Shopping in Milton Keynes: The Complete Guide

Jun 16 2023

Ready for a spot of shopping in Milton Keynes?

Then look no further than this ultimate guide to retail therapy in our fair city – lovingly put together by the team here at The Almere.

We love nothing more than bagging a bargain at big names and the little-less-known, making us experts in the subject. Or at least pretty passionate about the best places to swipe and shop.

Over the years, Milton Keynes has grown into a popular retail destination, offering shoppers both local and further afield a huge selection of places in which to peruse and purchase.

Whether you’re after a designer label or an outlet sale, there’s something for everybody here, making us one of the most sought-after shopping locations just outside of London.

In this guide, we’ll touch on the must-go spots as well as everything else you need to know for a day of successful hauling, such as:

The best shops
Parking and transport links
Places to refuel and grab a bite
Living in Milton Keynes
And much more.

But if you’re looking for a place to call home (and somewhere to dump the bags at the end of a long day) – go no further than The Almere.

Take your haul home to The Almere

There’s no better place to live or work than The Almere, with stunning and spacious property, beautiful panoramic views, exciting events, and co-working spaces.

With a variety of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, we look forward to welcoming you to our brand new neighbourhood, with perks that go beyond your doorstep.

Tempted to join our exclusive community? Get in touch today.

Where to shop til’ you drop

Now, when it comes to a spot of shopping in Milton Keynes, you’ll find no shortage of choices – with several centres and dedicated retail spots to suit all styles.

In this section, we’ll give you an overview of some of our favourites, spotlighting the best that the city offers – just a hop, skip and a jump (or short mooch) from The Almere.

Centre:MK

The Central Milton Keynes shopping area is a large, regional shopping centre located – making it one of the biggest retail locations on our list.

That’s mainly because Centre:MK is actually two shopping centres that are directly adjacent from one another – the unmissable grade II listed Centre:MK which first opened in 1979, and Midsummer Place opened in 2000.

We’ll touch on Midsummer Place a little further down.

Centre:MK is the city’s most prominent shopping location, with an impressive roster of over 190 stores, plus cafes and restaurants, all under one roof.

With British mainstays such as John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Next all playing headliner acts, closely followed by 1000’s of big and small brands to boot, this is one of the UK’s top shopping destinations.

There is one thoroughfare and it takes you in a U shape so you don’t miss a thing, putting you in perfect position to scope out the shops you want – and ditch the ones you don’t.

There are a variety of places to eat too, should you get the rumbles.

At a glance, you can expect outstanding stores including such as:

– Next
– Superdry
– Sports Direct
– Lego
– Victoria’s Secret
– Apple
– Zara
– Debenhams

And those ones are just off the top of our heads. Attracting folk from London, Birmingham (and even further afield) – it prides itself on great customer service and a wide breadth of options.

But the best part? It’s right on our doorstep.

Central Milton Keynes Market

If you prefer your shops ‘a little less known’, find yourself a unique buy at Central Milton Keynes market, facilitated in Central:MK.

Open on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can also expect rare vintage hauls at their second-hand and bric-a-brac events every Thursday – in addition to the ordinary stalls run by local businesspeople.

So what are you waiting for? Get involved!

Getting here and parking

Although The Almere is a straight shot to some of Milton Keynes’ best and brightest, we know that you might want to use four wheels rather than two feet – especially if you’re lugging your new buys home.

It’s important to note that after 6pm parking is free throughout Central Milton Keynes – so why not grab a bite at one of our Neighbourhood Heroes and make it a date?

But for those directing family or friends from further afield, it couldn’t be easier to find.

To get there from the M1, junction 14 or the A5, take the road marked H5 (A509) and follow signs to ‘the centre mk central shopping’.

Centre:mk lies between Midsummer Boulevard and Silbury Boulevard, between Saxon Gate (V7) and Marlborough Gate – with easy signposting should anyone get lost.

You can even park from as little as £1 for 2 hours at the centre’s multi-storey car park, with Sunday’s being just £2 for all day parking.

So call your Mum and make a day of it.

We know she’ll love a nosy round Next.

Xscape Milton Keynes

Sometimes shopping needs to take a more adventurous route. As well as boasting leading sporting and lifestyle retail brands, Xscape is a year-round leisure and entertainment indoor destination – where they say ‘anything is possible!’

Great for families or a different take on a shopping spree, once you’ve done a bit of browsing, you can book in a class skiing and snowboarding on real snow at Snozone.

For those adrenaline junkies, simulate skydiving at IFly (perfect for a blowdry on the go) – or watch someone else do it by catching a movie and delighting all of the senses in Cineworld’s 4DX screen.

You can even while away the hours on wall-to-wall trampolines and climbing walls for a different take on your classic ‘hang-out.’

Of course, it’s all hungry work. Whether you need to grab a quick bite or take time to dine, there’s also a selection of quick-serve and sit-down eateries for you to choose from.

Getting here and parking

There’s plenty of parking available at Xscape, with the blue bays costing 80p an hour. Bear in mind that purple bays are slightly cheaper, coming in at 50p an hour as they are council owned.

Visiting Cineworld to watch a film?

You will be able to receive a refund if you show your parking ticket along with a valid cinema ticket for that day. Find out more.

