Royal inspired
Visitors to the Cotswolds, around two hours west of London, should pay a visit to the Highgrove Shop – part of the estate that is home to Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. The store sells everything from books on the royal gardens to kitchenware and ceramics, all approved by the Royal Household (highgroveshop.com).
For something a little more kitsch, Jan Constantine produces beautiful, hand-embroidered homewares, including Coronation cushions with the Royal Coat of Arms and God Save the Queen washbags and compact mirrors. Her products are available at stores throughout the country, and at her factory shop near Stoke on Trent, around three hours’ drive north-west of London, (janconstantine.com).
Bona fide British
Many young designers are increasingly using iconic British images and phrases in their work, which can make ideal gifts to take home. Victoria Eggs specialise in tea towels, aprons and oven mitts covered with Cockney rhyming slang, and canvas shopping bags with prints of London buses, tube stations or classic English phrases; available at stores around the country (victoriaeggs.co.uk). Moorland Pottery, in Stoke on Trent, around three hours’ drive north-west of London, produces a huge range of ‘regional’ mugs, using funny phrases and imagery associated with different cities and counties (moorlandpottery.co.uk).
Rob Ryan is currently one of the UK’s most popular artists; his intricate paper-cut artwork, threaded through with romantic phrases and thoughts, has been converted into bags, stationery and homewares, and is available at stockists throughout the UK, and his London shop, Ryantown, in East London (misterrob.co.uk).
For classic English country-house prettiness, Cath Kidston is the place to go. Her floral designs have become the epitome of cupcake-chic, with everything from make-up bags to scarves, swimwear and sunglasses, with branches around the UK (cathkidston.co.uk). There’s a store conveniently located in Kings Cross station, in case you need a gift on the go!
True brands
Iconic British brands can also make fun gifts; Marmite’s instantly-recognisable design can now be found on everything from teapots to a ‘piece of toast’ mouse mat and ‘Marmite’ mouse. Available at stores around the country (marmiteshop.co.uk). At the Colman’s Mustard Shop in Norwich, in the east of England, the bright yellow jars have been imprinted on everything from aprons and oven gloves to cufflinks and coasters (mustardshopnorwich.co.uk).
And there are few things more iconic to the Brits than tea; the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, in the far south-west of England, is the only place in the country to produce its own tea, and the estate sells a variety of teas, both loose leaf and in sachets, in gift boxes to take away (tregothnanshop.co.uk).
Flavours of Britain
One of the most affordable types of gifts to take home is something foodie; and Britain is dotted with towns and regions that create unique produce that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Visitors to the Lake District, the mountainous region in the far north-west of England, not far from the Scottish border, should visit the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop in the pretty village of Grasmere, which has been home to Sarah Nelson’s unique recipe since 1850 (grasmeregingerbread.co.uk), while no trip to Scotland is complete without taking home a box of home-made shortbread. Pop into the Shortbread House in Edinburgh for a huge range, or if in the Highlands, visit Campbell’s in Callander, which has been producing shortbread since 183 (theshortbreadhouse.com) (campbellsshortbread.co.uk).
Cheese lovers should pick up some Stilton, made by only five dairies in the world, in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire in the Midlands, while those with a sweet tooth should visit the Bakewell Pudding Shop in the Peak District (around three hours’ drive north of London), where the almond-flavoured tart is produced according to the recipe that was – accidentally – created in 1816. (bakewellpuddingshop.co.uk).
Gourmet cooks should drop into the Anglesey Sea Salt Shop on the Isle of Anglesey on the north-west tip of Wales. The company produces Halen Mon, a unique sea salt, prized for its crunchiness, available smoked or spiced, along with oils, vinegars and other artisan produce (halenmon.com).
China in Britain
Britain has always been famous as a producer of beautiful ceramics, and china – whether classic or contemporary design – makes a perfect gift. Wedgwood is one of the UK’s most iconic brands, producing everything from vintage dinnerware to candlesticks and bathroom accessories. Available at stockists around the country, the Wedgwood Visitor Centre in Stoke, around one hour’s drive from Birmingham, also has a huge outlet store, offering fantastic bargains (wedgwoodvisitorcentre.com).
