The nicest way to go bankrupt (Liberty (London))

Member Name: raveydavy

Product:	Liberty (London)
Date:	30/05/01 (2142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Architecture, taste, and particularly furniture and rugs

Disadvantages: Temptation, prices, clothing depts

Liberty is a shop that I have always liked, but curiously had never really bought anything there. As I have matured, and my wallet has followed suit, I find myself increasingly using Libertys as a first port of call for many purchases. I'd say that your enjoyment of the store will come from one of three things: wandering around the buildings which should appeal to all, buying big ticket items (not for the faint hearted) and doing some general gifty nick nack shopping - accessible to all. There is genuinely something for everyone here, but I'd say their market is firmly Middle Aged and Middle Class.

Before getting into the nitty gritty of the store, some basics may be of use. Firstly for the Web oriented of you, there is a website (www.liberty.co.uk) which gives you some info such as opening hours, phone numbers etc. They do not have a full product range on the Web.

For those on foot, Libertys is located very close to Oxford Circus in central London. It comprises two buildings, the "Tudor Building" on Great Marlborough Street (running east off Regent Street) and the "Regent Street Building" on (unsurprisingly) Regent Street.

The two buildings are connected by a basement and a couple of bridges, any of which always seem to be on a floor that you are not currently on. The overriding characteristic is style and taste. Nothing is bland, and where an artistic direction can be taken, it has been - and all to good effect. This occurs right down to the detail, so even the window dressings can be worth a detour.

Architecturally the Tudor Building is the more attractive: creaking floorboards, draped rugs and overflowing shelves give the shop a feeling of a middle-eastern bazar. Everything is wooden, even the inside of the lifts. There are two atria with wooden balconies (of course) and these are used to display rugs, tapestries etc. Describing department locations etc is not easy at the moment (May 2001) since th
e store is undergoing a renovation. The good news is that the Tudor Building has been done and is now pretty much fully open. The introduction of air conditioning has vastly enhanced shopping there, albeit that there are some lingering "hot-spots". The more modern Regent Street building is currently closed, and we'll all have to wait to see how that looks once they take the wrappers off.

Wandering around the store is enjoyable even when you don't want to shop. Looking at some of the more lavish items could, though, have you either reaching for the credit cards, or reaching for a shotgun to rob a nearby bank. For those determined to go away empty handed, there is a choice of Cafes in which you can sit down, relax and watch the wealthy tourist world go by. Otherwise a simple stroll looking at the various trinkets around the store will keep you entertained. In terms of a visiting experience it somehow manages to sit between Selfridges, Harrods and Camden Market both figuratively and geographically: it has the upscale qualities of the other dept. stores, but the funky ethnic feel of the markets. I'd recommend a trip there for all visitors to London, particularly as at some point you are likely to be passing by.

For pure functional shopping, Libertys has both strenghts and weaknesses. Currently, given the renovation and the fact that they are operating with severely reduced floor space, the ranges displayed are somewhat reduced. Being a department store they do carry items under most headings, but some of their departments are more to my taste than others. Taste is a key word here, because Libertys excels in buying unusual items. In no particular order then:

Mens clothing/fashion is not particularly for me. The clothes tend to be of the classic variety and somewhat dull. There are contemporary choices but the range is more limited than, say, Selfridges. Having said that, if you are looking to buy an uncle a tie you could
do worse than look here.

Womens clothing again has a mix of classic and contemporary, but the prices of some of the contemporary pieces may have you gathering up ideas before running off to the nearby Top-Shop for very similar smutter at much reduced prices. As with menswear, though, for that Hermes or Pashmena scarf, Liberty will do you well.

White goods are not overly well represented, and it is quite hard to beat John Lewis in terms of range, service and price. However at Liberty is is sometimes possible to fall in love with that very chromy espresso machine, or whatever it might be.

Furniture is generally lovely. On many visits I've wished for a couple of new rooms in order that I could justify a sofa purchase or another coffee table and so on. Be warned though, you can seriously damage your wealth here! Overall the style leans to the solid and old rather the minimalist contemporary pieces at, say, Purves and Purves, but the range is broad and encompasses many styles.

Rugs and tapestries are not only well displaid, but the range is huge and the staff helpful. On my last visit, I casually glance at the price tag on a very large rug which was on the floor with shoppers passing back and fore over it, to note that it would cost the prospective buyer £16,000! However, smaller rooms and prices are catered for and you should find something - but do ask for help: most rugs are unique, and the staff will quickly undestand your taste and show you some options. I particularly like their range of Afgan rugs.

Cookware is nice in this shop, though some of it is a little over-delicate for my day to day use. However there are many, many nice things, and shopping here can give you many ideas.

Similarly the taste-driven other stuff, like lighting, bed-linen, cushions etc are well represented and worth a look. Maybe their taste and mine is similar and bad, or they have a genuine eye for getting pleasing things.

And
of course there are fabric and wallpaper departments, where a day and a half can be spent looking through the books. Again - get someone to help you!

Finally, the bathshop is a treasure trove of nice little things that make ideal gifts. Have a look around and you should find something for every occasion. Items range from unusual soaps and decorative face flannels through to fluffy towels, towelling robes and iron baths.

I'm sure I've missed off a couple of departments, and so sorry. I'll come back and update the opinion following my next visit.


So in summary then, Liberty is a shop that is nice to visit, and nice to buy many items in. It wouldn't be top of my list for clothes, nor for the more boring items, but for lavish treats it is unsurpassed. I look forward to the unveiling of the Regent Street store, when everything will be back to normal and full service will be resumed.

One final word of warning; the old lady has a split personality. Most of the year Liberty is a joy to shop in, but leading up to Christmas can be hell. At that time it is frustrating because you know the ideal gift lies inside, but the ordeal of fighting througd hoardes of people whilst trying not to knock over the precariously stacked merchandise normally has me rushing for the door within minutes. Definitely not the enjoyable experience available at other times of year.

So, good place, with lots of taste that is worth a visit - and preferably after payday!

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