We checked 13 shops in Ilford, Wanstead and South Woodford, from Exchange Ilford to Keating Jewellers, for hours and stock. Updated November 2026.
Ilford and its neighbouring high streets have 13 shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide lists them with opening hours, addresses and what each one sells. Exchange Ilford, Keating Jewellers in Wanstead, Richard Miles in South Woodford and MilaMei are the names many people will land on.
Shops often change their hours close to Christmas, so check before a special trip.
Dates for the Christmas shopping diary
Saturday 7 November: two Wanstead gift fairs. Both run from 11am to 4pm with free entry, according to the Wanstead Village Directory:
- The Festive Makers Market at Christ Church Hall, E11 2SW, has screen prints, ceramics, jewellery, homewares and textiles from local designer-makers.
- The Flamingo Fair at Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, has cards, gifts, face painting and refreshments.
Friday 20 November: Wanstead lights. The main switch-on moves to Christ Church Green this year, with celebrations from 4pm, the Wanstead Village Directory reports.
Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November: Ilford Christmas market. The organisers promise 100 stalls on the High Road selling gifts, food, decorations and crafts, with free entry. The times are on our Christmas market page.
Saturday 21 November: Ilford lights. The town centre switches on at 5.30pm, so expect the High Road to be at its busiest that day.
Thursday 26 November: Barkingside lights. The council’s switch-on is at Ken Aston Square. All the dates are on our switch-on page.
Exchange Ilford and the town centre
1. Exchange Ilford
The borough’s main shopping centre, on the High Road next to Redbridge Town Hall. Its store list includes The Entertainer toy shop, H&M, Next, New Look, TK Maxx, Pandora, The Perfume Shop and Card Factory, alongside the independents below. The centre says individual shops may keep different hours.
We found no separate Christmas hours for 2026 on its site on 5 November, so check nearer the time. Parking charges are on our Ilford parking page.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 7pm; Sun 11am to 5pm; bank holidays 10am to 5pm
Parking Ley Street entrance IG1 4BG; Havelock Street entrance IG1 4FA
Address Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website exchangeilford.com/opening-times
Good for toys, fashion, jewellery, perfume, cards
2. Al Zarina
A modest fashion shop on Level 3 of Exchange Ilford. Its own site describes the business as “rooted in Ilford” and says it has served East London since 2014.
The centre’s store page describes chic, contemporary designs for any occasion. The site also has an online shop.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 11am to 5pm
Call 0208 478 0854
Address Level 3, Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website alzarina.com
Good for modest fashion, occasion wear
3. Lajaan
A jewellery shop on Level 2 of the centre. Its store page lists necklaces, pendants, earrings, anklets, bracelets, rings and body chains in silver and gold-plated finishes. The shop says it makes personalised necklaces and bracelets with Arabic or English lettering, and takes bespoke orders.
Allow time before Christmas if you want a custom piece, and ask the shop for its cut-off date.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 7pm; Sun 11am to 5pm
Call 07587 555629
Address Level 2, Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website exchangeilford.com/store/lajaan
Good for personalised jewellery, bespoke orders
4. Liberty Flowers
A family-run florist on Cranbrook Walk, part of the Exchange. The centre’s page says the family has more than 30 years of experience, and that it does weddings, tributes and everyday bouquets. The page lists libertyflowers.co.uk as its website, which did not load for us on 5 November.
Ask in the shop about Christmas orders.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 7pm; Sun 11am to 5pm
Address Cranbrook Walk, Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website exchangeilford.com/store/liberty-flowers
Good for bouquets, family-run
5. Kidz Zone
A children’s clothes shop on Level 1 of the centre. Its store page lists party and wedding dresses, baby wear, boys’ formal suits and christening outfits, along with accessories. It is a shop to know if a child needs something smart for Christmas Day or a family party.
It closes earlier than the centre on most days.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Call 020 8514 2002
Address Level 1, Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website exchangeilford.com/store/kidz-zone
Good for partywear, baby wear, boys' suits
6. NYC Collection
An accessories shop on Level 2 of the centre. Its store page describes a range of sunglasses and watches, from statement pieces to classics, and pitches them as gifts as well as treats for yourself. The page gives no telephone number or website, so a visit is the way to see the stock.
Open Mon to Fri 9.30am to 6pm; Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 11am to 5pm
Address Level 2, Exchange Ilford, High Road, Ilford
Website exchangeilford.com/store/nyc-collection
Good for watches, sunglasses
Barley Lane and Eastern Avenue
7. MilaMei Flower Studio
A florist with two Ilford shops, one on Barley Lane and one on Eastern Avenue. Its site says it has been making bouquets for more than four years, and that it also sells plants, small gifts and balloons. The online shop on 5 November listed roses by the stem with a minimum of 10, and made-up bouquets at prices including £65 and £85.
Its contact page lists no Sunday hours.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 7pm
Price bouquets listed at £65 and £85; roses from £5 a stem, minimum 10
Address 169 Barley Lane, Ilford, IG3 8XU; 633 Eastern Avenue, Ilford, IG2 6PW
Website milamei.co.uk
Listing Our listing
Good for bouquets, plants, small gifts, balloons
Wanstead
8. Keating Jewellers
An independent jeweller on Wanstead High Street, opened in 1987 by David and Elaine Keating, according to its site. It says rings are made by hand in its Wanstead workshop and that diamond earring sets are on sale in store. Its services include bespoke commissions, pearl restringing, repairs, valuations and watch batteries.
