British Red Cross

I feel a bit bad reviewing a charity shop, but there are so many in Oxford, and many of them are actually really good, original shops in their own right. British Red Cross isn’t quite at the level of, say, the Oxfam book shop, but it is certainly more than a glorified bric-​à-​brac stall. You can get all sorts in here — very unpredictable, but great fun to browse through. It’s excellent for things like cheap suits and smart dresses, although it’s pot luck whether there’ll be something in your size. It’s also ideal for fancy dress parties, so you can feel a little more ethical about buying something you’ll hardly wear. They do some books and general items like games and knick-​knacks too, which are good for kids who only play with things a few timse before getting bored. It’s cheap, it’s ethical and it’s full of surprises.