THE famous King’s Statue stands proudly at the head of two of the main shopping streets, St Thomas Street and St Mary Street, which look much the same in places as they might have done centuries ago.

The statue was a tribute from the town to King George III, who made Weymouth so famous as a resort and spa in the 18th century when his doctors recommended sea air and salt water to cure his ills.

More than 250 years later, in the early 1990s, the new town centre New Bond Street was created from an 18th and 19th century street scene and another major shopping area was born, attracting leading high street stores and a state-of-the-art multi-screen cinema to complement the existing entertainments of the tenpin bowling alley nearby.

The creation of New Bond Street with Debenhams and Woolworths stores returning to the town, was the great boost to optimism the area so badly needed at a time when the borough’s economy was struggling to recover after the Navy and related defence industries left.

Although by no means a comprehensive guide to the whole of the borough’s shopping opportunities, today our shopping expedition will take us around the New Bond Street, St Mary and St Thomas Street areas of town. For the quaint shops around the harbourside, Hope Square and Brewers Quay, please look in the ‘Harbour’ section of this guide.

Are you looking for fashion items, something gorgeous to spruce-up your home, something for leisure and entertainment, sportswear, having your photos processed, your shoes mended, a beautiful bouquet, delicious food for your dinner this evening, or a utility item for your home? All this and much more can be found in the town centre. Many shops, particularly on the seafront, cater for families on holiday, with buckets and spades and all the other necessities for a day on the beach.

Starting at George III’s fine statue, we head off down St Mary Street which, despite the new development, remains hustling and bustling and full of life, offering lots of choice to shoppers. Besides the well-known high street stores, banks and building societies there are some really good family businesses.

Towards the harbour end of St Mary Street and near the wonderful church which gives this fine old street its name, there are many attractive clothes shops for women and men, unusual gift and card shops, and popular fruit and vegetable and wholefood stores.

While you are strolling from one end to the other it is rewarding to look upwards to the higglepiggledy roof lines; note the chimney pots and the window styles.

There’s so much more to the shopping experience in Weymouth than haring from one to store to another. Do make it a relaxed visit if you have the time, enjoy the numerous lovely little cafes, coffee bars, pubs and restaurants which have sprung up over the last few years. Best of all, if it’s sunny, find one where you can sit outside continental-style to sip your drink or coffee. Making these spaces in a shopping day is a happy pastime.

Pedestrianisation and attractive places to sit make St Mary Street a popular meeting place for friends on Saturdays.

Before we go back to the top of St Thomas Street for our next stroll, don’t forget to explore the side streets off St Mary Street.

Narrow, historic St Alban Street is a must for interest and unusual shopping opportunities with the bonus of the irresistible scents of freshly-baked bread and buns wafting from Sally Lunn’s down this delightful street where everything’s friendly, all the way to the other end where ladies find fabulous, unusual clothes at Ladybirds. Back to King George and an exploration of St Thomas Street. Near the top there is the attractive parade Frederick Place, built in 1835 and home tos hops of the kind which are the backbone of the town. Holding on through hard times, they are usually owner-run and often by second and third generations.

Other areas to explore before moving on include School Street (home to the library), the undercover Colwell Shopping Centre also in School Street, and Westham Road.

Moving on down St Thomas Street, New Bond Street is to the right with its attractive open square, the hub of Victorian Shownight at Christmas time, home to one of the oldest pubs in Weymouth, the White Hart, and the flagship stores Debenhams, Woolworths and New Look.