Shopping in Bath – Where To Find the Best Stores And Boutiques
Bath is a beautiful city, known for its stunning Georgian architecture, natural hot springs, and rich history but the city also offers a charming unique shopping experience amongst its historical streets. From the high-end boutiques to the independent shops and markets, this city has a huge variey of stores for you to pick from.
Whether you choose to head to the Milsom Quarter, which is home to a variety of upscale stores and luxury brands or at Walcot Street, where you’ll find a treasure trove of unique stores with a creative attitude. You’ll find a really diverse range of shops that cater to everyone.
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Iconic Shopping Streets and Areas
Here are some of the most iconic shopping streets and areas that you can explore:
Milsom Street and Milsom Place
Milsom Street is one of the most popular shopping streets in Bath. The street is home to the UK’s first department store Jolly’s – which is now House of Fraser. Plus many other stores such as Holloyways of Ludlow (furntiure), Hobbs (women’s clothing), Bravissimo (lingerie), Chanii B (luxury footwear) and more.
If you’d like something to eat, head to Milsom Place. Located just off Milsom Street, this is a beautiful courtyard that is home to some of the city’s best restaurants and cafes such as The Botanist.
George Street
To the north of Milsom Street, you’ll find George Street; another beauitful Georgian street that is home to a number of independent shops and boutiques. You can find everything from handmade chocolates to vintage clothing here.
One of my faveorite stores on George Street is Persephone Books. An independent bookstore, that sells a range of non-fiction and fiction books written mostly by women that were once lost, and neglected. They reprint these books and now offer for them forsale. So far they’ve reprinted 149 books, which you can see listed on their site here. They also sell merch including a litteracy map of Bath which I highly recommend picking up if you’re interested in learning more about Bath’s literacy history, as it’s only £5.
While on George Street, if you fancy a cocktail you could head to the Slug & Lettuce. They offer a great range of cocktails plus they serve food including an endless lunch which comes with the choice of 2 alcoholic drinks. If you want a bite to eat, Miller & Carter is a steakhouse that has a great menu including vegan and gluten-free options. They normally have a lunch-time offer on during the weekend, and a Christmas menu in November & December.
Bartlett Street
Close to Milsom Street and the Assembly Rooms, you’ll find a quaint little shopping street – Barlett Street. This street is home to one of the best antique stores in Bath; the Barlett Street Antique Centre. The centre has over 50 different independnt antique dealers, so you can be sure to find a good selection of antiques to pick from.
There’s also two clothing stores I recommend checking out, the first being The Loft which is both a clothing store (called Blue) and a coffee shop. They’re an independent clothing store that sells a unique style of lifestyle clothing.
Another good clothing shop to check out is TOAST, a Welsh independnt store that offers high quality, simple yet beautiful clothing. As a brand they’re also concious of their enviromental impact, and work to help minimise this by helping you re-use, repair, and swap your clothing. They even offer a free mending service.
Southgate Shopping Centre
Southgate Shopping Centre is a modern shopping area, that’s near Bath Spa Train Station. The shopping centre has a ton of popular stores such as H&M, Lululemon and Urban Outfitters, KIKO MILANO & more. There’s also an Apple store, so head here if you need tech support with your iPhone or Mac while you’re in Bath.
Fancy watching a movie? Head to Tivoli Cinemas, which is easily the poshest and most luxurious cinema in Bath (if not the whole of the Southwest of England).
The shopping area also has a great selection of restauarnts serving food from a range of cultures. You could enjoy sushi at YO!, grab a bubble tea from Bubble CiTea, or be typically British and pick up a steak bake at Greggs. FOr a coffee, I highly recommend Koffee Time – their coffee is really good especially paired with one of their almond crossiants.
Walcot Street: The Artisan Quarter
Walcot Street is a vibrant and eclectic street that is home to a number of independent shops and boutiques. It is Bath’s Artisan Quarter, and you can find everything from handmade jewelry to vintage clothing here. It’s a great place to explore if you’re looking for something unique and one-of-a-kind.
If you’re in Bath for a weekend, I highly recommend heading to the Antique & Flea market that takes place every Saturday. There’s a really interesting range of unique antiques forsale, as well as vintage clothing, second hand furniture and tools, and sooo much more. Even if you’re just browsing, the market is a fun place to visit to check out all the interesting things for sale.
