More Than Harrod’s of the North
When The House of Bruar was first built some years ago, it was quickly nicknamed Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½the Harrod’s of the North’, but it has lived down the slur by becoming the quintessential place for country living shopping by both Scots and tourists alike. It’s more like an experience than a mall, but it’s a huge complex of architecturally compatible buildings and lovely environs, which lend themselves to several hours of shopping, eating, walking the dog, and letting the children, have a good romp.
The main hall, and the original of all the buildings, houses an enormous selection of men’s’ and women’s’ wear. From the top of the line shooting apparel to silks and velvets for evenings, the range of selection and the depths of colors and sizes are very impressive.
While much of the merchandise is U.K. in origin, Bruar has gone far and wide to insure you have the best selection whether the brand is Irish, German, French or Austrian. It is an impossible building to walk out of empty-handed because, beyond the quality, there are unique items you are likely to want to own. And, as you’re looking at hunting breeks or leather padded shooting jackets, bear in mind these are what people wear in Scotland and this is where they buy them.
In an adjacent building, there is a large food hall complete with a good restaurant. It is sensible to schedule the restaurant in the middle of your visit for something hardy or just tea and scones, and save the food hall for your last foray of the day. There are great selections of pack able things like jams, jellies, and canned items, but there is an on premises bakery as well as a meat counter and a large frozen food section. Pre-prepared pheasant, venison, and boar along with Morecambe potted shrimps and other types of traditional fishes make you want to find a place to cook that night!
On down the way is the Bruar home section. They have expanded into serious kitchenware, linens, a vast array of bedding and accessories for the country dog, and high-end home dÃ?©cor. From gifts to take back home to everyday utilitarian items, it’s all there.
Across the parking lot, there is another clothing hall but this one is devoted solely to sweaters. Cashmere, merino, lambs wool, silk, cotton and even polar fleeces. There’s about every size and color imaginable, and it’s an almost overwhelming sight when you first walk in the door. You’ll also find baskets of cashmere gloves, scarves and other goodies. Some merchandise is repeated from the main hall to the sweater hall but many people are known to rethink purchases at this point and track back to the main hall again!
Next door is a pretty remarkable art gallery. Even if buying art isn’t in your budget, it’s worth perusing the quality of both contemporary painters as well as ones that are more antique.
They tend to specialize in game and sporting paintings but they’re diversified enough to have something for everyone.
If you’ve already tucked into some of the savories or candies you bought in the food hall, there’s a good opportunity to walk some of it off in the grounds around House of Bruar. Bruar Falls, behind the main hall, can be dramatic during certain run-offs, and there are plenty of areas for running the family dog. Bruar has provided for everyone âÂ?¦there’s a very nice playground for children and they’ve installed specially roofed parking for people whose pets are waiting in the car for them.
House of Bruar created something much more than just a shopping mall when they began their vision. It is something of a tribute to country life in general, and as you spend your time shopping, you’ll realize there are as many Scots, who’ve come from large estates or small villages, as there are tourists. If you’re lucky enough to visit Bruar in the last part of November, you’ll find it busier than usual. It’s annual sale time and the dates are marked on many calendars in the U.K. One gets a lot of Christmas shopping accomplished and you’ll see many conversations among old friends who have converged from all over to make the most of the discounts.
If you’re driving to the north of Scotland, and even if you have no intention of buying anything else, you still need to stop at Bruar âÂ?¦it’s very much a Scottish experience.
