Edinburgh's best charity shops
Alright, so as kids, the revelation that your mum shopped at Oxfam was tantamount to going into school wearing a sandwich board painted with 'LEPER', but nowadays we're all rummaging through the student-filled Newington and Tollcross areas' charity shops for cheapo bits of tat that we never knew we wanted 'til we noticed they were 65p (Tracy Scoggins' Tough Stuff Workout has brought Itchy great joy over the years). Plus, they're also great for shifting unwanted prezzies in an ethical manner. So long as no-one you know notices, which is why we've provided a handy little rating system to help you judge how good the various shops are for unloading unwanted tat. Oh, and it ain't just all Newington and Tollcross you know. Nope, there are also plenty of hidden ones in the suburbs that offer nifty little gems. Itchy runs down five different charity shops in the city…
Capability Scotland
7 West Coates
(0131) 346 7664
www.capability-scotland.org.uk
Capability Scotland sell a range of donated goods, but there's a strong focus on books, records, tapes, videos, and DVDs. Which means it's easy to offload that delightful Jade Goody workout DVD you've been dying to incinerate since the day it besmirched your sight. The fact that it's located slightly out of town means that you're more likely to find some quality goods. Worth a gander, even if it's just for the nostalgic value of seeing Mr. Motivator or Timmy Mallet on the front cover of something again.
Any good for flogging off crap unwanted prezzies?
Hell yes – it's located quite far out from the main city centre and all the other charity shops, so the chances of a relative discovering it are slim at best.
Rating: 9/10
Cancer Research UK
50 Home Street
(0131) 229 6252
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Cancer Research UK is a charity which raises money for, erm, cancer research. The chain sells all the usual second-hand stuff you'd expect, though there is oddly enough a donation point for greeting cards as well (presumably unwritten, unless you're desperate to avoid writing the name Mildred in a card yourself). Though not really the apex of couture, the recognised name makes people donate that little bit more, so you can often find some relatively decent items here.
Any good for flogging off crap unwanted prezzies?
Yes and no – yes because they'll accept pretty much any rubbish you want to get rid of, no because it's one of many charity shops on the same road, meaning your bargain-hunting granny may well suspect something…
Rating: 5/10
PDSA
85 Nicolson Street
(0131) 667 3582
www.pdsa.org.uk
The PDSA – that's People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, and nothing to do with public displays of affection – mainly specialise in clothes and shoes, but this particular branch also sells Scottish themed souvenirs. So now you can have a ginger See-You-Jimmy hat from one previous (and potentially nit-infested) owner as well as some Scotch Whisky-flavoured condoms (which we can only pray aren't second-hand). A great place for finding useless tat you might pay an astronomical price for at a souvenir shop in town.
Any good for flogging off crap unwanted prezzies?
Yes indeed, as most unwanted presents are usually pointless novelty items. Which this place specialises in.
Rating: 8/10
Oxfam Books
210 Morningside Road
(0131) 446 9169
www.oxfam.org.uk
Ah, the original charity shop – known the world over, Oxfam shops sell second-hand clothes, books, bric-a-brac, fair trade goods… pretty much everything, really. This particular branch, however, specialises in books alone, which is refreshing for a charity shop. Of course, you're not likely to find a first edition of Dostoyevsky here but it's great for browsing and buying some cheap pulp literature that's a fair shade less expensive than your local Waterstone's. Just don't expect a wild literary discussion from the staff.
Any good for flogging off crap unwanted prezzies?
Kinda, if your presents are books you don't need. Goes without saying that it's not really good for getting rid of other stuff though.
Rating: 4/10
Shelter
106 Raeburn Place
(0131) 315 0221
www.shelter.org.uk
Shelter shops, like Oxfam, sell a wide range of donated goods including clothes, books, and shoes. Granted there's a lot of stuff to be found here, but it's usually so heaving that there's very little left by the time you get there besides a broken teapot or multicoloured slinky-spring. Definitely one for the early birds, you'll need to queue in advance to get hold of the best stuff, else face a scrap of WWII-like proportions. Kinda like the charity shop equivalent of Primark then, except the participants here would probably remember the war.
Any good for flogging off crap unwanted prezzies?
Not really – this is usually the first port of call for all the local folk, so some crazy relative is bound to find that ugly rock charm you told them you loved.
Rating: 2/10
OF COURSE, THESE ARE ONLY FIVE OF A SEEMINGLY INFINITE NUMBER OF CHARITY SHOPS IN EDINBURGH (IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, TAKE A STROLL DOWN NICOLSON OR HOME STREET). YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND ALL SORTS OF BARGAINS IN OTHER PLACES, BUT TREAT THESE RATINGS AS GOSPEL – WE'LL NOT BE BLAMED IF GRANNY FINDS YOUR DISCARDED PRESENT AND STARTS CHASING YOU DOWN THE STREET WHILE BRANDISHING A ROLLING PIN...
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