for retail operators.
For many consumers, essentials have taken priority over discretionary purchases, leading to a noticeable decline in footfall and in-store spending.
Even major players with established reputations have found themselves forced to close stores, reduce staff, or pivot entirely toward e-commerce.
This comes as Poundland bosses implemented a series of closures this year after the business was hit by spiraling operating costs and weakening footfall.
In Cornwall, one Poundland was evicted from one of its locations – leaving staff locked out of work overnight.
A bizarre notice was also posted in the window of the popular store.
It read: “We as authorised agents acting on behalf of the above-named landlord have today re-entered these premises and any lease or licence is hereby determined.
“Any attempt to enter these premises without the written authority of the above-named landlord will result in criminal/civil proceedings being taken.”
APoundlandspokesperson confirmed that the locks were changed overnight without notice.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
July 17 (UPI) — Several people are dead and an investigation is underway after a fire destroyed a five-story shopping mall in Iraq on Wednesday evening.
In a press release, the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced Thursday that 61 people died in the blaze, which occurred in a mall located in the city of Kut, in the province of Wasit.
The ministry reported that most of the victims “suffocated inside the bathrooms as a result of heavy smoke,” and that 14 were so badly burned they remain unidentified.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani announced Thursday that he has directed the Minister of the Interior, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, to form an investigation committee.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry then announced Thursday the committee has been formed to “investigate the real causes of the fire, and identify the locations of the defect and the responsibility accurately and transparently.”
The head of the Wasit security committee, Habib al-Badri, told the New York Times that the fire was caused by an electric malfunction, and that the situation was worsened by subpar building construction and an overwhelmed rescue service.
“There was a lack of emergency exits and emergency ladders and extinguishers,” al-Badri said. “And unfortunately, the province was not prepared for such an incident.”
Wasit Province Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi said Thursday that “we will not show leniency toward those who were directly or indirectly responsible for this incident, which is surrounded by suspicious circumstances.”
A British woman named decided to travel all the way to Foshan in China in order to buy all the furniture she’d need for her future home after hearing it was cheaper than the UK
11:05, 03 Jul 2025Updated 14:44, 03 Jul 2025
Woman Shopping for sofa(Image: (c) Juanmonino/Getty Images)
As the USA issued new trade tariffs on products from across the world at the start of 2025, with China being hit with a 20% tariff, which was an increase from the 10% tariff it had been before, Chinese wholesale sellers took to social media to urge people to shop with them directly.
While these tariffs didn’t directly affect the UK, it didn’t stop British social media users to see the videos that Chinese sellers were making about being able to by luxury products to a fraction of brands’ prices directly from the factories and wholesalers. This includes everything from designer clothes to furniture and home goods.
Doctor Shirley Bekker was one of many viewers who saw these videos on TikTok, and decided to book a spontaneous shopping trip to China in May 2025 in order to buy all the furniture she’d need for her future flat.
As she arrived in Foshan in China, a city known for its high manufacturing output to the world, having 30 towns specialised in particular industries, including furniture, machinery, and beverages, Shirley decided to document her shopping trip on TikTok to show people the big savings she was making.
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While Shirley herself hadn’t been convinced that travelling all the way to Foshan to buy furniture would be worth it, she quickly changed her mind when she found her ‘dream’ coffee table.
“It’s built on a solid wood platform, real glass on top, it’s really heavy, really durable, and just looks so luxe,” she said as she showed off the table, which also included wooded geometric details under the glass.
While it looked luxurious and expensive, she revealed that she’d only paid £150 for it, saying it cost her less than her HD frontal weave.
In her next video, she shared that she’d gotten a wooden dining table for £80, as well as customised chairs to go with it that matched the luxurious sofa she’d gotten for £340. She also made sure to get lamps and art to decorate her future how with as well.
While all of these sums do add up quickly, as she got home, Shirley decided to make a presentation to share how much money she’d saved after finding similar items sold in shops around the UK.
Starting off with the £80 wooden dining table she’d bought in China, she’d found an almost identical table being sold in B&Q for £349.99. While the import costs aren’t included in this comparison, Shirley saved £269.99 just from the table alone. Meanwhile, the two chairs she’d gotten for £65 each cost a whopping £990 each if she’d bought them in the UK.
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Shirley continued to go through the comparisons for all the different items she’d bought, only to come to the conclusion to how much she’d save.
