Derbion — Attraction in Great Britain

What do you get when you cross National Burger Day with the 10th birthday of a gourmet burger chain? A night of amazing food! Byron celebrated their 10th birthday on the 21st of August and invited me, among other bloggers, to their celebration for "a true VIP burger experience". I was then asked to tell you guys, on National Burger Day, what I thought of the night and the food I was served!

Starters (While You Wait) 9 Nuggets with BBQ Sauce - £4.75 For my starter, I thought I'd try one of the most common foods most places serve, chicken nuggets. I was expecting some sort of generic food that you'd find in most establishments but these were different. The chicken was moist and tender, seasoned perfectly. But the stand out part from the starter was the BBQ sauce they were served with. I even thought about saving the sauce to pour over my burger later, but I couldn't resist. There is also an 18 nugget option for an extra £3.00.

Mains (Proper Hamburgers) Gizzmo - £10.00 Sweet Potato Fries - £4.00 For my main, I thought I'd try the burger that was brought back especially for their 10th-anniversary celebrations, the Gizzmo burger. A 6oz Welsh rarebit burger topped with cheddar, applewood cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and -most importantly- mayonnaise. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium level and seasoned well. The large amount of cheese within the burger I didn't find to be too overpowering. With applewood being my favourite cheese I found it hard to say no. On the side, I had some majorly crispy sweet potato fries and the crispier the better. Byron does stray from the norm with the fact that you have to buy your chips as an extra to your burger. I wouldn't think the burger alone would fill you up enough even though it tastes amazing. A total of £14 for a main? I'd take that as a once-in-a-while treat but not as a regular thing.

Desserts Oreo Cheesecake - £4.95 To finish off the night I opted for 2 of my favourite sweet treats combines. Cheesecake and Oreos. The dessert was gorgeous and filling. Just the right amount of sweetness and not too dense. My only dislike about the dessert was that the base was a bit on the hard side for me. I prefer the base of my cheesecake to be soft and crumbly, but apart from that, I would have it a second time.

Including my £6.75 Peroni and £2.60 Coke, my meal would have cost me £33.05. Again, not too bad for a treat every now and then. The price of the Peroni was very steep, considering a supermarket will sell you the same bottle for £2. The service on the night was amazing. Staff at Byron's go the extra mile to make you feel welcome and comfortable. They were one of the standout features on the night. (Plus they were very patient with us bloggers taking constant photos and getting in their way).

Would I go again? Once in a while, yes. But I'd probably steer clear...

Superb shopping destination with loads to offer. All under one roof with plenty of entertainment options. Always clean, safe and secure. Fantastic selection of stores.

Why only 2 stars you may wonder?

The biggest reason is the awful narrow poorly signposted car park and the PRICE THEY CHARGE for parking is extortionate! A total insult when you're spending your hard earned cash here. You should get free parking especially when spending over £50 or even £100 at the centre and definitely if you visit the cinema.

So you rush, you visit a quarter of the stores you're actually interested in and dare not use a lot of the services here! Totally dumb, greedy and unnecessary.

It does have great disabled access here but there's hardly any disabled parking. Definitely a sign that the left hand didn't know what the right hand is doing!

I would love it if they could offer discounted rates to support local small businesses as the market is sorely missed. It is mostly large chain brands here so there's little you can't find everywhere else and I'd love more local flavour. There's some empty units so it's surely better to get these filled?

There is an awful off-putting stench which hangs around by the churros stand, I can't help but feel this should be moved to a more suitable location or maybe just better ventilated.

It's so close to perfection here but I guess sadly...

A Comparison Between Stoke's Potteries Centre and Derby Centre

Living in Stoke, I often visit the Potteries Centre for my shopping needs. However, after experiencing the vibrancy of Derby Centre, I can't help but wonder why Stoke's shopping scene falls short in comparison.

Derby Centre exudes an amazing energy – bustling yet not overwhelmingly crowded. It offers a plethora of shops, catering to every need and desire. The variety and quality of stores truly make it a shopper's paradise.

During my recent visit to Derby Centre, I found myself immersed in a delightful shopping spree. After walking over 10,000 steps exploring the diverse range of shops, I treated myself to a delicious pizza. The experience was nothing short of amazing.

While the Potteries Centre in Stoke serves its purpose, the charm and convenience of Derby Centre left a lasting impression on me. I hope that Stoke's shopping scene can strive to achieve the same level of excellence and variety...