Store of the week: Wind in its sales at Arthur Beale, Covent Garden

Arthur Beale has been in its current location for more than 140 years, considerably longer than most of the buildings that surround it.

The other curious thing about the two-floor store is that on a midweek day well before lunch it is busy; clearly there are a lot of nautical boulevardier types in Convent Garden and this is the destination for them.

The ground floor is an Aladdin’s cave, with everything from marine clocks to ship’s bells. Upstairs, as well as a very impressive range of Breton fisherman’s tops, there is the clothing department and everything that the wannabe sailor might require appears to be on offer.

This store looks carefully organised with wall displays and fixtures for everything and, in terms of fitting a huge number of options into limited space, it takes some beating.

The ambience is central London boatyard.