London through its charity shops #7: Ealing Broadway

Call me sad, but I'd been looking forward to venturing into Ealing Broadway as I'd heard it has a specialised Oxfam Music shop – the only one in London (and one of only six in the whole country). In fact, Ealing Broadway has three Oxfams altogether – as well as the Music one there's a regular one and an Oxfam Books. Oxfam Music was okay; a slight disappointment to tell the truth, it lacked warmth, though lots of CDs, records and videos; also music equipment and TVs, reasonably priced. Likewise Oxfam Books (when compared to, say, Oxfam Books in Turnham Green) was okay but lacking charm, though had some interesting books; in fact, perversely, the best Oxfam for books and music was the regular Oxfam – sometimes less is more.

Cancer Research and Octavia were both poor. There's also a FARA Kids. Slightly out of the way is a CHF (Children's Hope Foundation); it has a decent clothes section but poor books and music. I couldn't find any others. There are some nice old buildings around Ealing Broadway but the people just look battered and worn out.

No barngains again today.