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Hamptons is owned and run by Andy Bradshaw and Peter Knowles. This wonderful store has a keen following of devoted fans. Here are Vale Life’s top five reasons to visit if you’ve never sampled this truly inspirational oasis of...
RETAIL HEAVEN
The Store
Many have described Hamptons as the closest thing to retail heaven and we can quite see why. The perfect combination of a wonderfully elegant building beautifully converted and filled with the most exquisite and unusual products, served by the friendliest of staff is just the tip of the iceberg.
The owners, Peter Knowles and Andy Bradshaw have thought of just about everything. And being rather talented designers they have created the perfect shopping experience.
The laid back jazz playing outside the store lures you in and once through the door, your senses are bombarded. Deliciously fragrant room scents, delicate bath truffles, dazzling glassware and exotic arrangements of flowers - and that’s just inside the door! There are two floors of even more wonderful products to explore so, it’s no wonder that some customers want to stay all day.
It’s impossible to compare Hamptons with any other department store, even in London. The care and detail is extraordinary and the products - well that’s another story altogether.
The Products
With everything from a greetings card to a sofa, the store is full of the most fabulous things. Gorgeous, unusual and irresistible, we found it almost impossible to leave without making a purchase.
The store has an exceptional range of products; glassware by LSA, candles and home fragrance by Wax Lyrical and bath products by Di Palomo are just some of the delights in store not to mention the best selection of greetings cards we have ever seen. Upstairs features furniture including Content by Conran, the most spectacular cushions and rugs (the pebble rug is simply divine), as well as lighting, picture frames, funky telephones and design led accessories.
The Design Service
Both Peter and Andy are experts within their fields of garden and interior design. The two are hugely approachable and for those who are thinking of engaging an interior or garden designer both Peter and Andy inspire confidence from the outset.
You only have to look at the store to realise that they know their stuff! Their clients range from entire new builds to an hours consultancy for those who have slightly lost their way. They also provide follow up services for garden clients who want to keep their gardens looking pristine and a house doctor service for those who want to sell their property and need it to look its best. Designing weddings and events are another speciality so if you are looking for something really special for the big day then Hamptons could be the answer.
Both Peter and Andy are generally available at the store to discuss projects as well as offering free advice on products within the store. If you would like any information about their design work they have an information pack detailing how the design process works as well as outline costs.
The Blue Pelican Café
Whether its morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea, the Blue Pelican Café is simply the best place to meet up in Penarth. No matter how gloomy the day might be, inside Hamptons the lush palms and staff in tropical shirts make every day a holiday.
The food is made daily from the freshest ingredients and they can guarantee that they know exactly what goes into every dish on the menu.
Start off with a helping of Aunt Harriet’s home made soup - carrot and ginger, spicy parsnip or mulligatawny are among the regulars or your can choose a smaller helping and combine it with a freshly made sandwich.
The main courses have rather whimsical titles such as, Lifeguard’s Lunchbox, the Italian Job and Falafel Feast. The café also has a great selection of veggie options as well as gluten and dairy free choices.
If you have any room left then you’ll probably find the call of the cake table irresistible - Luscious Lemon Drizzle, Chocoholic’s Chocolate Fudge and the Classic Victoria Sponge really are truly scrumptious.
After dark, Hamptons sees the transformation from daytime café to something even more sophisticated. The evening events have proven to be hugely popular with something to suit most musical tastes. From Opera to Jazz, Mowtown to Broadway the events vary tremendously and the menu is themed accordingly. You can pick up details of forthcoming events from the store or the Hamptons web site. Book early as they tend to sell out fast!
The Service
From the moment you step through the door you know you have entered somewhere rather special. Staff who greet you, offer advice, gift wrap exquisitely for free - sounds like a dream doesn’t it. But at Hamptons the dream is a reality.
Their strap line is ‘The exception not the rule’, which many would say is quite a hard one to deliver but here we found the service really was of an exceptional quality. Nothing is too much trouble. They will carry your purchases to the car as a matter of course, and as the heavens opened outside we were even offered an umbrella to borrow.
All in all, Hamptons has to be high on your list of stores to visit this season - you won’t be disappointed!
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