Why is it when your on a diet, you suddenly want everything you can't have?!
Why is it when your on a diet, you suddenly want everything you can't have?!
Member since:25.08.2006
Reviews:24
Members who trust:6
I have been shopping in Lakeside for ages now. I live near some other major shopping places like Romford's shopping centre & Basildon but I always choose Lakeside as it DEFINTELY has the biggest selection of shops!
I will try my best to use all the stuff I know about Lakeside and my personal experiences to help you decide whether it's somewhere you'd like to go.
So where is Lakeside?
Lakeside shopping centre is situated in Thurrock a borough in Essex. They are signposted off junctions 30 and 31 from the M25 and the A13.
How can I get to Lakeside?
You can get to Lakeside via car, train or bus. I personally NEVER ever drive to Lakeside as I find the car park is a nightmare and it's hard to find spaces. Also when you do find a space the place is so blooming huge you can never seem to find your car once you have finished! I usually go by train from Upminster station via c2c and I get off at Chafford Hundred and use the bridge connected to Lakeside to go shopping there. Those trains are a lot cleaner and quicker. They run twice an hour to Chafford Hundred (more in the peak) Visit www.c2c-online.co.uk for timetables. You can find the bus routes here. http://www.lakeside.uk.com/pages/travel/bus_times.mhtml.
What
are Lakeside's opening times?
I think all shopaholics will be pleased to know that Lakeside is open 10am - 10.00pm weekdays, Saturday its 9.30am - 7.30pm and Sundays its 11am - 5.00pm. Most Bank holidays its open 10 - 7 and Saturdays in December its open 9 - 9pm which I find is great when you work Mon - Fri and want to go late shopping as its usually less packed at them sort of times.
When are the best times to go to Lakeside?
Well if you're like me, and I'm sure everyone is the best times to go are when it's quieter! Lakeside is not particularly quiet after 5pm really as a lot of people tend to go there straight after work to shop. If you're looking for quiet time I've always found that going in weekdays in the afternoon is perfect. Obviously for most people who work during the weekdays it's a bit harder but if you have a day off then do visit it in the day time Mon - Fri as it's quieter! It's still busy but not half as bad as it is on a Saturday! Also if you get there about 8ish at night in the weekdays and your like me and know what your getting and only need two hours or an hour to get your bits it's very nice at this time too. If you hate the hustle and bustle of shopping then do avoid Saturdays as it's a nightmare of screaming kids! Primark can get really manic on Saturday with people grabbing every bargain in sight! If you're very brave you can risk the January sales but you might lose an arm grabbing for that last size 12 garment! What does Lakeside look like?
Lakeside is a very well kept shopping centre. The entrance has a fountain on the outside and all looks very neat and tidy. Inside it's immaculate white flooring and very spacious feeling and even looks it when it's over crowded during the peak times. There are plenty of places to fit I feel though they are not very comfortable and quite wooden! I prefer to stop off in Costas and buy a coffee so I can rest my feet on the comfy sofas! There are lots of escalators around and plenty of lifts for disabled customers and people with prams. Upstairs you will find a help point, a crèche which I mentioned earlier called Sproggs, toilets upstairs and downstairs and on the middle floor and there is also a chapel in Lakeside as well. Lakeside I find is good to look for work as well if you live near by and want a job in retail. On the top floor there is also a recruitment section.
Is there anything to keep the kids entertained?
Yeap! Top floor there is a place called Sproggs where you can put the kids whilst you shop!
What sort of shops does Lakeside offer?
Everything! Women's clothing, men's clothing, food shops, diy shops. I'd say the major shops there are Primark, Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, House of Fraser and Debenhams. Here are few of the most popular categories in shops available at Lakeside.
H&M TopShop Miss Selfridges River Island Wallis Warehouse Jane Norman Bay Trading Evans Gap French Connections Morgan Zara Principles Select Time Primark Pineapple Pilot Oasis Osaki New Look Monsoon Quiz Lacoste Dorothy Perkins Ann Harvey
Men's Clothing Shops at Lakeside
River Island Blue Inc French Connection Envy Burton Base Choice Debenhams Envy Topman Republic Zara Next Primark Gap House of Fraser Marks and Sparks Baron Jon
Lingerie Shops
Ann Summers La Senza Marks and Spencer (Also most of the women's fashion shops above have their own range of underwear!)
You also have Boots, Superdrug and Holland and Barrots for cosmetics and minerals and things. Lush and the Body Shop have a great range of body stuff to keep you looking and smelling tip top! Lakeside also provides a whole food court for when you get hungry. It has a Burger King, McDonalds, KFC and for the healthy ones a Fat Jackets though I do find Fat Jackets can be quite expensive! There is no end of coffee shops, Starbucks, Costas and Krispy Kremes are just a few places where you can grab a quick coffee. There are also plenty of electric shops like Curry's and Argos and you can get your CD's and DVD's from places like HMV and Woolworths.
Quick Handy things About Lakeside There are cash points situated on the top floor. Be aware I always find there are long queues for these! There definitely should be more! There are loos on all three floors as far as I'm aware but I've only ever used the top loos and they are kept clean with loo paper, soap always in stock! There is a smoking area upstairs on the food court but everywhere else is a no-not though there might be a few shops I don't know about that might allow this. There are lockers to hold things if you find you're buying too much! Lakeside offers these little car buggies for kids to ride around on as walking is SO much effort these days! : P They also sell vouchers which are good for Christmas presents. There are help points all around the centre with touch screens so you can see where you are and where you are heading. There is also a Post Office on level one next to House of Fraser. There is also a retail park right next to Lakeside shopping centre. Some of the main attractions are B&Q, Ikea, Argos, Curry's, Comet and you can find the rest on Lakeside.uk.com.
Overall Lakeside is definitely a great place to shop. You can always find what you're looking for there and it's definitely a great place for us shopaholics!
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I live about 15 mins from Lakeside, and only go there about once every three months! Maybe the novelty wears off? I much prefer Basildon, probably as there aren't as many shops, so you can't spend as much money! xx
rabbiter 31.08.2006 02:03
Sounds about almost every shop Nottingham has in one place - oh well you could never beat the Nottingham experience!! Very good review, Rach =)
Essexgirl2006 27.08.2006 16:17
I haven't been to Lakeside for ages, I agree that it gets too busy sometimes. Ialways avoid it after December 1st also!
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Advantages: all the usual high street names, plenty of restaurants for evening entertainment - and a Cinema Disadvantages: you might run out of money - so take 'him' along!
Aug 26th, 2006
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