dlowin's Qype profile

This is nice little jewellery store within Liverpool Street station. For those who haven’t noticed it, it is opposite Boots going towards Toni & Guy and the steps to Exchange Square. It is small unit type shop area, but they have a nice selection which is changed regularly. Some of it can be a bit pricey but they have fantastic sales, with up to 70% off sale items. Their amber selection is nice too and you can always look at their full range on the website. The only downside is that you can’t really have a look without an assistant asking if you need help but it is a small area and there is usually only one or two assistants working there. Something for everyone.

If you love cakes you’ll love this place! I was lucky enough to be treated to tea and cake here one afternoon and could not make my mind up what I wanted from the great selection of mouthwatering cakes. I ended up playing it safe with an old favourite i.e. the traditional cheesecake and wasn’t disappointed. I have also been lucky enough to try some of their other cakes bought by (more senior!) colleagues in the office for their birthdays. I couldn’t afford to feed the office these on my birthday but they are gorgeous and do get a lot of attention. My only criticism would be the small pots of tea and the grumpy, abrupt staff but they can be easily forgotten with each mouthful. They do a mean milkshake in the summer too. Treat yourself!

This is a lovely Italian restaurant with fantastic food, fine wines and great service. Every time I visit I have a great time and can almost forget I have to go back to work! Without being over the top in price, it really gives you the impression that you are eating at a much more expensive restaurant without feeling like you are being cheated out of your money. Its a great buzzy area too. I can’t give you a favourite item from the menu though because its all great - you’ll have to go try it for yourself!

Not a bad pub for a quick drink before commuting home from Liverpool Street. I would call this a good value pub. Their beers and wines are reasonably priced and they offer a good choice of food which is also good value. It’s not made on the premises but if you’re coming up to pay day and you can’t really afford to go out you could probably have a good night out here with some friends. Upstairs is nice too. Some evenings they have music which can be a bit noisy if you’ve gone out just for a chat but not a bad venue. Lunchtimes, especially Fridays, are busy so you might like to book. Not sure if they still do it but you could ring and order your food in advance which saves time if you have to be back within the hour!

This is a lovely old-style bookshop which has been in Braintree for years. What they don’t have they can order and the staff are really helpful. The childrens’ section is good and has provided a nice alternative to toy buying when out shopping! The childrens’ section is good for buying gifts as it caters for children of all ages. They have a diverse selection of adult books too so something for everyone. Worth a visit.

Well, what can I say about the station I have been commuting from for 25 years? “Disappointing” pretty much covers it. Not much has changed in all those years apart from a small extension of the platform and a few more coaches which are already getting full up whichever train you get before 9am. They still only run roughly 1 train an hour and the ticket office never seems to be open when you need it. It doesn’t help that you can’t speak to anyone actually at the ticket office when you ring but that, unfortunately, goes for any ticket office now I believe. The toilets are a desperate measure when they are open and there’s not much to do nearby. If you are unlucky enough to have missed your train you have a long, cold wait in store. In recent years the area has been advertised as easily commutable to/from London but I don’t consider 1 train an hour at a price of £3,500 a year to be easy travelling. Staff have not been particularly helpful over the years (I know they take a bit of flack at times but who doesn’t in their job?) One exception is a local chap who seems to have been working there from the year dot. Those who are not new to the area will know who I mean. Talk of a loop line to create 2 trains an hour and a shuttle between Braintree and Witham gave a glimmer of hope but has been dropped down to sheer expense. Not a bad station if you only use it occasionally but don’t get your hopes up if you’re looking to commute.

I only started shopping in this store recently and feel that Somerfield are really underrated, well, the Braintree store seems to be. The food is as good as Tesco’s (either the same price or cheaper) and the store isn’t constantly packed full of people. Okay, they don’t have a clothes section but they do have a Robert Dyas at the back. The staff are always keen to help, seem to enjoy working there and Debbie, in particular, remembers her customers and always asks how you are. If you drive you might want to drive out and go to the really cheap stores but if you don’t drive or happen to be in town, try Somerfield out, you might be pleasantly surprised.

A typical olde English pub which can be a bit touristy through the day but nice upstairs if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Fleet Street. It is right across the road from The Royal Courts of Justice so if you waited long enough you could see some action but what’s also nice about upstairs is the carvery. Our office went there for our Christmas meal and although I no longer eat meat, it did look rather nice and they had loads of veggies to choose from. The pudding was nice too and they made sure we were happy. The only downside was the odd smell of bleach as we went up the stairs but the building is old after all! Worth a visit.

Only been here a couple of times but would definitely make a return visit. A deceivingly large venue with a good selection of food. I can recommend the sausage and mash and the service. If you want a specific table for lunch you might want to book, especially on a Friday as it gets busy. The front of the building is quite impressive and has oil lamps outside which look great at night. Worth a visit if you’re in the area.

This little gift shop is a real find. It has lots to choose from including all sorts of gifts, bathtime treats, cards, hand-made jewelry, (nice) artificial flowers, wall plaques, gifts for younger recipients and wonderful decorations at Christmas time. I have always had great service too. I wouldn’t call it cheap but I would call it reasonable - something refreshing in a world of superstores.