Walcot Street is so much more than the market though. So if you’re not visiting on a Saturday, there’s still tons to see. Why not visit the Bath Aqua Glass where they handmake all the glass in their studio? You could also book a glassblowing activity/course and experience it for yourself. You may also enjoy visiting the Ghetto Funk Records shop, or checking the comics and merch out at American Dream Comics.
After a day of shopping, head to The Bell Inn freehouse for a pint and to enjoy live music.
The Guildhall Market
The Corridor and Guildhall Market are two of Bath’s most popular shopping destinations for those looking for independent retailers. The Corridor is a covered shopping arcade that is home to a variety of independent shops, including vintage clothing stores, artisanal food shops, and handmade jewelry boutiques. Guildhall Market is an indoor market that has been in operation since the 1600s. It boasts a range of stalls selling everything from fresh produce to handmade crafts.
Shops on Pulteney Bridge
Pulteney Bridge is one of Bath’s most iconic landmarks and is home to a number of quaint independent shops. The bridge is lined with shops selling everything from handmade chocolates to antique books.
Overall, Bath’s independent retailers and boutiques offer a unique shopping experience that you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re looking for handmade jewelry, vintage clothing, or artisanal food, you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes in Bath’s independent shopping scene.
Markets IN Bath
If you’re looking for a unique shopping experience in Bath, you’ll definitely want to check out the local markets. From fresh produce to vintage treasures, there’s something for everyone at these bustling markets.
Bath Christmas Market
Every year, Bath holds an amazing Christmas Market that has over 200 stores selling everything from handmade gifts to delicious food and drink. The market is held annually from late November to mid-December.
Plus Bath at Christmas is really beauitful, as the streets come alive with the the twinkling christmas lights and decorations, creating a magical atmosphere. There’s also choirs singing carols, the aroma of roasted chestnuts, and the sound of bustling shoppers all add to the festive ambiance.
Head over to Royal Victoria Park and you’ll find Bath on Ice. Here you can go ice skating, play mini-golf or enjoy something to eat.
Bath’s Contemporary aRtist fair
The Bath’s Contemporary Artist Fair takes place at Green Park Station. Each year the market features a few dozen local artists, that have a range of different styles and mediums including photography, paintings, sculptures, and more. Some of the 2022/2023 artists include metal sculptures from Graham Hawkins, pastel wildlife art from Hannah Fiadh, and abstract landscape paintings from Annabel Hocking.
Bath Farmer’s Market
The Bath Farmer’s Market is a great place to go if you’d like to stock up on fresh produce. The farmers market is held every Saturday from 9am to 1:30pm at Green Park Station.
You’ll find farmers and vendors selling their pruduce and everything from fruits and vegetables to artisanal cheeses and baked goods. You can even find locally made crafts and gifts here, so you might be able to find something to take back home.
Bath Vintage & Antiques Market
For vintage lovers, the Bath Vintage & Antiques Market is a goldmine. Held on the 4th Sunday of every month at Green Park Station, you’ll find an amazing selection of antiques and collectibles, such as jewelry, watches, books, furniture, fine art, records and vintage clothing.
Car Parking in Bath
Bath has several car parks located throughout the city, including private car parks such as SouthGate car park and council parking such as Charlotte Street car park. Although these car parks are not free, and can get quite expensive.
SouthGate Car park starts at £4 for up to 2 hours, and goes up to £15 for 12 hours parking.
Council Car parks such as Charlotte Street Car Park, charge based on vehicle emissions. You can find out more about vehicle emmision parking charges here. You can pay as much as £20.80 for 24 hours parking in a non-diesel and £21.80 for diesel cars. Electric vehicles still pay the normal car park rates. Due to these changes, I highly recommend getting a hotel that include’s free car parking and opting to walk around the city (Bath is very walkable).
You could also use the park & ride service. This is where you park your car at a cheaper car parking area just outside the city, and take a bus into the city centre. There’s a few park & ride car parks available, covering both sides of the city.
Alternatively, you can take public transportation to Bath. The city is well-connected by bus and train, and it’s possible to travel to Bath from London in under 2 hours!
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