Forum Topic

Mary, queen of charity shops

Watched this last night thinking - not sure where I had seen this - that she was actually going to set up a charity shop in Westfield. No such luck - her target shop was in Orpington with just one sequence, about the grunge people donate, set in Westfield. Talk about product placement/undue prominence though - how many times did we see the Westfield logo in one short sequence?

Sara Nathan ● 5798d15 Comments

Well I thought the shop at Westfield was brilliant, after all I did find 2 beautiful 'Radley' handbags (1 brand new and the other almost new)! I went back with a friend on Friday and we both bought brand new 'Kipling' handbags for £20 - currently being sold at the Kiplijg shop for £59.99 reduced from £79.99 so it was well worth a visit!Mary Portas was there one day and Gaby Rosslyn served me on another occasion so they did have celebrities in the shop from time to time.Wa it closed on 27 June and may move on to some other shopping centre, I have a feeling they might return to Westfield in the future!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5773d

Watching telly at 10.58 on a Sunday morning, Dan? There's decadence!

Sara Nathan ● 5788d

Blow me, she - Mary Portas - is on my screen now (BBC2) talking about her shops and now doing cooking. Male presenter just preventing himself from drooling over Carlos Dacosta!

Dan Filson ● 5788d

I dread to think what a female Alan Sugar would be like - Anne Robinson rolled into Nicola Horlick?The reality of charity clothes shops is that whilst some clothes donated get resold to ordinary customers from roughly the same locality (those in Kensington hoping for bargain designer labels, the rest just hoping for usable clothes that don't look like they came from a charity shop, though charity shop grunge is itself a fashion so it seems), there is a fairly large chunk that gets baled up and shipped to the third world where it is again sorted into wearable and not wearable, the latter being turned into scrap (there is a textile word for this which I forget). I suspect the business model of the charity shop is as precarious / shaky as the businessm models of many other shops - of course if the shop is a bogus charity shop the unprofitable bit of supporting some charity gets left out which helps the rest of the business. I have my suspicions of one on Shepherds Bush Green, naming no names

Dan Filson ● 5788d

The series is worthwhile isn't it if it makes us re-think what we donate to charity shops - I was appalled at what people dumped but ackowledge that, while I would never give underwear or anything torn, mis-shapen, dirty or stained, my threshold may not be high enough.

Sara Nathan ● 5789d

I visited, but was rather disappointed. It's funny how clothes and such, however fancy the label, once worn and washed become less than appealing, and the prices are high. The whole point of the charity shop is the chance of discovering a bargain. I recommend the charity shops in and near Kensington. I found a fabulous hand made silk dress, perfect for the wedding I had to attend (not my own!) for £15... It saved me hundreds and I have never had a chance to wear it again. Mary Portas is a good watch on TV though,  a bit of a female Alan Sugar figure in our house.

Vivienne James ● 5789d

It's only temporarty and for promotional and programme-making purposes. I don't think it's indicative of anything except tight BBC budgets ensuring the location is jolly near TVC.She my husband's heroine and favourite British TV star (apart from Hugh Laurie)

Sara Nathan ● 5792d

I now know, having read the bit I usually leave till last - the newsp page. So "Mary, queen of charity shops" = Mary Portas, of whom I have not hever heard. Someone WAS serious about setting one in Westfield, and it is indeed the surest sign of a 'high street' on the slip.

Dan Filson ● 5792d

Forgive my ignorance but who is "Mary, queen of charity shops"? And is anyone serious about setting one in Westfield, fictional or otherwise? Surest sign of a high street on the slip.

Dan Filson ● 5792d

So not yer typical charity shop then - as found on Acton (or orpington) high street?

Sara Nathan ● 5793d

Just got to go.... with my BIBA smock circa 1974... what do you reckon ???? 50p?? It's nearly an antique!Went to Portobello for the first time in an age (US visitors of course) and it was brilliant. Shepherds Bush Market needs to haul itself into the 21st century. The ethnic products are great and the fish etc but that is old hat diversity and there is so much more to give in that forum... they have almost missed the boat... but not quite, IF they look at evolving fast. Walthamstow Market is Streets more fun and better value! OOps cats and pigeons!

Vivienne James ● 5797d

Dunno if she will be there all the time, did read that some "celebs" will be "working" in there.  I also heard that some shops, ie Top Shop, have donated items.

Carol Burge ● 5798d

Well, that would explain it!I hope she will be there to personally reject, with a sneer, all donations that are not up to standard

Sara Nathan ● 5798d

THE SHOP OPENING TIMESMary's Living and Giving shop is open Monday - Saturday: 10 - 9pm, Sunday: 12 - 6pm. From the 4th - 27th June.

Carol Burge ● 5798d

Come to Westfield London from 4-27 June when Mary's Living and Giving Shop in The Village opens and drop in your donations, before you carry on shopping. The shop closes on 27 June. Mary's Charity Shop will be next door to Donna Ida and Twenty8Twelve on the first floor in The Village at Westfield.

Carol Burge ● 5798d