For the love of Radley

**Warning Long Post**

I love Radley bags, my favourite being the Away Days Signature bag from 2005. The reason I like this particular bag and this is pathetic I know, but it has a signpost on the bag and the place names are not far from me, so local areas if you like.




Ok, I lie, I love all bags and yes I do have a 'thing' as hubby calls it about handbags, but I dont have that many (and I dont have the one above, alas). I think up until recently the most Ive ever spent on a handbag (a lovely rusty brown leather bucket type bag) is £30 and I got that in a half price sale in the states.

Im the definately the £5 in the Next sale kinda gal! (only way I can afford to 'feed my habit' of handbags) Nice bags they are too.

The only Radley item I have, is a cute purse that beany bought for me last year, I love it.

Anyway back in Feb on the way to Florida and whilst browsing the duty free at Manchester Airport, what did I see, only a Radley section. I was in heaven!

So I thought ooh lets take a look at the handbags. Immediately one caught my eye, the most gorgeous chestnut coloured grab bag, lined with pink, it was only £73!! Hubby could see I had my eye on it and offered to buy it for me, I did protest honest I did LOL but whats a girl to do if hubby insists (only 'cos he wanted to get to the departures lounge Im sure LOL)

We (actually that could be 'I') take the bag lovingly off the shelf and take it to the til and guess what?! Theyd only priced the bloody thing wrong it wasnt £73 but £130 yes you read that right. I was not impressed but the lady (though you wouldnt have known by the mouth on her) on the til was having none of it and refused to sell it to me at the price advertised.

By this time hubby was doing the rolling eyes bit and fidgeting to get going (told you he wanted to get to the departure lounge LOL). The woman was arguing the toss and took it off sale....what!! no way I wanted that bag *boo hoo* so hubby bought it for me at full price (was he mad! yes, maybe, but I wasnt complaining)

Said bag was paid for and packed in my suitcase in its very own pink cloth sack and woe betide anyone that even thought about touching it LOL.

Once we got back from Florida my bag was unleashed and I decided to actually use it rather than admire it from a far, well it did cost loads of money.

After 4 weeks use, guess what happened - some of the decorative stitching, where the bag zips up has come undone, the tab where the little leather dog hangs on its leash has come unstuck and I nearly lost little doggy. NOT impressed.

So I contacted Radley (sods law, cant find the bloody receipt anywhere), apparently Radley bags have a guarantee - Woohooo!! was absolutely stoked about this. So as advised I sent my bag off last week for them to inspect it. Thursday to be exact, Friday they called me, hows that for service!

Unfortunately, my being 'absolutely stoked' didnt last for long. My bag was an airport exclusive and Radley dont have it in stock anymore so cant send me a replacement. Im gutted!

However, they have said that I can choose a bag from their website and they'll go up to £150 in value which was really nice of them and quite generous.

Trouble is I dont really want anything else. Ok so now youre probably reading this and thinking 'how could she NOT want another bag' well heres the thing, my lovely son in law (ish) got me this last week, as he gets discount from a well known store and I saved over £20




So answers on a postcard, what shall I do, request a refund (baring in mind I dont have the reciept), buy something for the sake of it, or wait until the Autumn/Winter bags are released?

Only a woman would have this kind of dilemma!