‘I was blown away by 1 shopping centre – great for bargains’

Essex resident and reporter Jodie Bradley has always been loyal to one shopping centre – Lakeside. She said: “It’s got pretty much every shop you could ever need, plenty of places to eat and drink and fun things to do, too, like the cinema and Puttshack [mini golf]. When a family friend suggested that I should head to Braintree Village to do a spot of shopping, I was a bit unsure. 

“Despite living in  Essex pretty much my whole life, I’d never been!” Despite Braintree Village being further from her home, Jodie couldn’t resist the allure of a potential bargain. She said: “The first thing I noticed was the huge amount of parking available.

“There were a good few car parks, and they’re all free for six hours, making that an immediate win. Once I walked into the centre, the first thing I said was, ‘Oh, my God – it’s like Bicester Village!”

The outdoor shopping village is beautifully adorned with string lights linking different buildings, and each shop had its unique charm – unlike the uniformity often seen in other shopping centres.

Jodie was pleasantly surprised by the variety of shops on offer. While there’s often a misconception that outlet stores only cater to high-end brands, this wasn’t the case at Braintree.

She elaborated: “Of course, you have your Coach, Ralph Lauren, Belstaff and more. But there’s also a Hollister, Clarks, Nike, Lindt, Haribo, Holland and Barratt and so much more!

“I love Hollister, and I believe Braintree Village has the only physical store in Essex – and there were pairs of jeans for as little as £16, when they sometimes sell for over £50.”

Jodie added: “The Body Shop was having a big sale, too, and you could buy body washes or cleansers for as little as £5! I will definitely be heading back here to do some Christmas shopping.”

There were plenty of food options too – Pret, Brick Lane Bagel Co, and the Real Greek were just a couple of options.

“In summary, Braintree Village is definitely smaller than Bicester Village,” said Jodie. “But there’s still so much to do and enough to keep you occupied all day!

So, if you’re looking to spend some time getting some bargains from top stores and eating yummy food closer to home, I would definitely recommend!”