Emmily did exactly that when she payed a visit to the Shepherd’s Bush Market one cold and sunny morning. Open every day but Sunday, it’s just to the east of the railway viaduct (between Uxbridge and Goldhawk Roads, if you’re one for particulars). What she found was a practical affair, catering to the everyday needs of the local Irish and Afro-Caribbean community. Fresh fish, multipacks of hula hoops, Sacred Heart car fresheners, non-branded deodorant and stacks of pans: a good ol’ fashioned market. Seekers of organic chocolate and haloumi burgers, we guarantee you will be disappointed. Prop buyers, on the other hand, should rub their hands together at the thought of this rich resource for action props, fabrics and smalls: inexpensive, frequently available in bulk and only a stone’s throw from the BBC. Emmily was particularly impressed by E. Mills & Son, which offers an astonishing array of rugs. (The owner had just finished sewing one when she entered, which he immediately threw on top of the brightly-coloured and rapidly growing mound beside him). Just when she thought there was no space left in the world for another fake grass carpet or strip of leapord print linoleum, he took her round to their warehouse, where the endless stacks of brightly coloured floor coverings left her retinas reeling and something deep and primitive crying for tea. Tamana Fashions, a fairly small stall that deals primarily in headgear, likewise impressed with its variety. Artifical flowers, corsages and ribbons are each available in an astonishing range of colours. Colour is a key theme in the many fabric shops in the market and on Goldhawk Road. A One Fabrics is a typical establishment, offering two floors of material. With traditional plaid, lycra with a spider print, oriental silks and basic jerseys all coming into view at once, the effect is cacophanous but, nonetheless, navigable. The layout is comprehensive, the staff helpful and the prices, unbeatable. The third floor offers haberdashery and a strong incentive to blow the dust off your sewing kit.