Norwich has seen off the likes of Edinburgh, Cambridge and Bristol to appear in the list of top 10 UK shopping destinations in a retail footprint 2010 study.
The study ranks retail centres by forecast expenditure and assesses the size of the shopping destinations.
In other studies which take into account quality of the shopping, Norwich comes up even higher.
So what is it about Norwich that makes it such a great place place to do your shopping?
One huge factor must be the Norwich Lanes, with its diversity of quirky and quality independent shops such as Leadenhall Suit Company, Pure Bridalwear, Hooloovoo Hair.
Then you have Norwich market, offering everything you can think of - I've been able to fill my helium balloons at the card stall at the market,(you should have seen me carrying a bag of 10 helium filled balloons through Norwich!) find organic veg, buy a watch for my son, have my shoes re-heeled, buy winter gloves - you name it, you can probably find it here.
Of course, what springs to mind most when you think of shopping in Norwich, is the shopping centres - with the new Chapelfield shopping centre and the more established "The Mall Norwich", with their mix of shops and, in the case of the Mall, an on-site cinema.
One enterprising Norwich student has even come up with a way to reduce waste when you're shopping by sharing multi-buys - see her blog here.
Shopping in Norwich is made very easy by the fact that Norwich is a fairly compact city, so it is easy to stroll from the Mall to the Market and then meander down the Norwich Lanes.
With good Park and Ride schemes, low crime rates and little traffic chaos compared to places in London, Norwich provides a very easy and enjoyable shopping experience - and don't forget something which won't show up on the surveys - the friendliness of Norwich people.