Picture,Of,Happy,Friends,Sitting,In,Cinema,Watch,Film,Eating

The Hub

Located in the heart of Milton Keynes, The Hub is a vibrant restaurant, café, hotel, and leisure district. As such, it’s a great place to grab a bite to eat or just relax, before enjoying a treatment or browsing around the retail sections at your convenience.

It’s especially lovely in the summer months, as there are many restaurants and cafes that have outdoor eating areas around The Hub’s Piazza.

Restaurants, eateries, bars, and other leisure facilities include:

– Maaya Indian Kitchen & Bar
– Pizza Express
– Nando’s
– Banana Tree
– Turtle Bay
– Brasserie Blanc
– DeRoka
– Oscar’s
– Zizzi
– Las Iguanas
– Be At One Bar
– The Blossom Room
– Subway
– Browns Bar & Brasserie
– Bogota Coffeehouse
– Sweat Studios (Hot Yoga)
– Headonist Hair & Beauty
– Optimax Laser Eye Specialists
– SK:N

When the weather’s bright, you can also expect events for all the family happening at the Piazza, which also doubles up as a sunsoaked venue. Perfect for a break after all that shopping, splurging and sipping.

Getting here:

It’s important to note that although The Hub doesn’t have a dedicated parking centre, that free parking is available at Sainsbury’s (off Avebury Boulevard) for 3 hours – just a two minute walk to The Hub.

Other parking in the area is also available, such as a pay and display unit between 7am and 6pm.

Midsummer Place

Known as the Fashion Quarter, Midsummer Place sits opposite Centre:MK as a premier shopping centre home to everything from big-name fashion to independent retailers.

You can also find the very best in designer fashions, accessories and a wealth of other exciting retail outlets here – making it a one-stop destination for a whole new wardrobe.

There are more than 50 for you to choose from, with massive names in clothing including Topshop, Zara, Gap, H&M, Hugo Boss, Hollister, Jack & Jones, Michael Kors, Superdry and Levi’s M – to name just a few.

Midsummer Place is also home to exclusive outlets as well as several great places to eat and relax, because all that walking certainly works up an appetite.

Getting here and parking

Midsummer Place has a multi storey car park with 750 spaces, including disabled and parent and child spaces on two levels.

Top tips for ace trips

Listen, we’ve all been there. We’ve set our sights on shopping heights – and the day somehow falls short.

That’s why we’ve done a quick whip round and collated these top tips, so you’ll be left with amazing purchases, rather than blisters and an empty bank account.

Set a budget so you don't overdo it!

Checking out your finances isn’t fun, but it’s a necessary evil when you’re going shopping.

Look at your finances and decide how much you have to spend, before making a budget and sticking to it like glue – or an unwelcome bit of gum on the bottom of your shoe.

One tip is to go old school and take the amount you plan on spending in cash with you to the store instead of a debit or credit card.

That way, you can only spend what you have on you, or alternatively, transfer funds to a short-term account that you can dip in – leaving your savings for a rainy day.

Decide how much time you want to spend shopping.

If you only have an hour, you’re not going to be able to hit 20 stores. Knowing exactly how much time you can spend will give you a chance to plan your stops.

For instance, maybe you just have your lunch break, or maybe you can spend a couple of hours one afternoon, but be realistic!

After all, running yourself ragged isn’t going to do you any favours – and you’ll likely be too frazzled to get the good stuff anyway.

Woman,Serving,Customer,At,The,Counter,In,A,Clothing,Store

Make an itinerary

Lists aren’t just for your Nan. If you only have so much time, pick the most important things you need to shop for and plan to come back another day – or simply circle back later if you’ve got minutes to spare.

Check out the maps at the store’s entrance and even plan a route. Once you have everything grouped, then pick the shops you’re most keen to visit and tackle them by order of priority.

Of course, it can’t all be work and no play – shopping isn’t meant to be a military operation – so book in some time for a mooch and a wander.

We tend to find the best buys come unexpectedly!

Multiracial,Group,Of,Women,Shopping,And,Walking,In,London.,Three

What you should know

Getting here

By car

Getting here is easy too – just 5 minutes’ drive from Junction 14 on the M1, with plenty of parking waiting for you.

By train

Milton Keynes Central is the busiest station out of the six that service the city and its surrounding area, running frequent services to London, England’s west coast, West Midlands and Southern Thameslink regions.

By bus

Milton Keynes is impressively well-connected, with bus routes taking you in and out of the city in a pinch. You can find complete listings for all available routes here.

Make Milton Keynes your next home

Make The Almere your exciting new home by exploring our incredible one, two or even three-bedroom apartments right at the heart of Milton Keynes.

Our selection of luxury apartments is within easy walking distance of the city centre – just a stone’s throw away from the very best Milton Keynes has to offer.

Co-working spaces, events, and a loyalty program that offers perks and rewards across the city make living at The Almere one of the most unique living experiences around.

Explore our Neighborhood Heroes here.

Plus, making yourself at home with us at The Almere means that all of the best shopping spots, restaurants and entertainment venues are right there for the taking. You just have to come and see.

Visit The Almere today and take a look at our spectacular luxury apartments, beautifully curated living spaces, and fantastic amenities.

To arrange a viewing, get in touch by using our handy contact form and a friendly member of our team will get back to you.

If you have any budding questions about how we could help get your new life in Milton Keynes off to a great start, please contact us by calling 01908 739 222 or emailing living@thealmere.co.uk.