Barnardo's - Sutton Coldfield

Introduction

Barnardo's, a renowned charity organization, has established a thrift store in the heart of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, UK. This retail outlet, located at Unit 1a, Princess Alice Retail Park, is not just a shopping destination but a testament to the organization's commitment to supporting vulnerable children and young people across the UK. The store offers a wide range of pre-loved items, providing an affordable shopping experience while contributing to a sustainable environment.

Main Services

• Thrift Store: The primary service offered by Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield is its thrift store. Here, you'll find a carefully curated selection of pre-loved clothing, accessories, homewares, books, and more. Each item is inspected and priced affordably, making it a popular destination for budget-conscious shoppers and sustainability enthusiasts alike.
• Donation Collection: Besides selling pre-loved items, Barnardo's also collects donations from the local community. They accept a wide range of goods in good condition, which are then sorted, priced, and sold in their stores or online. Donating to Barnardo's is a great way to contribute to a sustainable environment and support vulnerable children and young people.
• Online Shopping: While Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield is a bricks-and-mortar store, it also offers an online shopping experience. Through their website, you can browse and purchase a range of items, with profits still going towards supporting the charity's vital work.

Location and Access

Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield is situated at Unit 1a, Princess Alice Retail Park, off Princess Alice Drive. The store is easily accessible from the town center, with several public transport options available. The 906 and 907 buses stop nearby, and the store is a short drive from the M6 motorway. For those traveling by car, there is a wheelchair-accessible car park available on-site.

The store is also wheelchair-accessible, with a dedicated entrance for customers with mobility issues. This commitment to accessibility is part of Barnardo's ongoing effort to ensure that everyone can enjoy their shopping experience and support the charity's work.

Featured Characteristics

• Variety of Goods: Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield offers a wide range of pre-loved items, from clothing and accessories to homewares and books. Whether you're looking for a unique piece of vintage clothing or a bargain book, you're likely to find it here.
• Affordable Pricing: One of the standout features of Barnardo's is its commitment to affordable pricing. Every item in the store is priced to sell, with many items costing just a few pounds. This makes it an excellent destination for budget-conscious shoppers.
• Sustainable Shopping: By shopping at Barnardo's, you're not only finding great bargains but also contributing to a more sustainable environment. The store's focus on pre-loved items helps reduce textile waste and encourages a circular economy.

Practical Information

• Opening Hours: Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield is typically open from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and on Sundays from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. However, it's always a good idea to check their website for any changes or updates to opening hours.
• Contact Information: You can reach Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield by phone at 1213556665 or via email through their website's contact form. The store's address is Unit 1a, Barnardo's, Princess Alice Retail Park, Princess Alice Dr, The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield B73 6RB, United Kingdom.
• Payment Methods: Barnardo's accepts cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.

Positive Aspects from Reviews

With an average rating of 3/5 on Google My Business, Barnardo's Sutton Coldfield receives mixed reviews. However, several customers highlight positive aspects of the store:

• Variety of Goods: Many customers praise the store's wide range of goods, from clothing and accessories to homewares and books. One customer noted, "I always find something I like here, whether it's clothes, books, or home decor."
• Affordable Prices: Several customers highlight the affordable prices at Barnardo's, with one customer describing it as "a real bargain hunter's paradise."
• Supporting a Good Cause: Many customers appreciate that their purchases go towards supporting vulnerable children and young people across the UK. One customer commented, "It's great to know that my shopping is helping to support such a worthy cause."
• Helpful Staff: Some customers praise the store's staff for their helpfulness and friendly service, noting that they go out of their way to assist customers.

👍 Reviews of Barnardo's

DJ R. &. R.

1/5

Popped in today with my wife, who enjoys browsing the books and cups (she admittedly has a bit of a cup addiction !). She picked up a small silver-plated jug for our coffee machine marked up for £3.50 and took it to the downstairs counter to pay. The staff member said, “I need to check this,” and disappeared out back for about five minutes.

When she returned, she very abruptly said, “I can't sell you this.” My wife asked, “Why wouldn’t you?” and the reply was, “It was put out by mistake,” before the staff member walked off without another word.

Very strange interaction and left us feeling unwelcome. I'm not sure what’s going on, but we won’t be returning.

jennifer B.

1/5

I went on Monday with a car full of donations. I was rudely told that they couldn't take everything. This is the second time that this has happened. I understand that they might be overwhelmed with donations but they could refuse them in a pleasant manner. I doubt that I will bother donating to Barnardo's again. There are plenty of charity shops around with nice staff.

Sophie D.

5/5

Absolutely massive charity shop and they let the dog in too. The shop was neat and tidy, and the staff were friendly.

john C.

1/5

Visited a couple of times now and I'm surprised by the poor management of this store. Judging by all the reviews I'm not alone and it seems that Barnados are in no hurry to do anything about it.
The store is spread over 2 floors and is a total mess throughout.
Nowadays many charity shops are run and presented in the same way as other High Street chains and as a result enjoy a higher turn over of goods and a higher footfall. Most people today were just commenting on the mess and the fact that it looked like it was just a load of tat.

Barnados you are really missing a trick here. Big store great location and an opportunity to create a flagship store they would attract a lot more customers.

Instead of answering' We are sorry for your poor experience today blah blah' maybe have a re-think and do something about it.

Lexi

2/5

Went to have a look around but it's very untidy the displays of bric a brac and board games are messy and the rails could do with a tidy up as the sizes are all over the place. If items were kept neat it would look better. Also some of the prices are over the top. £8 for a primark jumper bit much £16 for a man's winter jumper. Who's working out the prices?

S M.

3/5

I don’t know what’s going on at this store lately but it’s an absolute mess. Always have enjoyed shopping here as they had such a nice variety of items and clean. It truly looks like dump now and no one really working. Today was our final visit.

John_rambo

1/5

Very rude staff especially when you take in donations went in a few weeks ago to donate some stuff for them to sell and make some money for their charity asked the assistant where shall I put them he looked at me and then totally ignored me 😞 thought maybe he’s having a bad day but there’s no need for he’s ignorant behaviour, then on Wednesday the 10th Jan 2024 this month took in 4 bags of donations at approximately 5.03pm to be stopped half way through the store by a very rude member of staff who refused my donations she rudely said no donations after 5pm 🕔 what absolutely disgusting behaviour from a charity shop member, to say I was shocked is an understatement. She’s not a volunteer but an actual paid member of staff. Absolutely unacceptable disgusting behaviour, I took my 4 bags of donations to cancer research in Perry Barr Birmingham instead who were absolutely grateful for my charitable donations. I will never shop here or donate anything ever again. If I couldn’t give any stars I would.

dennis H.

1/5

Awful shop at times, has been better of late on certain days so hit and miss! but a few members of staff, one I believe to be named Vicki is awfully rude and needs to treat people who donate with respect. Very bad customer service from her. Donated 26th April on morning and her sharpness has deterred me from ever donating again.

I'm now expecting the same as all your other replies to discruntled customers or those that donate."so sorry to hear you had a bad experience at our Sutton Coldfield branch of Barnardos" please call blah blah blah but you do nothing about it....

I've visited the store numerous times and you can't get your act together so don't bother with the usual reply you offer!! Just sort it!!

Dennis