Shops

It doesn't matter how well you stock your boat, the opportunity to shop for fresh food, dry clothes after a particularly bad week or even just a bunch of flowers to say thank you to somebody is something we are all grateful for.  We cannot list all shops near the river, it would overwhelm the website, so we have chosen to list supermarkets, good grocers, and those other shops which we have experienced ourselves and found to be invaluable.  Where there is a major shopping area, we have listed a description of the type of shops to be found there.

Kingston

Kingston town centre offers a wide array of shops including Waitrose, M&S, Bentalls and John Lewis. They have the Bentalls centre with everything from a cookie shop to Cargo Home Shop, including linen shops, sofa and bed shops, Jerry's Home Store and more jewellers, clothes and shoe shops than you can shake a very big stick at. There is a Boots the Chemist in the centre, and all the major banks and building societies in the pedestrian area, and a daily market in The Apple Market - easily found by following the footpath signs. There is a train station and a bus station, so there are plenty of access points for guests to meet up with you.

Molesey/Hampton

Whilst not a renowned shopping area, there is a good delicatessen selling speciality breads and hot or cold food, along with an antiques centre, a cash point at the BP station, and a grocers where you can get your Sunday papers or a loaf of bread. The shops tend to be on the expensive and luxurious side, rather than practical and useful.

Sunbury

Sunbury does not boast much, but it does have a bakers, an off-licence and a Budgens, as well as a laundarette, gents outfitters, hardware and car parts stores, chemists and hairdressers.

Walton on Thames

Walton town centre is about a mile from Walton Bridge, and not the most accesible by boat, unless you moor near or in Walton Marine Sales. It does, however, have its advantages including a massive new Sainsburys, a huge Homebase, a big Woolworths, a Safeways, most of the banks and building societies, a car spares shop, Beales department store, a bakers and a hand made chocolate shop, a post office, Robert Dyas, a stationery supplies shop, a good florist and lots of clothes and shoe shops, not to mention the local police station!

Shepperton

Another town with a good high street a long walk from the water side. Not quite as distant as Walton, but still not an easy stroll if you have difficulty walking. If you do walk the mile and a half into town, you'll find a Budgens, several banks, a greengrocers, numerous charity shops, and an off-licence. If you're doing a lot of shopping I would recommend getting a cab back... If you can find one! With a train station nearby it could prove a useful point to collect the more fit guests.

Weybridge

At this end of the river you really need your hiking boots. Weybridge town centre is a two street stretch starting about a mile up from The Old Crown. Fairly fluffy in most of its content, it does at least have a Waitrose, a greengrocers, three florists, a couple of card and party ware shops and an off-licence as well as the major banks, a Post Office and a few of the building societies. The rest of the High Street and Baker Street is devoted to dress agencies, expensive gadget or gift shops, toy shops, an expensive tv and stereo shop, bars and restaurants, jewellers and clothes shops.

Chertsey

Walton boasts an extensive town centre, but it is a good couple of miles from the river with poor transport links. Don't consider this trek unless you really need to. If you do trek in, you'll find most major banks, a central Sainsburys, a good Italian delicatesen lurking round the back, a hardware store in the centre, behind the Sainsburys, a good newsagents and card shop, a post office and a costume shop.

Staines

There are two sides to Staines shopping - and it's difficult to moor near either! Your best bet is to stop for a bite or a coffee at the Swan Hotel, and use their rather delapidated moorings if they'll let you. Cross the river and turn North (left) and you'll soon come to a massive Sainsburys. Further on, on the opposite side of the road, you'll find a Halfords and a Homebase. If you want Debenhams, the banks and building societies, art galleries, clothes shops, kitchen ware shops, jewellers, pound shops and all the rest of the high street fare, you'll need to face the labyrinth that is Staines town centre. Just cross the bridge and turn South (right). If you don't have a ball of string long enough, I recommend you take a map!

Windsor

It's difficult to moor in Windsor, and expensive if you do. The whole area is one big tourist trap, which can give you a great place to shop for souvenirs, but not much by way of useful stores by the river. To get to the real shops you need to climb the hill to the castle and turn right. Down there you will find normal high street fare, including the major banks and building societies. They have a huge department store which is frankly remenicent of "Grace Brothers" at their best, with west end prices. If you can find your way to it, they have got a good Waitrose for general, supermarket shopping.

Maidenhead

Maidenhead town centre has a profusion of shops, supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsburys and Waitrose, banks and building societies as well as all the usual clothes and shoe shops that you would expect from a major town. There are two shopping centres, The Nicholson Centre in Maindenhead, about a mile from the riverside, or on the opposite bank, in Taplow, there is the Bishops Centre, a similar distance into Taplow.

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