“So in conclusion, you flew to all the way to China with nothing but a Monzo, Google Translate, and praised hands. You ran around for six days and bought enough stuff to furnish a bedroom, balcony, renovate a bathroom, and have enough dinnerware to host the royal family,” the voiceover said.
It continued: “Had you stayed in the UK and bought all the same things, this little venture would have cost you a grand total of £21,800. But all because you took the plunge and bought it all in China instead, you spent a grand total of £3,690.56.”
While these calculations did not include the shipping costs to get her furniture from China to the UK, Shirley still saved herself a whopping £18,109.04, which will most likely be more than enough to cover the shipping costs.
SAVVY shopper Kat Leech knows all the best snacks to pick up in M&S – and the ones that are best avoided.
The 29-year-old from Manchester has more than 130,000 followers on her popular TikTok and Instagram accounts, where she’s known as Kat Saves.
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Kat Saves and pics she’s sent of different M&S food itemsCredit: Instagram/TikTok
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Kat Saves and pics she’s sent of different M&S food itemsCredit: Instagram/TikTok
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Kat Saves and pics she’s sent of different M&S food itemsCredit: Instagram/TikTok
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Kat Saves and pics she’s sent of different M&S food itemsCredit: Instagram/TikTok
She does this full-time helping shoppers find the best deals in their favourite supermarkets – and she’s exclusively told The Sun her recommendations for M&S shoppers.
The posh supermarket is known for its good quality food, and Kat says some of their items are identical to or even better than the branded versions.
One of her top picks is the tomato ketchup, which is only £1 for a 495g bottle.
“I honestly think it’s better than Heinz, it’s better than any other ketchup I’ve tried,” she raves.
For comparison, a 460g bottle of Heinz ketchup costs £2.50 on the Ocado website – so that’s a saving of £1.50 and you’re getting a slightly bigger bottle.
Another great dupe is the M&S Salt & Double Vinegar Extreme Ridge Cut Crisps, which Kat says is “completely identical to the Salt and Vinegar McCoy’s”.
You can get a six-pack of the McCoy’s Salt and Malt Vinegar for £2.35, while a 150g packet of the M&S version costs £1.70.
If you have more of a sweet tooth, Kat recommends the Extra Cream Custard Creams.
She says the biscuits are “so much nicer” than the custard creams you get in most supermarkets.
“I think normal custard creams don’t seem to have much cream in the middle these days, but the ones from M&S have got loads more in there,” she says.
I got an exclusive look at M&S’ new range – 7 items that are ‘staples for spring’ & will sell out fast from £25
Plus, they’re only 50p for a 175g pack.
Another of her picks is the High Protein Vegan Chocolate Crunch cereal, which is perfect for those wanting to get more protein into their diet.
“It’s one of those things I just buy every time I go to M&S – I just think it’s really nice,” she says.
It costs £3 for a 500g pack.
Kat also recommends that shoppers look out for the supermarket’s Pizza Night Dine In deal, which lets you get two pizzas and two sides for £12.
“All the pizzas in their pizza deal are also amazing and great value for money as well,” Kat says.
She likes the Mighty Meaty pizza in particular, which comes with marinated chilli chicken, pepperoni and dry-cured, oak and beechwood-smoked bacon.
The sides include onion rings, chips and mac and cheese bites.
M&S might have a reputation for being on the expensive side, but Kat says a lot of its fresh produce is good value.
“A lot of the salad vegetables, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, they’re exactly the same price as any other supermarket,” she says.
“But I think the quality is just a lot better. They last longer in your fridge.
“I’ve seen a lot of people complain that if you get like a cucumber from Aldi then it will just go off the next day or something. But I think with M&S, things like that just typically last a lot longer.”
Kat’s ultimate M&S pick
There’s one thing that Kat says stands out as her favourite M&S product of all time.
She says the ready-to-bake cookies are a must-try and she’ll go back for them “over and over again”.
You’ll find them in the freezer section in packs of six.
Kat says all you need to do is pop them on a tray in an oven and then bake, and you can eat them warm and fresh.
You can either get the 6 All Butter Triple Belgian Chocolate Cookies Frozen or there’s the Ready to Bake Belgian Milk Chocolate Cookie Dough.
The Triple Belgian Chocolate ones cost £4.50 while the Belgian Milk Chocolate ones are slightly cheaper at £3.50.