The site publishes no opening hours, so ring first. Commissions take time, so ask early if one is for Christmas.
Call 020 8989 2532
Address 123A High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL
Website keatingjewellers.co.uk
Good for handmade rings, commissions, repairs, restringing
9. Oxfam Bookshop Wanstead
Oxfam’s bookshop at Clock House Parade on Wanstead High Street. The charity’s shop page lists books and music among what it takes in as donations, and the stock is second-hand, so what is on the shelves changes. It is the only Wanstead shop on this list that publishes its hours, and it opens on Sundays.
Oxfam says its shops raise money to fight poverty.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 6pm; Sun 10am to 5pm
Call 020 8530 3413
Address 1 Clock House Parade, High Street, Wanstead, E11 2AG
Website oxfam.org.uk/shops/oxfam-bookshop-wanstead
Good for second-hand books, music
10. Daisy’s Florist
A florist on Wanstead High Street, run by Daisy and her husband Mark. Redbridge Council featured the shop in March 2025, and said the couple had been making arrangements there for a decade, including weddings, funerals and special occasions.
That council piece is the most recent source we found. We found no website or published hours, and the address comes from OpenStreetMap, so allow for that before making a special trip.
Address 121a High Street, Wanstead, E11
Good for bouquets, arrangements
South Woodford
11. Richard Miles Jewellers
A family-run jeweller established in 1952, with shops in South Woodford and Chingford. It says it sells new and pre-owned jewellery, watches and giftware.
The range on its site includes diamond rings, 18ct gold, 22ct Asian gold, BOSS, Citizen and Seiko watches, and bullion coins. Its contact page gives the hours below for Monday to Saturday and lists no Sunday opening.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm
Call 020 8529 1952
Address 125 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1AN
Website richardmilesjewellers.co.uk
Good for pre-owned jewellery, watches, giftware
12. Crescendo Music
A small music shop on George Lane, run alongside Crescendo Music Academy and Variations Dance Studio. Its page lists records, music books, accessories and gifts for musicians and dancers, plus cards and wrapping paper. It specialises in guitars and keyboards, and says it can order other instruments.
Its published hours are short and weekday only, so plan around them.
Open Mon to Fri 10.30am to 2.30pm
Address 160 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1AY
Website variationsdancestudio.co.uk/george-lane-shop
Good for records, music gifts, guitars, keyboards
Woodford Green
13. COOK Woodford Green
A branch of the COOK frozen food chain on The Broadway, so not an independent, but included for its Christmas range. The shop’s page says it opened in 2014. The company’s site lists Christmas dinner boxes, turkeys, starters, sides, desserts and buffet food, along with gift cards.
Delivery has a £45 minimum order, and click and collect from the shop is free. Check its Christmas delivery dates page before you order.
Open Mon to Wed 9am to 6pm; Thu to 6pm; Fri and Sat 8.30am to 6pm; Sun 10am to 5pm
Price home delivery minimum order £45; click and collect free
Call 020 3714 2875
Address 32 The Broadway, Woodford Green, IG8 0HQ
Website cookfood.net/shops/woodford-green
Good for Christmas dinner boxes, gift cards, click and collect
How we chose
We started from shops people can walk into around Ilford, Wanstead, South Woodford and Woodford Green, using Exchange Ilford’s store list, OpenStreetMap, Redbridge Council and local coverage in the Wanstead Village Directory, Wansteadium and the South Woodford Village Gazette. We favoured independents with something to give at Christmas, and only chains where they fill a gap. Hours and stock come from those sources on 5 November 2026.
Several shops are left out because we could not confirm them on a current page of their own, which does not mean they have closed. They include The Art Shop, Moments and Daygustation Wines in Wanstead, Room 22 and The Perfumery in South Woodford, and Pepperman’s Deli in Barkingside. Wanstead Bookshop’s online store blocked our check. Woodford Cycle Centre on George Lane says on its site that it is closing for retirement, so it is left out too.
Planning the rest of the trip? See parking in Ilford, Christmas trains and travel, Christmas dinner in Ilford, Santa’s grotto, Valentines Mansion at Christmas, things to do in Ilford, what’s on this month and our business directory.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@ilfordtoday.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@ilfordtoday.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
Frequently asked questions
What are Exchange Ilford’s opening hours?
Exchange Ilford lists 9am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm on Sunday and 10am to 5pm on bank holidays. It says individual shops may vary. We found no separate Christmas hours for 2026 on its site on 5 November.
When is the Ilford Christmas market in 2026?
The market runs on Ilford High Road from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November, with 100 stalls and free entry. The lights switch-on is at 5.30pm on Saturday 21 November.
Which shops on this list open on Sundays?
The Exchange Ilford shops listed here open on Sundays, as do the Oxfam Bookshop in Wanstead and COOK in Woodford Green. Richard Miles and MilaMei publish Monday to Saturday hours only, and Crescendo Music publishes Monday to Friday hours.
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