ARRRGGGHHHHH – SHE’S WRITING A SHOPPING REVIEW!!! (Meadowhall)

Member Name: julietta

Product:	Meadowhall
Date:	25/10/01 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Big, Loads of shops, Gives you a buzz

Disadvantages: Big, You spend money, Er, it makes you want to spend MORE money

Let’s face it, the time was always meant to come when ‘our Jules’ here would endeavour to write a review on the perils of shopping – and here it jolly well is!

I would normally write with some trepidation on this kind of thing because, contrary to male/female myth, I am NOT a born shopper and I do prefer to get the business over with quite quickly and with the absolute minimum fuss. Two non-female quirks illustrated here then.

But even though shopping and shops (and shopping centres!) sometimes scare me, I tend to go for them when pay-day is near (either on, just before (chequebooks!) or just after (while the money is still there!)) – at these times, I suppose I see them totally in a different light!

Meadowhall then, the demure palace of steel-city (that’s Sheffield to you!) capitalism, as seen from the outside, looks like a mix between a ‘blocky’ building-brick concrete jungle and a glass and light-encrusted fairyland. See it ‘by night’ and you may well think Christmas has come early in South Yorkshire (as so it ought). It is large enough to be called ‘large’ but once inside is surprisingly easy to navigate (well, it is once you get the hang of it)!

The choice of shops that Meadowhall houses is actually quite amazing and I suppose that you could stereotypically refer to the cliché here that ‘there is something for everyone’. Large stores include, Marks and Spencers, House of Fraser, Debenhams, W H Smith, H & M, Next, Boots, and Sainsbury’s, whilst small(er) store range from anything from the chains (Principles, River Island, Benetton, Ravel, Monsoon, Gap, (and far too many others to mention) etc. Most of these demonstrating a clothing ‘bias’ of course, as does the centre itself.

Other popular shopping sectors include mainly audio/visual stores (all the major names, Argos, Dixons, Our Price, etc.), and an abundance of mob
ile phone outlets (basically you name it and it’s here – the website I’ve listed at the end will help clarify). Everything else from opticians to sports shops are obviously also here in addition to a range of service-orientated stuff like banks and travel agents.

Another reason why this shopping centre is ‘fantastically-famous’ lies in the fact that it also provides an abundance of leisure facilities, namely a multi-screen cinema and a plethora of typical ‘American mall-type’ eateries, McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut included. That’s why the (big) kids love it folks!

Looking at it from a ‘consumer op’ perspective there is definitely plenty here that would merit it an easy five stars. The centre is certainly spacious enough to keep any ‘big-bucked, big-spender’ happy and it offers precious consumer-valued additions like free parking, and generally good and clean facilities in-centre. It’s a place you could potentially spend (and the clue was in this word) a plastic-burning good few hours, credit facilities pending of course. On the downside of this (and mainly from personal experience), if you’re skint then you might as well keep away, you’ll have nothing to do and the taste of cheap pizza and flat Coke can get rather boring after the second slice and tenth mouthful. Point taken I hope!

Before we go though, I’d like to be at least a little frivolous in these roving dooyoo times in adding a little bit on my favourite store in this huuugggggeeeeee place (slight exaggeration I know!) – well it’s (as many a dooyoo writer has previously praised) HMV. If you’re a music fan, a visit to HMV alone here is definitely worth the trip. Expect to find every ‘album’ (and more!) that you’ve ever looked for between these wide and many aisles. Expect also, to spend the readies. Buying an album (or three!) from this massive se
lection will never be enough. Music fans – you have been warned. Also remember to leave enough stacking room in your car for the purchases! OK – personal opinion now ended!


The overall tip then is if you’ve got money – burn it here! – You’ll love the place and it’s an ‘easy’ place to be if you’ve got that kind-of disposable time. But if the quids ain’t on your side – you really would be better staying in at home and counting them. Save them until later and then, when you’re in a shopping mood, make the trip!

And even if you’re a ‘mostly shopping cynic’ like me, you’ll still be able to live with yourself for visiting – it is bareable!

Have fun and like my mum always says – don’t spend up!



PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Meadowhall is open 10am – 9pm (Monday to Friday), 9am – 7pm (Saturday) and 11am – 5pm (Sunday).

Meadowhall lies off junction 34 * M1 or just by Sheffield to where there are also excellent public transport links.

For all your ‘shopping concerns’ – there is a Meadowhall website – www. Meadowhall.co.uk

Meadowhall is now incidentally a ‘no-smoking’ zone, so don’t expect to go fag in hand and get away with it (my mate didn’t)!

That’s about all folks! So again, enjoy!

Summary: