Shopping

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London is one of the world's great shopping cities.

Markets
Camden market, N1, and Portobello Road market, W10, draw massive crowds. In the East End, Sunday markets sell everything from fruit to jewellery; don't miss Petticoat Lane and Brick Lane, E1, and the flower market at Columbia Road, E2. Organic produce and clothes populate Spitalfields Market, E1, while Borough Market, SE1, offers top cuisine, and Brixton Market, SW9, delicious Caribbean fare.

Shopping centres
Oxford Street department stores include Selfridges, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis. High-fashion Liberty is on Great Marlborough Street, with hip Carnaby Street just behind. Harrods in Knightsbridge is a huge tourist attraction, and Fortnum and Mason, W1, is good for British foodstuffs. Westfield London, located at Shephard's Bush, is a giant shopping mall featuring over 300 high street and designer brands. It will be joined by Westfield Stratford City, Europe's largest urban shopping mall, situated close to the Olympic Park in east London, in September 2011.

Key areas
King's Road in Chelsea, SW1, has a long-standing reputation for fashion, as does Notting Hill, while Shoreditch boasts cutting-edge fashion and vintage. Oxford Street and Regent Street offer high-street clothing, and Tottenham Court Road, WC1, is packed with electrical goods. Covent Garden, WC2, offers specialist shops, cafés, craft stalls and street performers. Old and New Bond Streets, W1, are home to international designers, such as Prada and Gucci, with nearby Conduit Street sporting more off-the-wall designers, such as Vivienne Westwood.

Shopping hours
Shops in London are open Monday to Saturday 0930-1800, with some open as late as 2000. Many open Sunday 1200-1800. Late-night opening (usually until 2000) is on Thursday in the West End and Wednesday in Knightsbridge.

Tax information
Most major shops in the West End are part of the Tax-Free Shopping scheme run by Global Refund (tel: 0800 829 373; www.globalrefund.com), which offers VAT (currently charged at 17.5%) refunds to visitors from outside the EU.