In Scotland, Tain Pottery, around an hour north of Inverness, produces unique tartan and thistle designs on their hand-made tableware (tainpottery.co.uk). One of the most fashionable ceramics designers in the UK is Emma Bridgewater, who produces tableware in a range of designs, including the London skyline, Union Jack motifs and a special range for 2013, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation. Available at stockists around the UK (emmabridgewater.co.uk). In Northern Ireland, Beleek has been producing beautiful hand-made ceramics since 1849; available in stockists throughout the country (belleek.com), while Ewenny Pottery is the oldest pottery in Wales, tucked away in Bridgend in the south-east corner, selling gorgeous glazed vases and tableware (ewennypottery.co.uk).
Take back Jane, Harry and Pooh
Literary-themed gifts can be great for friends or family who love a particular British author or novelist. The Jane Austen Shop in the city of Bath, around two hours west of London, sells a wide range of gifts in all price brackets, from I Love Darcy bags and fridge magnets, to first editions and Edwardian-style clothing (janeaustengiftshop.co.uk). One of the UK’s best-loved children’s characters, Winnie the Pooh, has his own shop in Hartfield in East Sussex, around 90 minutes south-east of London, selling books, games, cuddly toys and stationery all themed around the Bear Of Very Little Brain, and his famous friends (pooh-country.co.uk). Harry Potter fans should head to platform 9 and 3/4 on London’s Kings Cross station, where the Harry Potter Shop sells everything from key rings to cashmere Gryffindor jumpers (harrypottershop.com).
Spoil them
Toiletries are another good buy, and there are some unusual brands around the UK. Celtic Herbal is based in Snowdonia, in the north-west corner of Wales, and use local herbs and organic ingredients to create their range of skin and hair care (celtic-herbal.co.uk). In the Cotswolds village of Lacock, around two hours west of London, Quintessentially English sells hand-made soaps and unique toiletry ranges, including ‘Buff’ for men, with a vintage British design (quintessentiallyenglish.co.uk).
Arran Aromatics has been producing bath and body care products since the Victorian era, with all their candles and toiletries produced on the Scottish isle of Arran. Available at stockists around the UK (arranaromatics.com).
In the bag
Everyone loves a handbag, and one of the UK’s most famous bag designers, Lulu Guinness has produced a Union Jack-patterned version of her ‘lips’ clutch bag, a favourite with celebrities including Katy Perry, Thandie Newton and Paloma Faith. Available at stockists around the UK (luluguinness.com). For something more formal, the Cambridge Satchel Company produce elegant leather satchels in a variety of colours, and have been seen on the arm of everyone from Rita Ora to Alexa Chung. Stores in London and Cambridge (only 45 minutes by train from London) (cambridgesatchel.com).
For fans of Scottish Tweed, Pauline Lothian Designs produces chic totes and handbags in brightly-coloured Harris Tweed, with stockists throughout Scotland (paulinelothiandesigns.com), while Melin Tregwynt produces beautiful hand-woven woollen bags, along with slippers, dressing gowns and homewares, available from its Mill Shop in Pembrokeshire, on the south-west coastal tip of Wales, or at stockists around the country (melintregwynt.co.uk).
Treat your dad, son, brother…
Gifts for men can always be a tricky area, but a pair of Union Jack loafers will always hit the spot – British explorer Bear Grylls wore a pair when he met the Queen in 2011. Available from Harry’s of London, with three shops in the capital’s West End, they can also be found in branches of Selfridges (harrysoflondon.com). The Hard Day’s Night Shop on Matthew Street in Liverpool, just around the corner from the legendary Cavern Club, has every type of Fab Four memorabilia imaginable, from clothing to stationary, bags and barware. (harddaysnightshop.com). Golfers will love any kind of sporting memorabilia from Auchterlonie’s of St Andrews, in the north of Scotland, who have been making hand-crafted clubs since the 19th century. The shop is situated just a few yards from the world-famous Old Course (auchterloniesofstandrews.co.uk).
All under one roof!
If you’re looking to browse in style, there’s nowhere that quite matches Fortnum & Mason, in London’s West End, which first opened its doors on Piccadilly in 1707. The big news is that after three centuries, a new store will open in the old ticket hall at St Pancras International station in north London, in November (fortnumandmason.com). In Scotland the House of Bruar is located just north of Pitlochry, at the gateway to the Highlands region, around an hour north of Edinburgh. Often referred to as the Harrods of Scotland, this is the place to buy the best Scottish cashmere and tweeds, along with Scottish foodie treats and a gifts hall specialising in British-made gifts. (houseofbruar.com). For a department store with a touch of serious glamour, pop into Harvey Nichols, which now has branches in Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol, as well as London (harveynichols.com).
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