Where: 39 Ladygate, Beverley.

It sells: Children's shoes.

Open: Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Call: 01482 886388.

Web: www.urchinshoes.co.uk

W ith its quaint streets of independent boutiques and tendency to cater for the more rural side of life, there can be no doubt that Beverley has a very distinctive retail feel of its own.

It is not somewhere I visit often, but when I do, I am often pleasantly surprised. When a recent trip revealed a children's store, Urchin, I had never seen before, it would have seemed rude not to explore further.

Window shopping:

Unusually, Urchin has avoided any hint of the primary colours often associated with children's retail outlets and has, instead, opted for an elegant French grey exterior and a sophisticated and minimal sign. The choice works well in Ladygate, which, with its ever-increasing range of independent boutiques, must surely now be vying for the title of premier shopping street in Beverley.

First impressions:

With so little information on the outside, I was unsure whether Urchin sold clothes, but upon entering it is immediately clear it is solely a shoe shop.

As is often the case in stores set in older streets, what is gained in a quaint exterior must be paid for with a less well-lit interior, but the shop is welcoming, and with a small play area, extremely child-friendly.

There does not seem to be a huge selection of shoes on offer, but it is an awkward time of year for retailers, with the transition to springtime stock playing havoc with displays. It is soon apparent the brands of shoes on offer are great, however.

Any parent looking for cool and quirky footwear for their little one will be delighted to stumble across Urchin, which stocks everything from glitzy party shoes to sturdy boots and ranges from cute soft- soled pre-walkers to the very latest in teenage trainer. Brands include such classics as Converse and Kickers, right through to Toms and Etnies.

Shop Spy visited at the end of the sales, so prices were varied – with some great bargains to be had on boots and winter wear. However, generally non-sale prices were as you may expect, with the likes of Converse trainers ranging around £26, up to about £60 to £70 if you were paying full-price for some of the Olang skiboots.

With European brands such as Lelli Kelly and Angulus on display, there is a great variety of colour and I was delighted to see a couple of styles from Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, which is one of my favourite children's wear designers.

I never understand why British children's shoes tend to stay so resolutely at the dowdy end of the spectrum and loved seeing the splashes of hot pink and yellow around.

The store also stocked an extensive range of sensible black school footwear, so definitely seems to have children's feet covered for all occasions.

Staff and service:

Service was friendly and helpful. We were approached as we browsed and all our questions were answered.

Did I buy?

With the ends of the winter stock still dominating the displays, I was not tempted this time round, but I will definitely be back as seasonal needs arise.

Verdict:

As a shoe-lover who has been known to blow the budget several times over if it means my children will get to wear fun and colourful footwear, I am not sure how I have managed to miss Urchin since it opened last year.

The end of the sales may not have been the best time to visit, but what I have already seen has definitely whetted my appetite and I will be back come the spring to see what we can find.