If you’re after designer gear or luxury items, there are plenty of places you’ll find them in London. However if you’re on a tighter budget and looking for quality items at a reasonable price, there are plenty of retailers offering clothing, accessories, and other bits and pieces at a price that won’t break the bank. Here’s our rundown of London’s best cheap shops.
1. Flying Tiger Copenhagen
You could happily spend a few hours in Flying Tiger Copenhagen browsing all the knick-knacks and you’re bound to walk out of here with something, even if you don’t really need it. Everything is cheap, colourful, kitsch and has a Scandinavian vibe. You can think of it as a cross between Ikea and Poundland, with surprisingly good quality items. It’s particularly good for stationery and kid’s items – great for shopping for party bag fillers.
105-107 Oxford St, Soho, London, W1D 2HQ
Open 10am – 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 12 – 6pm Sunday
uk.flyingtiger.com
2. Muji
Japanese lifestyle store Muji was founded on the concept of “no-brand” quality goods and is ideal for sourcing stationery, storage solutions, furniture, gadgets, clothing and homewares with a minimal design aesthetic. Prices are lower than other brand items of similar quality due to the streamlined manufacturing process and minimal packaging.
37-38 Long Acre Road, London, WC2E 9JT
Open 10am – 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 12 – 6pm Sunday
muji.com
3. Primark
A list of cheap shops in London would certainly not be complete without a mention of high-street fashion favourite, Primark. The clothing and accessories are so cheap it’s easy to get carried away and the flagship at the Tottenham Court Road end of Oxford Street offers an impressive 80,000 sq ft of bargains. The store is always busy, customer service may be lacking, and quality is sometimes questionable, but at the prices you pay it’s difficult to complain.
499-517 Oxford St, Mayfair, London, W1K 7DA
Open 8am – 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 11.30am – 6pm Sunday
primark.com
4. H&M
H&M is another high street fashion success with cheap trend-led clothing lines for men, women, and kids available along with a homewares line. The kids clothing is particularly reasonable, with dresses and t-shirts starting from just £2.99. H&M also frequently collaborate with some big name designers, making high fashion accessible to high street shoppers.
174-176 Oxford St, Fitzrovia, London, W1D 1NX
Open 9am – 9.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 11.30am – 6pm Sunday
hm.com
5. Absolute Vintage
It’s been getting increasingly difficult to pick up affordable vintage fashion in recent years but if you’re prepared to spend some time sorting through the rails, there are dresses and tops available here for £3 and clothing from £1 in the bargain bins. The quality is mixed but there are some real gems, including the cabinet of genuine vintage Chanel bags.
14 Hanbury St, London, E1 6QR
Open 11am – 7pm Monday to Sunday
absolutevintage.co.uk
6. & Other Stories
H&M spinoff & Other Stories offers clothing, accessories, and a makeup range with more of a high-fashion and quality feel. Everything is designed to go together (so you can effortlessly match your nail polish to your coat and bag) and you’ll find everything you need for a head to toe outfit under one roof. The brand is particularly good for fashion-focused work wear.
256-258 Regent St, Soho, London, W1B 3AF
Open 10am – 9pm Monday to Saturday, and 12 – 6pm Sunday
stories.com
7. Zara
Zara has one of the fastest stock turnovers on the high street and popular styles often sell out within days. This means you can be sure you’re always shopping for the most up to date trends, straight off the catwalk. Zara also focus on quality, with higher fabric and manufacturing costs than other retailers. While the prices aren’t quite rock-bottom Primark level, you can be sure you’re getting excellent quality, fashionable clothing for a very reasonable price.
333 Oxford St, Mayfair, London, W1C 2HY
0pen 9.30am – 9pm Monday to Saturday, and 12 – 6pm Sunday
zara.com
8. Monki
Monki offers high street women’s fashion for very reasonable prices – t-shirts start at £6 and jeans are £30 – £50. The underwear range is also a bargain with bras starting at £10. There’s also a wide range of sizes on offer, which isn’t always the case for high street fashion brands aimed at younger women.
37 Carnaby St, Carnaby, London, W1F 7DT
Open 10am – 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 12 – 6pm on Sunday
monki.com
9. Beyond Retro
Ideal for scoping out festival outfits and colourful, vintage clothing for both men and women. The Beyond Retro label is made from recycled clothing and is very reasonably priced for 100% unique pieces that you won’t see anyone else wearing. The shop has one of the biggest selections of vintage clothing in London.
37 Carnaby St, Carnaby, London, W1F 7DT
Open 10am – 7pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10am – 8pm Thursday, and 11.30am – 6pm Sunday
beyondretro.com
10. Decathlon
If you’re looking for sportswear, you can’t go wrong at Decathlon – a one-stop-shop that caters for running, swimming, surfing, mountaineering, ice-skating, skiing, and several other sports. Branded clothing is often discounted and there’s also a decent selection of sport equipment and camping gear.
Canada Water Retail Park, Surrey Quays Rd, London, SE16 2XU
Open 9am – 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am -8pm Saturday, and 11am – 5pm Sunday
decathlon.co.uk
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash