I still remember my first proper charity shop find: a pristine 1970s Jaeger wool coat in camel with the original horn buttons intact, discovered in an Oxfam in York while I was meant to be on a university research trip. It was £12—already a steal—but the elderly volunteer took one look at my student ID card and whispered “Let’s call it £8, dear” while wrapping it in tissue paper. I wore that coat until it literally fell apart, through freezing Northern winters and London fashion weeks where it was routinely mistaken for vintage Max Mara. That £8 coat sparked what has become a lifelong obsession with charity shops, one that my friends find either endearing or slightly concerning, depending on how many times I’ve made them pull over on road trips to investigate promising-looking shop fronts in random market towns.
Over the years, this obsession has evolved into something of an expertise. I can smell a good charity shop street from a mile away. I’ve developed a mental map of the UK’s charity shop hotspots that’s probably more detailed than my knowledge of actual geography. I’ve been known to plan weekend trips around particularly promising charity shop towns rather than, say, scenery or cultural attractions. In short, I’ve become the person my fashion friends text when they want to know where to find the best second-hand designer bargains, vintage homewares, or just an excellent day out treasure hunting. And now, I’m sharing that hard-won knowledge with you.
First though, a word on charity shop psychology, because understanding the subtle ecosystem of these places is crucial to successful hunting. Charity shops are not random repositories of unwanted items—they’re carefully curated reflections of their local areas.
The residents donate, the residents volunteer, and often, the residents shop there too. This creates fascinating microenvironments of style and taste that vary dramatically from town to town. A charity shop in Cheltenham will have an entirely different character from one in Norwich, not just in terms of stock but in pricing strategy, display choices, and even how items are categorized.
After literally hundreds of charity shopping expeditions across this green and pleasant land, I’ve developed something of a taxonomy of prime locations. There are the affluent commuter towns where wealthy professionals discard barely-worn designer workwear. There are the university towns with their eclectic mix of vintage treasures donated by students clearing out digs. There are the retirement hotspots where immaculate mid-century furniture and quality homewares appear as people downsize. And then there are the true charity shop unicorns—towns with just the right blend of wealth, space, population demographics, and crucially, high streets not yet decimated by excessive business rates and online shopping.
So let’s start our tour in the south, with what might be the undisputed champion of charity shop towns: Farnham in Surrey. This unassuming market town has a charity shop-to-regular shop ratio that approaches perfection. The demographic is affluent commuters and wealthy retirees, creating a perfect storm of quality donations. I once found a Mulberry Bayswater bag for £40 (retail £950) in the Phyllis Tuckwell shop, and my friend Emma scored a complete set of Denby pottery for £25 in the British Heart Foundation. The key is to hit all the shops—there are at least eight within a five-minute walk—as each has its own specialties. The Cancer Research shop often has the best designer pieces, while the Oxfam tends to excel in quality books and homewares.
Moving west, Bath deserves special mention, though with a caveat: it knows its worth. The charity shops here are savvier about designer labels than most, so while you’ll find excellent quality, genuine bargains are rarer. What Bath excels in is vintage—particularly 1960s and 70s pieces that appear as the city’s more senior residents clear out wardrobes. Julian House charity shop on Walcot Street once yielded me a perfect 1960s Aquascutum trench coat for £30, and I’ve never found better quality vintage silk scarves than in Bath’s numerous hospice shops. The trick here is to venture slightly away from the main shopping areas—the charity shops on the London Road, for example, are much less picked over than those in the tourist-heavy center.
If you’re willing to head further west, Totnes in Devon is the dark horse of the charity shop world. This small, alternative-leaning town has a surprisingly upscale selection of second-hand goods. The local demographic is an intriguing mix of wealthy ex-Londoners, artistic types, and long-term residents with excellent taste. This translates to charity shops filled with high-end outdoor wear (barely worn Barbour and North Face), quality crafts (handmade pottery and textiles), and surprisingly good contemporary fashion. The Oxfam Bookshop here is especially good—I’ve found first editions of fashion photography books that sell for over £100 online.
Heading north, Harrogate in Yorkshire sits in my personal top five charity shop destinations. This spa town has exactly the right combination of wealthy residents, space for multiple large charity shops, and a local culture that values quality over fast fashion. The Save the Children shop on Commercial Street regularly has cashmere jumpers from brands like Brora and Johnstons of Elgin for under £30. The St Michael’s Hospice shop specializes in occasion wear—perfect if you need a hat for a wedding or a black-tie outfit—while the larger British Heart Foundation store often has excellent furniture. My best ever Harrogate find was a set of six Georgian wine glasses for £15 that an antiques dealer later valued at over £200.
Edinburgh deserves a category all its own in the charity shop pantheon. Stockbridge, in particular, has such exceptional charity shops that there are actually organized tours of them (though I prefer my own meandering approach). The Stockbridge Shelter Scotland shop is widely regarded as one of the best curated charity shops in the UK, with a carefully selected range of designer and vintage pieces. The typical Edinburgh combination of university students, affluent professionals, and culture-loving retirees creates a diverse donation pool. I’ve found Margaret Howell pieces, Scottish cashmere, and once, memorably, a perfect vintage Hermès scarf for £18 that still makes me feel slightly guilty when I wear it.
University towns generally offer rich pickings, but Oxford stands out even in this competitive field. The unique mix of wealthy international students, academics with eclectic taste, and affluent local residents creates charity shops filled with treasures. The Oxfam Bookshop on St Giles is justifiably famous, but don’t miss the smaller charity shops on Little Clarendon Street and in Jericho. My friend Laura, a militant charity shopper who tracks her finds in a spreadsheet (yes, really), found her wedding shoes—unworn Jimmy Choos—in an Oxford hospice shop for £50.
For those based in the Midlands, Leamington Spa offers exceptional charity shopping. The town’s Regency architecture isn’t the only thing that’s elegant—its charity shops reflect the affluent local population and proximity to Warwick University. The British Red Cross shop often has designer menswear (my boyfriend found an unworn Paul Smith suit for £60), while the local animal charity shops specialize in quality homewares. Don’t miss the cluster of shops around Regent Street, where I once found a perfect condition Vivienne Westwood silk shirt for £15 that still ranks among my best ever finds.
Norfolk might not be the first place that springs to mind for fashion bargains, but Burnham Market is something of a legend among serious charity shop connoisseurs. This tiny village has an outsized reputation for its single Sue Ryder shop, which benefits from donations from the wealthy second-home owners in the area. Designer castoffs, quality country wear, and high-end homewares appear regularly. The catch? You’ll be competing with dealers who make regular pilgrimages specifically to check what’s new. Get there early, be patient, and be prepared to visit multiple times.
Let’s not forget the wealthy London suburbs, which can offer spectacular hunting grounds. Wimbledon Village’s charity shops are notoriously good—think barely worn Stella McCartney and Joseph—though they know the value of what they’re selling. The Mary Portas-designed Living & Giving shops for Save the Children, which started in London but have now spread nationwide, deserve special mention for their carefully curated stock and shop design that makes the charity shop experience feel more boutique than jumble sale.
For the true charity shop enthusiast willing to go the extra mile, Whitstable in Kent rewards dedicated hunters. This coastal town has a blend of London escapees, creatives, and long-term residents that translates to eclectic, interesting finds. Vintage kitchenware is a particular strength—I’ve found everything from 1950s Midwinter pottery to perfect condition Le Creuset casserole dishes for a fraction of their value. The Pilgrims Hospice shop often has the best clothing selection, while the Cats Protection shop excels in books and homewares.
If I had to pick one dark horse recommendation—a place most people wouldn’t think to visit for charity shopping—it would be Beverley in East Yorkshire. This market town has six excellent charity shops within a small area, ranging from the large British Heart Foundation (good for furniture and menswear) to the tiny Age UK (surprisingly good for vintage accessories). The local demographic is a mix of affluent professionals, farmers with country estates, and older residents who’ve accumulated quality possessions over decades. My standout find was a perfectly preserved 1980s Barbour jacket for £25 that would have cost ten times that in a vintage shop.
Of course, the true magic of charity shopping lies not just in the bargains but in the unexpected discoveries—the things you never knew you wanted until you saw them.
I’ve started collections of vintage fashion books, Victorian silver egg spoons, and mid-century ceramics, all sparked by chance finds in charity shops across the country. There’s also something deeply satisfying about the sustainability aspect—giving beautiful, quality items a second life rather than seeing them end up in landfill.
My most treasured possessions now include that first Jaeger coat (finally retired to textile recycling when the lining disintegrated beyond repair), a collection of vintage silk scarves sourced from charity shops in Bath and Edinburgh, a perfect set of 1960s coffee cups found in Totnes, and countless books discovered on dusty back shelves in charity shops nationwide. None cost more than £20, all bring me daily joy, and each carries its own story—not just of its original owner but of the day I found it.
So the next time you’re planning a weekend away or passing through a new town, consider factoring in some charity shop exploration. You might just find something that brings you joy for years to come, while supporting good causes in the process. And if you see a woman with too many tote bags power-walking between charity shops with a determined expression, that might well be me. Feel free to say hello, but understand if I seem distracted—I’ve just spotted a promising-looking Shelter shop across the road, and there might be cashmere in there.
