An A to Z of UK High Street Retailers

Here’s a little exercise that your students might find interesting. The challenge is to come up with an A to Z of well-known retailers operating in the UK. The task is much harder when done alone and without research materials (aka wikipedia). It would make a good timed group exercise. Which group can complete the list first? Or which group can complete the most letters with legitimate retailers in a specific time (e.g. ten minutes).

Here is our latest list - which we are updating based on the suggestions you add to the comments box below, or email through to us.

We have tried to exclude businesses which, whilst they are on the high street, are not really retailers (e.g. banks, wine bars).

A follow-up activity would be to get the students to group their suggestions in terms of categories:

e.g. Product range, High Street v out of Town, Upmarket/Discount, fashion retailers only…

A Asda, Accessorize, Aldi, Ann Summers, Austin Reed, Argos, Ainsleys, Alexon, Allders, Allsports, Adams
B Barratt Shoes, Boots, Budgens, Bakers Oven, B&Q, Burberry, Birthdays, Borders, BHS, Burtons, Body Shop, Blacks, Benetton, Beaverbrooks, Bon Marche, Brantano
C Costcutter, Comet, Charles Tyrwhitt, Clinton Cards, Cecil Gee, Charles Clinkard, Costa Coffee,
D Debenhams, Dixons, Dorothy Perkins, DFS, Dollond & Aitchison, Disney Store
E Early Learning Centre, Etam, Evans, Ernest Jones
F Fat Face, French Connection, Foot Locker, FarmFoods, Freespirit, Footlocker
G Greggs, Game,Goldsmiths
H Harrods, Habitat, Happy Shopper, HMV, Halfords. H&M, Hobbs, H Samuel, Holland & Barrett
I Iceland, Ikea
J JJB Sports, JD Sports, Jaeger, Jessops, JoJo Mamam Bebe, John Lewis, Jones Bootmaker, Jacques Vert, Johnsons
K Kookai, Karen Millen
L Lush, Lidl, La Sensa, Londis, Laura Ashley, Lakeland, Lacoste, Levis
M Marks & Spencer, Monsoon, Milletts, Morrisons, Miss Selfridge, McDonalds, Mango, Mexx, Millies Cookies, Mothercare, Matalan, Mamas & Papas
N Next, Nandos, New Look, Netto
O Oasis, 02, Ottakers, Oddbins, Orange, O’Neil, Offer
P Past Times, PC World, Post Office, Primark, Principles, Ponden Mill, Poundstretcher, Pets At Home, Pet City, Paperchase, Perfume Shop, Phones 4u
Q QD, Quiksilver
R River Island, Rymans, Russell & Bromley
S Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Superdrug, Specsavers, Sports World, Sports Soccer, Schuh, Starbucks, Sunglass Hut
T TKMaxx, Top Shop, Tesco, Threshers, Tie Rack, The Carphone Warehouse, Thorntons, T-Mobile, ToysRUs, Ted Baker, Timberland, Toyworld
U USC, Ultimo
V Virgin, Vie, Vision Express, Vodafone
W Wickes, Waitrose, WH Smith, Waterstones, Woolworths, White Stuff, Wallis, Warehouse, Whittard
X
Y
Z Zara, Zavvi