If you’ve ever been to the old Habitat, Lakeland is a bit like that, except just Utility, so great design, medium to high end price point and everything you can think of you might find in a well stocked kitchen, Nigella Lawson style, a great utility room, Mrs Hinch or Martha Stewart style or a great homeware store specialising in high modernist design like Ikea, the Conrad Shop or Habitat I just mentioned, a shop I loved to browse as a student, I couldn’t afford the prices.

When a shop that sells product you are not that interested in with great merchandising, point of sale displays, bright lighting and spacious aisles to wonder and lots of staff on hand to help if you need them or not, generally quiet unless called on, you can see why Lakeland is a retailing success story. I don’t work for them or have any association with the business. I hadn’t ever stepped foot in the shop until a few weeks ago but I was very surprised by the whole overall experience.

I don’t cook a lot and tend to spend as little time in my kitchen as possible but I just moved into a new flat, I needed a few things for the kitchen, a washing up bowl, scourers, a chopping board, a bread knife, a laundry rack and basket, and Wilkinsons and the old fashioned hardware shop in Market Harborough have closed down, the place I would have normally gone to buy these items.

I found myself in Lakeland by default and was pleasantly surprised by the product range and not so scary prices.

Don’t get me wrong, I probably did pay a premium for the items I purchased about £50 in total, but I did find the experience easy, the products I bought were definitely all superior quality with an emphasis on high design and I did get everything all in one place.

The chopping board was particularly nice, real wood and the knife selection was extensive. FYI the one I chose slices the bread brilliantly. And I am sure will last me a lifetime.

The little washing up brush I was particularly impressed with too. Sort of a door handle knob on a brush that fits neatly inside the palm of your hand and makes that task of washing up a lot easier. I cannot actually believe I am raving about a washing up brush.

Lakeland is the kind of shop you can actually browse. It’s full of things you’ve never seen before and certainly never realised you needed.

If you are looking for a practical gift for someone it’s good place to start especially for someone who loves to cook.

I don’t imagine I’ll be in Lakeland every week picking up a new gadget, like I said I keep my time spent in the kitchen to a minimum but I can see why this shop is popping up on the high street replacing the cheaper household hardware shops we used to see.

I get the feeling instead of the 99p green washing up sponges I used to go through I am going to be using my new wire wool scourer clothes and my fabulously designed washing up brush for some time to come.

So good I am thinking about buying another one just in case in a year or so when it does have to be thrown away I can get another one. Yep, that good.