Shopping Centres

If you like your shopping all under one roof, we’ve got it covered. In fact, you can spend the whole day in our cosmopolitan shopping centres as they’re scattered with airy cafes and smart coffee bars. And you won’t need a car as they’re all well-served by public transport.
In Newcastle’s Eldon Square and Eldon Garden you can slip from major department store to chic boutique without stepping outside. The same is true at The Gates in Durham, in the shadow of the city’s mighty Cathedral and Castle, and the nearby Prince Bishops centre extends your choices even further.
For State-side razzle-dazzle, head for the New Orleans style Captain Cook Square in Middlesbrough with its heady mixture of fashion and homewares, while the Mall in the heart of the city conveniently gathers together all the best-loved High Street names. Darlington has two easy and compact centres in the Imperial Quarter and Yards and Wynds, the latter a delightful series of medieval-style lanes with speciality shops. The numbers say it all: The Bridges in the heart of Sunderland has over 100 favourite names while the Galleries in Washington has over 200 shops.
And at the top of the pile is Gateshead’s MetroCentre, Europe’s biggest shopping and leisure centre with a staggering 330 shops as well as restaurants, cinema, entertainment centre and indoor theme park.
For cutting edge clothing at drop-dead prices, follow the fashionistas to Royal Quays in North Shields or Dalton Park near Seaham. Both are renowned for their fabulous selection of designer discount shopping. Which labels will you be sporting on the way home?