John Lewis

Along with Peter Jones in Chelsea's Sloane Sq. this is the flagship store of the nationwide worker co-operative John Lewis Partnership, which also owns high-quality supermarket chain Waitrose. This unusually pleasing and large but not exhausting store offers everything from haberdashery to picnicware, not to mention uncommonly attentive service, fine restaurant facilities and a Waitrose food store in the basement. Not to mention the John Lewis Partnership policy of not being knowingly undersold.