Outlet Shopping at The O2: 'A retail paradise that all shopaholics & lovers of beauty and fashion must visit'

For a shopping lover, there is no better kind of shopping centre than an outlet shopping centre. It's a shopper's paradise, full of discounted goods and one-of-a-kind deals from some of the best brands on the high street. And, I've discovered, that the one housed within London's iconic 02 is one of the best.

I'm a northerner, so I admit that prior to being invited to spend some time in the Outlet Shopping at The O2 I didn't even know that it existed - but I was very excited about the prospect of getting to explore a shopping centre that was brand new to me. I visited on a Saturday in December and asked my mum to come with me for some company as she's the only person I know who can shop as long as I can - we have a 10 hour record, in case you're wondering.

It was an early start, as we travelled from Leeds to London Kings Cross on an LNER Auzuma train at just after 9am, but we had generously been gifted first class tickets so that made our journey much more pleasent and the pre-sunrise alarm worth it. Apart from the fact that everyone in first class had a reserved seat, so there was no praying for a seat or crowded carriage to contend with, the thing we loved the most was the tea being served at frequent intervals throughout our two hour and 15 minute journey. As I said, I'm a northerner so tea is an essential part of my daily diet. . . Anyway, we enjoyed our tea (and in proper cups, no less!), alongside the food that was served to our incredibly comfortable seats. The whole experience left us feeling very relaxed and re-charged, ready for our day of shopping ahead.

After a stop off at the hotel we were staying in for the night in nearby Canary Wharf, we navigated our way through the tube network and soon arrived outside the impressive 02 building. To say we were excited was an understatement. Shopping has been a favourite pastime in my family for as long as I can remember. Most of the shops are at the top of an esculator, or flight of stairs, and the first thing I noticed when we got to the top was how classy everything looked.

The walls and floors were all white, sparkling under the lights as if to welcome us in. The first shop we went into was Next, a high street staple. After a few minutes of browsing, which was helped greatly by the fact that most of the stock was sorted on the rails and shelves according to size, I made my first purchase - a pair of sparkly pink wedges.

Like most outlet stores, Next carries stock from previous sesasons so you will often find things that are out of the season we're currently in - it's how they can manage to offer discounts of up to 70% off the original price. But I don't mind this, especially not when there's such huge savings to be had. All it means to me is that I can put my item away for a few months and then get the thrill of feeling like I've got something new again when the appropriate season does roll around. I was overjoyed to find these particular sandals too as I had seen them previously in another Next store but they didn't have my size, so to find them here in my size - and they were the only pair too - felt like finding gold. I was so happy, and only 15 minutes and one shop into the trip.

Next, it was on to Guess, one of my favourite brands, and the shop I had most been looking forward to visiting. It didn't take me long to make my way to the changing room with an armful of clothes to try on. In the end, I chose a white lace playsuit with bow detail which had been reduced from £120 to £29. What a bargain! Discounts like this are why the outlet shopping centres are the holy grail to fashionstias. Then, imagine my delight, when I got to the till and found that it had been reduced by a further £10. The shopping gods really were smiling on me. Needless to say, I left the store beaming. On my way out of the changing room, I also spotted a pink bag that I liked the look of but decided to wait to see what the rest of the shops had to offer before I spent all of my money in one shop. (Yes, my favourite colour is pink).

Wandering further along the shopping centre, we saw some disco balls hanging from the ceiling - adding to the sparkly and fun atmosphere. There was also a giant heart sculpture - appropriate for customers who love not only the act of shopping itself, but also the huge discounts offered in all of the shops. The next shop which drew our attention was Hallmark, which offers a range of cards and gifts. On one of the shelves I spotted a Disney's The Little Mermaid heart-shaped plaque. I have adored all things Ariel since I was little and have a home full of knick-knacks like plaques so this was an easy purchase decision. It was also part of the official Disney100 merchandise line, so it was nice to feel like I'd got a piece of history.

After this, we went on to explore some of the centre's food and drink shop offerings. First, it was a visit to Whittard to buy two tins of hot chocolate - one marzipan flavoured and one mint flavoured, followed by a visit to Hotel Chocolat to buy even more hot chocolate - mint and ginger flavoured this time. Hot chocolate is a must in my house, especially during the winter months and in the run up to Christmas, so there's no such thing as too much.

We also enjoyed browsing in Kurt Geiger, Dune London, Lindt, Ted Baker Claire's, Carvela and Cosmetics Company Store - but on this occasion nothing in those shops took my fancy, although there was plenty of choice. I realised that I couldn't stop thinking about the pink Guess bag - a sure sign that I really did want it and would regret it if I left without it. That's another thing about outlet shopping centres like the one at the 02 - stock is limited and constantly changing, so if you see something you like then you must buy it, as if you return the next day or the next week there's no guarantee it will be there. I was lucky that when I did return to the Guess shop around an hour and a half later the bag I wanted was still on the shelf. It left the shop with me, and it later dawned on me I had completely unintentionally bought a whole new outfit for next summer. So, I look forward to the first sun of 2024 so I can wear it. The ever-changing stock is good news there for shopoholics like me too - you can visit frequently and you'll always find something new to love.

While we were there, we also enjoyed a delicious three course meal at Ask Italian. This is one of the many restaurants on offer within the 02, but also one of my favourite chain restaurants. To start, I had the cheese fondue which was quite simply the best starter I’ve ever had. Think of a gooey warm pot of a combination of mascarpone and mozzarella cheeses and some soft garlic bread to dip in it - it was heavenly, incredibly moreish and everything a cheese obsessive - which I also am - could want. It felt disappointing when the pot was empty because it was so good, but this also made me look forward to the next course.

For mains, I had fettuccine lentil ragu while mum had a classic margherita pizza and chips. Both of our dishes arrived quickly, but were piping hot. My pasta was plentiful, hearty and so delicious. I loved the sweetness and tanginess of the sundried tomato sauce, while the lentils and mixed vegetables added texture. Mum’s pizza was generous on the cheese, with a light, thin, crisp base. By comparison, her chips were chunky with a fluffy texture - just the way pizza and chips should be. She was delighted with her meal, as I was with mine.

For dessert we chose the same chocolate brownie as, as well as being shopaholics, we are also both chocoholics. This brownie was small but perfectly formed - and it needn’t be any bigger because it was so rich, particularly as it was served along with clotted cream, cherry white chocolate curls and chocolate sauce. Every marvellous mouthful provided an intense burst of pure chocolatey goodness; it was warm, comforting and melted in the mouth. Again, it was the best brownie I’ve ever eaten. Once again, Ask Italian not only impressed but exceeded all expectations. We left feeling extremely full and extremely happy. There’s a sign on the wall which reads “life is a combination of magic and pasta” - and at Ask Italian everything certainly is magical.

Outlet Shopping at the O2 is home to over 60 superstar brands and big name labels with up to 70% off RRP. There's a huge range of fashion and beauty stores including, alongside the brands I have mentioned, the likes of Nike, Calvin Klein, New Balance, French Connection, Sunglass Hut, The Body Shop and more. For more information, please visit the Outlet Shopping at the 02 website. I can't recommend a visit highly enough.