Care & Share Shop

In a sector increasingly presenting itself with laminate flooring, proper shelves and own-​brand household items, the Care & Share charity shop is a breath of old-​school second-​hand air.
Sitting unopposed by competition in a row of shops near the Queen’s Head pub, this little treasure trove is a reminder to those of us who’ve long scoured these places just how charity shops used to be. Near the door there’s a massive pile of 10p records from labels like MfP and Hallmark and which mostly have titles like ‘The Tijuana Sound of Lennon & McCartney’, ‘Beginner’s Guide to Practical French’ or ‘By Request… Your 100 Favourite Tunes’… but there’s always that elusive bargain that might be lurking…
The shop as a whole is a well-​organised, familiar kind of place where the women who volunteer there are usually sat round having a brew and a chat when you walk in, which is great for them and absolutely fine by me. The world needs more charity shops like this (albeit with better music and books) not less!