Our region is filled with unique boutiques, fantastic markets and smart department stores. We give you the lowdown on our hottest shopping districts
CHESTER
The lowdown:
Chester competes on every level with other cities with its mixture of womenswear boutiques and big high street names. The famous Browns of Chester has retained some of its elegance in its incarnation as a branch of Debenhams and it has a wide range of independent boutiques nestled within The Rows - covered walkways above street level that are totally unique. Nothing precisely like them exists anywhere else in the world. They date back from medieval times and one theory is that like today, they were created for shopping.
Great for...
Romance. Spending the afternoon strolling through streets framed in ancient black and white buildings adds up to a hot date.
Don't miss:
A Michelin starred lunch at the Chester Grosvenor and a visit to the artisan chocolate shop, Rococo, next door.
HALE
The lowdown:
This is a village that punches above its weight on so many levels -including the shopping. It's laid back urban vibe is European and this is enhanced by outlets such as the French wine shop/cooking school Le Vin La Table and the newly opened deli restaurant Carluccio's and the chic Victor's.
It's small enough for a visit to be relaxing but its variety of boutiques, food shops and gift emporia keep everything interesting.
Great for...
A relaxed vibe, lovely small boutiques where you get first class personal service and a wide range of cafes and restaurants where you can kick back your heels after your shopping trip.
Don't miss
Le Vin la Table where you can book a cookery class or wine tasting as a gift for a loved one, or pick up a bottle of wine from proprietor Muriel Lismonde's own French vineyard.
KNUTSFORD
The lowdown
With its healthy mix of high street and independent businesses Knutsford is a shopping haven. It has a wonderful selection of boutique shopping that embraces everything from plus size designer labels to vintage cycling style? But as well as fashion there's everything else to buy too. It's an excellent place to buy a gift or maybe take a fragrance trail at On the Pulse of Perfumery, the town's very own fragrance boutique.
Great for...
Finding a unique gift, whether you shop at a lovely store for a new piece of jewellery or scarf or experience an antique trail - you may even want to head for the sale rooms and an auction.
Don't miss
Knutsford Maker's Market on the first Sunday every month where you'll discover the finest food, drink, arts and crafts and real buzz.
TARPORLEY
The lowdown
To say that this picturesque village has become something of a retail therapy destination' for ladies who love fashion is absolutely true. It provides an alternative to the thronging city high streets and yet offers genuine choice for the fashionista (It's the home of local fashion label SVE)
Most of the delightful shops are to be found around Tarporley High Street, largely designated a conservation area where handsome 18th and 19th century buildings have become the home to a wide variety of individual businesses, restaurants and cafes with a sense that little has changed in many centuries.
Great for ...
A relaxing shopping experience in one of Cheshire's most charming locations. The village has lots to offer aside from fashion, there's food too, including a local butcher's shop and a lovely chocolate shop as well as smart restaurants and quaint inns to enjoy lunch or dinner.
Don't miss
Si Belle. It's a fashion institution in a village enriched with delightful upmarket fashion boutiques
WILMSLOW
The lowdown
Explore the high street. Wilmslow has a tremendous range of independent shopping and high end high street.
Here's the place to shop for designerwear at the elegant Hooper's department store, Black, White, Denim, Caroline Charles and Lola, young fashion and high street labels of some quality such as Jaeger and Phase Eight. A great place to source special occasion wear or maybe even your wedding dress.
Great for
Buying a car. For those who want to speed things up a bit the Stratstone dealership is the place to do it. Pick up a Porsche, Ferrari or Aston Martin and join an elite club that includes the rich, the beautiful and the talented.
Don't miss
'The big city shopping experience in a town environment.' Lots of fashion labels for men, women and children, cookware, accessories and much more.
FURTHER AFIELD
LIVERPOOL
The lowdown
From the bohemian Lark Lane to the high-end of high street that is Liverpool ONE, this is a city that has regained its shopping mojo. Liverpool ONE, right in the heart of the city, is the huge open-air shopping district that is home to more than 160 famous high street and designer names, including the only Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols in the country. Take a stroll over to the exclusive Metquarter for select fashion and beauty outlets such as Gieves & Hawkes, Hugo Boss, MAC and Armani Exchange for designer delights.
Great for...
Trendspotting. Head to Harvey Nichols' Beauty Bazaar on Friday evenings to check out the glamazons getting prepped and pampered for a dazzling night on the town.
Don't miss
The uber ultra-fashionable Cavern Walks, home to the Vivienne Westwood store and famed designer boutique Cricket.
MANCHESTER
The lowdown
Arguably, the best shopping outside London is to be experienced in this slick city. As well as designer fashion and beauty at Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser, the uber fashionable Spinningfields is the area to combine shopping with sophisticated dining. It also has the Bohemian Northern Quarter, home to the famous Affleck's, it's an area to get "inked" at the local tattoo parlour or get a fashionable haircut and you can indulge in the variety of the shopping that mixes up chic boutiques selling designer wares, cult literature and Lomo cameras with vintage and crafts.
Great for...
Shopping events. Check out events such as fashion shows and beauty nights, food festivals and farmer's markets
Don't miss
The Christmas markets in December which from November 14th to December 21st will be attracting shoppers from all over the UK and beyond and have transformed the city into a festive destination in its own right.
