As soon as Christmas comes to an end, the winter sales take hold. These sales take advantage of old winter stock which wasn’t sold over the Christmas period, and is always popular with locals and tourists alike. With massive discounts which could match those of Black Friday, these sales stretch across many departments, making for perfect late Christmas presents and souvenirs for tourists taking advantage of the London January. Guests at 5-star hotels in London are often ideally placed for a quick nip around the sales, their accommodation often ideally placed to capitalise on the mad post-holiday rush. Whatever your needs from the January Sales, you’ll find a brief guide below to the best spots in London to find that blink and you’ll miss it bargain.
Department stores
One of the first places you’ll want to explore during the winter sales are the extensive department stores of London. With many selling high end and luxury goods for what is often a fraction of the price, these classic London department stores make the most of their left-over stock.
John Lewis
Based just off Oxford Circus, John Lewis is one of the most popular department stores in the UK. Being the flagship John Lewis store, the Oxford Street version is suitably large, bringing 7 floors of fashion, homeware, tech and jewellery to the city centre. Over the winter sales, you can expect to see a wide range of discounts across many of their ranges.
Harrods
Based on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, Harrods sprawls across 1.1 million square feet of retail space and supplies a range of luxury goods spanning from fashion to food. The January sales are the perfect time to shop at Harrods, the often-hefty price tags slashed for the post-Christmas sales.
Hamley’s
A key department store for the Christmas period, the Hamley’s toy shop is perfect for a late Christmas gift or surprise present. The seven-floor store is full to the brim with great gift ideas, as well as interactive toys for the kids (and adults!) to try out themselves.
Westfield
The Westfield shopping centre has two bases, one in Stratford and one in Shepherds Bush, covering the East and West of London. The modernised shopping centre holds thousands of retail spaces for high street brands, making it the perfect shopping spot for the Christmas sales.
Best Streets for bargains
Department stores are only half the story. London plays host to many shopping districts, all with heir own unique styles. If the long queues make you shudder or getting lost in the maze of floors and aisles has you palpitating, then scrap the department stores for the many shopping districts of London.
Seven Dials
Based in Covent Garden, Seven Dials plays host to a range of designer clothes shops, independent homeware retailers and refreshing cafes, giving you shelter from the January sales storm.
Tottenham Court Road
Not far away, just behind Soho, you’ll find Tottenham Court Road to be a haven for high street brands, one standout being the incredible Foyles flagship store on Charing Cross Road.
Oxford Circus
The busiest high street in Europe will no doubt churn out the January sale bargains. Oxford Circus will be bringing its collection of high street brands and their best wares to the public for cut throat prices.
Carnaby Street
West London’s treasure of a high street will also be bringing their luxury stores prices down for the winter sales period, allowing you to enjoy jewellery, high end fashion and homeware for a fraction of the price.