They might be a little on the pricey side but Kat says they’re “so worth the money”.
What should you avoid in M&S?
While Kat is a huge M&S fan, she says there are some products that aren’t worth the money.
For example, she isn’t a lover of their pasta ready meals as she says you can get similar ones much cheaper at other supermarkets.
“I tried the carbonara ready meal and I thought it might just have been a little bit expensive for what it was. You can get better or the same and cheaper elsewhere,” she says.
Kat also recommends avoiding ready-to-go lunches section as she believes they are “way overpriced for what you get”.
This is partly because M&S doesn’t do lunchtime meal deal offers, apart from in its train station or petrol station outlets.
She says that if you’re wanting to grab a quick ready made lunch, you’re better off trying elsewhere for better value.
The blogger says she recently got a caesar salad for £4.25 and it “had nothing special about it” despite the price.
“Something like that you could probably make yourself for a lot cheaper as well and probably make it nicer,” she says.
How to save money at M&S
Kat is also an expert at saving money on her supermarket shop.
As with all supermarkets, she says you should go in with a list so you don’t get tempted by the expensive desserts and snacks.
The 29-year-old also says to look out for M&S’s dine-in deals which pop up from time to time.
There’s the pizza one we mentioned earlier but there’s also similar deals for pasta, Indian food and date nights.
Plus M&S often has multi-buy offers like three for £12 or three for £8 on things like picnic food.
M&S does have a loyalty card but it works a little differently to the other supermarkets so you should familiarise yourself with how to use it.
Rather than letting you collect points, Kat says the Sparks card can help you get discounts off certain items or even free things.
She says the Sparks card works best if you shop at M&S regularly as it will give you more tailored offers – but that shouldn’t mean you spend there unnecessarily.
She will usually check for what offers are available on her loyalty card before she goes into the store.
Another of Kat’s tips is to stick to the M&S value range, which is known as Remarksable Value.
She says a lot of the prices in this range are similar to budget supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl.
But don’t forget to do a price comparison before you go to the shops.
YOU may use price comparison sites to get the best deals for your broadband or car insurance – but probably don’t do the same when shopping.
Whether you’re looking for great buys for your home and garden, a good deal on a new summer outfit or simply to drive down the cost of your weekly shop, there are online tools that can help you get the best price.
FANCY FEATURES: For homeware, tech, clothes and more, compare prices using sites like PriceRunner, Idealo, Google Shopping and PriceSpy.
Check across different sites to make sure you get the best deal.
They all have clever features to help you make the savviest shopping choices.
Idealo is one that allows you to scan barcodes in store to check if a product is cheaper online
READ MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS
With the PriceRunner on the Klarna app, you can access an AI assistant who will interpret what you’re looking for and help you find the right item.
PAST PRICES: The sites’ price-tracking tools also help you to check if deals are as good as they look.
They show price history, so you can see how the cost of an item has gone up and down.
That way you can judge whether you might get a better deal by waiting.
If you’re shopping via Amazon, then CamelCamelCamel will show you how much items have previously sold for.
Use the tool to check out the offers during Amazon’s Everyday Essentials Week, starting on Wednesday.
Cut car insurance costs and save money
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: For grocery shopping, download the Trolley app or log on to trolley.co.uk.
You can search for any item you’d find in the big supermarkets, including own brands, to see the best prices.
On the app, you can scan barcodes, create shopping lists and get price alerts when an item changes price.
It shows Heinz Tomato Ketchup, 1.35kg, is currently £4.92 at Asda or £6 at Morrisons.
Prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability
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Three savvy ways to use price comparison sites for your shoppingCredit: Getty
Deal of the day
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Cheap treat
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What’s new?
IF you missed the sell-out metal striped chair from Asda last summer, there’s now another chance to buy it.
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Top swap
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This white linen blend short-sleeved shirt is £18 from MatalanCredit: Supplied
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FELLAS can update their wardrobe with the white linen blend short-sleeved shirt, £18 from Matalan, or they can try the linen blend shirt, £7.99 from Lidl.
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Little helper
LAY on a tasty spread with three sharing plates for £8 at Sainsbury’s with Nectar, saving up to £5.50. Includes bacon-wrapped halloumi sticks and goat’s cheese and caramelised onion quiches.
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PICK up a pack of The Best fresh pasta, sauce and garlic bread from a selection at Morrisons for £6, to make a tasty Italian meal for two.
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