Marks & Spencer

In recent times I’ve had to good fortune to exercise my wanderlust and, exchange rate complication aside, I think this is one of the best places to visit for your travel money. The chap who seems to regularly man their bureau de change is lovely; a patient man who seems to stoically deal with random customers who attempt to pay off their M&S card at his booth (note: you can not pay off your card at the bureau de change, the clue’s in the name…) and he is great when you want to know how many dollars you can get for ‘x’ amount and so on. So, that’s a win all round for me. If you want to get them on your card, you need to take your passport along, otherwise draw it out in cash before exchanging.
As for the other features of the store, of course it’s dandy. The clothes are pretty cheap and sometimes actually pretty fashionable (I’m planning to get some trousers here soon for a mere fourteen squids) and the food, in a twist on the clothing, is more expensive than standard yet usually of a better quality. I wouldn’t ever do my weekly shop here, too expensive and too busy, but for a posh meal in they do some good deals for two.
All in all, I call myself a fan, but mostly it’s on account of the cool man in the ‘de change booth!

M&S is great because I’m very lazy and don’t like to cook, so I buy their ready meals which, for ready meals are very good.
They quite often have offers on — 3 for a fiver for example — and a stock good variety from italian to indian food.
The best thing about this M&S is it’s café which my girlfriend and I visit occasionally. The service is friendly and fast, and the food is really nice. You could be forgiven for thinking you’re in an old people’s home when you glance across the room, but this (strangely) adds to it’s charm somehow.
Reasonably priced and very good quality — what more could you ask for?

I love this M&S as I cant help but go in when I’m shopping on Briggate. M&S is associated with all things Grandma, lets be honest whose Grandma doesn’t shop there. However, I find it to be very on trend. You know those Barbour quilted jackets everyone has been wearing recently? Well I saw a take on a quilted jacket for just £35. M&S also have a nice selection of tapered trousers for work or a night out. If you can look past the granny t-​shirts and dodgy shoes, I’m sure you will find something worth having. With M&S you know you are buying quality, they are known for it, so anything from here is a good addition to my wardrobe in my eyes.
This M&S is huge with many floors; you might not think it from looking on the outside. The downstairs of course is my favorite; it’s the food section. Argh nothing beats an M&S dinner and lunch, I love their food, it’s like no other. So when I get paid I tend to come here for some nice food and always leave satisfied. It’s not the biggest food area I’ve seen however they do always have the nicest meals on display.
The only time I’ve been here and thought ‘what the hell?’ is during sale time. It wasn’t that it was a mess, with heaps of clothes on the floor like most stores; it was that there was nothing really to be seen. The huge space that is the ground floor looked reasonably empty and very poorly merchandised. So maybe stay away during sales?!

I’ve decided to review the café rather than the store for this bad boy.
At one point I did think that Bill Gates, david Beckham and Marks and Spencer would become an all seeing work leader of all things alive. Seriously, I couldn’t escape their clutches. Well the world hasn’t changed that much, but M and S did go through some darker times. They’ve bounced back the other side and I’m often seen passing through the city centre store.
Sometimes, it’s also very convenient to stop off for a quick food fix in the café downstairs. Now what they promise to do on those very annoying adverts, is wow us with their fine foods and drinks. Generally they do but they café does have me grumbling on a few points.
Firstly, come here anytime after 1pm and your choice will be restricted. It’s not the biggest menu anyway (which is daft considering the vast food court right next to it). Is it really that hard to stock jacket potatoes?!? Secondly, it is only a snack menu but I’m always left feeling a tad hungry. That’s not the intention of grabbing something to eat. Well certainly not in my world. Thirdly, how slow? I know they have a few fancy coffees to make and some food to re-​heat but really!
Right, moaning over. Get all those points out of your system and they still do perhaps one of the finest slabs of carrot cark this side of carrot island. Honestly! It may be mass made but it is truly yum-​a-​doodle-​do. You’ll be hard pushed to moan about any of the sweet treats so my advice is go there for a mid morning cake attack and enjoy because as the advert says… It’s not just food, it’s…

Marks & Spencer seems to really be trying to push itself to the forefront of fashion and trying to appeal to a wider audience. You only have to see the TV adverts to realise this.
The store on Briggate does stock the usual older fashioned style blouses and knitwear but have now intrduced even more up and coming designs to their Per Una range.
This store also has a large café and a huge food supermarket downstairs so you can pretty much do your weekly food shop here and pick up some nice bits and pieces.
I really don’t like the layout of the store and feel that they need to change the décor inside to keep up with the new attidue they have. It looks a little drab. But anyway, it’s well stocked and that’s the main point!

Marks and Spencers is a huge clothes shop with a food/​supermarket in the basement. Marks and Spencers clothes aren’t really aimed at the younger end at the market but they are good quality and have some good stuff in. I personally like using Marks and Spencers for work clothes because they seem to last longer and look better than others I’ve tried. The store itself is huge and spacious with plenty of room to shop and numerous tills and fitting rooms. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The basement sells Marks and Spencers food which is usually really tasty but is expensive and is nice for a treat.

This branch of M&S is typical of their style. The ground floor is the main women’s fashion, including a large per una, per una due, limited collection and autograph. The lingerie section on the 1^st floor is a decent size, as is the men’s department on the 2^nd floor. The children’s clothes are on the 2^nd floor, which is a bit of a pain if you are shopping with a little one in a buggy, but there is a lift in the store, as well as toilets and baby change on the 1^st floor.
The lower ground floor is the food hall, cards and wrapping, children’s toys, and a coffee shop — which is always busy and always has a long queue, so it must be good!