Well...what did you expect? (Meadowhall)

Member Name: murphymurphymoo

Product:	Meadowhall
Date:	29/11/08 (136 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Choice, free parking and lots of different places to eat.

Disadvantages: Crowds

Its that time of year when shopping trips are inevitable. As I live in Sheffield I normally end up at that 'Land of Shoppertunity' that is Meadowhall.

Its easy to get to for out of towners, straight off the M1 (I think its Junction 34, but don't take my word for it). Its well signopsted even telling you what lane to get into. You can actually see it from the Motorway so you won't miss it.

The parking is free, which is a blessing as there is no such thing as a quick trip to Meadowhall. But at Christmas time the carparks are often full and you will be directed to an overflow carpark. Not a problem for me, but it means a bit of a trek in the cold, which could be a problem for the disabled.

One piece of advice I would give you is take note of where you parked, the car park is huge and I have been known to wander aimlessly mongst the cars looking for mine whilst carrying lots of bags.

Meadowhall itself is excellent because all the stores are under cover, meaning you're warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

There is a huge variety of shops at Meadowhall and I don't intend on giving you an exhaustive list as you can get this online. There are all the highstreet favourites and in The Lanes there are smaller stores that sell specialist goods for example, film paraphenalia, Formula One goods and very expensive boutiquey style childrens clothes.

Most of the fast food places are located in The Oasis, which is a circle of fast food places with a sea of chairs and tables in the middle and a huge tv screen to watch while eating. The food is typical fare.

Upstairs there are restaurants, including Pizza Express, a French restaurant and a Nandos. Again there is nothing sensational about these places but they are more than adequate for refuelling to continue with the shopping.

Meadowhall also has a creche if you want to drop the little ones of to get some hardcore shopping done.

So, whats my opinion of Meadowhall? Well, my boyfriend and I popped in last Sunday and were directed to the overflow carpark, not a problem in itself, but as my boyfriend sais it didn't bode well for our actual shopping experience.

We went in the Debenhams end and were pushed along all the way through the store. But would you expect anything else approaching Christmas on a Sunday? We managed to get a decent meal and went watched a film at the cinema while we were there and it was actually a nice day. But we didn't get much shopping done as the crowds were just too much.

My advice would be to go on an evening is possible, a much more enjoyable experience.

All in all Meadowhall serves a purpose. I will continue to do my Christmas shopping there as the free parking and amount of choice under one roof is excellent.

Summary: So much choice, it does get busy but try and avoid the peak shopping times.