10 cool shopping districts around the world: readers’ tips

Hamburg has its vinyl, St Petersburg its designer island and Toronto its arty distillery district. But the retail magic is strongest in Whitley Bay … This is a lively, sweeping curve of a high street, catering for a whole host of tastes and interests. Immortalised in the Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love and once a beloved destination for hen and stag parties, it has come a long way of late. Now it’s packed with independent boutiques and stores such as Hound Dog Music, Lottie McPhees