The quaint town under an hour from London – with beautiful countryside and hidden Zara charity shop

A BEAUTIFUL town less than an hour from London has been praised for its stunning countryside – and it’s amazing charity shops.

Farnham was recently named as one of the best places to live in Surrey.

AlamyA small town in Surrey has won fans for its shops and history[/caption]

AlamyFarnham is popular with tourists due to the Georgian buildings[/caption]

I visited myself on a day trip, and was blown away by the beautiful Georgian buildings, with men dressed up as town criers having their pictures taken with tourists.

Farnham Castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations and it’s also become popular with commuters, thanks to its direct trains to London in around an hour.

Estate agent Henry Griffin, sales director said: “It’s a very pretty old Georgian market town.

“They’re coming for more green space and a better lifestyle.”

I explored many of the independent shops, including cute little coffee shops and home interiors.

But tucked away at the end of the town was a goldmine which saved me nearly £100.

As a charity shop trawler, I love a bargain.

And the Farnham Oxfam is ideal for anyone who wants cheap clothes but doesn’t like them being worn first.

The shop has mainly Zara clothes – I would say at least 80 per cent – and they were all brand new with tags.

Not only were they separated by colour, but they also were in size order, making for a very relaxed order.

While you won’t find them for pennies, they are at least half price.

I spent £19 on a magenta satin maxi dress – usually costing £50 – as well as a ribbed midi dress for £9, rather than £19.

A cream linen jumpsuit set me back £19 rather than £40 while some flat leather sandals were just £15 rather than £40.

So I managed to spend around £60 rather than £150 – with a brand new wardrobe of summer clothing without buying anything full price.

When asked why the shop was so good, I was told that it was due to a corporate discount they can use on old stock – some of the clothes were from the 2021 range.

An Oxfam spokesperson couldn’t confirm which other stores or brands this could include but said many of the stores were given donations from companies of end of line or been returned.

They explained: “We have recently developed new ‘sold as seen’ labelling for our shops to show where an otherwise new item may have a small defect, for example a missing button or loose stitching, but could be easily repaired.”

Here is another hidden shopping gem that is loved by foreign tourists.

AlamyMake sure to visit the charity shops – as one hides a great secret[/caption]  Read More 

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