Alex's reviews
Review of Bewise
22 Apr 08, 17:13
looks poor even from the outside! 
Bewise is the cheapest of the cheap, I've always avoided this place just simply because it looks so tacky from the outside! The stock, the hand-written price labels, the staff polo shirts, it just screams "badly-done"! I'm assured by a friend who has shopped here before that it is not all that bad compared to how it seems - apparantly there are some bargains to be had and it's very handy when kids go back to school for the essential uniform supplies.
Excuse me with the disapproving face of uncertainty but I don't believe her.
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Review of Next Retail
22 Apr 08, 17:10
everything you'd expect from the high street store... 
Next on Palmerston road is a fairly large Next store that offers everything you'd expect from the high street chain - a healthy stock of menswear, ladieswear, kidswear and homewares. This branch isn't the best kitted out and sometimes lacking in stock that the other stores have in abundance but I've always found the staff here most helpful.
Nowadays I like the fact you can shop on their website- see what you like the look of then when you go instore you already (sort of) know what you're looking for! Saves a lot of time!
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Review of Matalan
22 Apr 08, 16:39
THE bastion of cheap.
Matalan is the bastion of cheap fashion. One thing I've never quite been able to work out is why on earth they insist on you having a 'Mataln Card'... What IS the point of it? They have my address yet they don't use it to spam me, they have my phone number but never call me, so what DO they do with my info, and why won't they let me buy anything without my flippin Matalan card?!!
It's one of those department stores that sells everything for your home as well as clothes you can pick up some new bedding and a fake plant or three for the living room. A lot of the stuff seems quite poor to me, but I usually find some really good stuff in amongst it.
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Review of Miss Selfridge
22 Apr 08, 16:36
girls love it!
Though personally I haven't ever bought anything from here, many a time I have been a-wandering through with a female friend who has reminded me that Miss Selfridge sell some of the best clothes. And then we have spent several hours where I have to hang around while they try on this dress and that dress and decide which looks better, so I add my own comments that they both look nice, and so of course we end up buying both of them. Brilliant.
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Review of H & M
22 Apr 08, 16:28
not QUITE as good as the other pompey branch...
This is the less classy of the two H&M stores in Porstmouth, this one found within the Cascades shopping centre. Whether you be a man, a woman, or a child, there is something here for you. The only problem is finding something that fits.
I have found that this store often has a really narrow size range and if you're not a 'medium' then you might struggle to find something for you and might be better off checking out the other branch over on commercial street.
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Review of Republic
22 Apr 08, 16:26
top end brands at prices you can't really afford... 
Republic sells a lot of the top end brands and mix it with some of the lesser-well-known ranges. It goes down quite well, though personally I've never really understood their label obsession, sticking by the same trusted brands even when their ranges aren't anything special.
The staff are usually fashion-conscious trendy students so always able to offer their advice on the matter which can be really useful too. On the downside it's rather expensive...
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Review of River Island Clothing Co
22 Apr 08, 16:24
I could spend my life here... 
I LOVE River Island. If I lived closer to this store then I'm sure I would actually be the wrong side of the poverty line. Whenever I go in I always seem to spend a fortune and come out a right happy chappy.
This is probably because their range centres itself on the trendy side of things rather than the more alternative look of its contemporary stores, but remains classy to the end. It can seem a bit pricey but I think it's worth it.
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Review of French Connection
22 Apr 08, 16:22
Not really what you'd expect from FCUK!
This French Connection is not as classy in appearance as some of the other outlets, despite its presence in the distinctive Gunwharf Quays quarter. The surrounding shops are well-presented, but FCUK already looks like it's seen better days. The staff didn't seem particularly interested when I was in there, and it showed in their presentation of the clothes. Overall the whole thing just reminded me of my old school report "Could do better...".
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Review of H & M
22 Apr 08, 16:19
it would seem standards are slipping... still good though!
This is the recently opened H&M in Portsmouth that offers a HUGE range of clothing for men, women, and children... You can spend hours browsing in here, and either spend an absolute fortune OR come out having spent nothing.... Recently my shopping experience here has reflected the latter of these options and I'm not really sure why. I wander between the rails and think "that's nice" to a lot of stuff, but nothing that REALLY appeals to me. I get the sense that since H&M's last collection went really mainstream they've struggled to follow it up with equal success.
Best of luck to 'em!
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Review of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
21 Apr 08, 17:41
old ships... but good to look at!
The HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860 and the once sunken Mary Rose all reside here, and the Historic Dockyard allows you to learn about the ships..
I went once years ago with school and actually had a really good day - it was educational but enjoyable, and I've been back since on my own and I know others who've been of a weekend just for a wander round and found it a great experience, especially when there is an event on, which happens frequently during the summer!
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Review of Spinnaker Tower
21 Apr 08, 17:19
Like the Eiffel Tower, but in Portsmouth, and better...
It might've taken forever to build and then eternity plus a few years before they actually opened the thing, but now that it is open the Spinnaker Tower is lovely, provides breathtaking panoramic views of Portsmouth and the Harbour over to the Isle of Wight and beyond. The staff are usually quite smiley and accomodating if you have any special needs/questions. The cafe at the bottom is quite nice, as is the rest of the Gunwharf Quays area, you can easily spend a day there - shopping, relaxing, and the icing on the cake - a trip up the tower...
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Review of Wightlink Group
21 Apr 08, 17:01
Ferry cross the Solent...
Wightlink Ferries go all the way from Portsmouth to the Isle Of Wight. It would literally take at least half an hour to swim across. It takes the ferry longer.
The Wightlink Ferries are very reliable - more so than the hovercraft which is frequently suspended due to high winds, but the ferries have seen better days. That said, you're only going to the Isle Of Wight, did you really expect a duty free shop?! There is a bar and cafe on board that does a mean cooked breakfast if you're early/hungover enough.
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Review of Hovertravel
17 Apr 08, 17:31
mainland hovercraft terminal
This is the terminal for Hovertravel on the mainland in Portsmouth. The staff are always really helpful if you ever have a problem. The terminal itself is really shabby, but hey, you're not going to be there long because you'll soon be onboard a Hovercraft, Isle Of Wight-bound!
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