Shopping in Bath

If you can fit some shopping in between all the tourist attractions and museums in Bath, you’ll find it’s well worth the effort. Shopping in Bath promises to be a memorable experience, whether you’re only visiting for the day, or you’re staying for longer. There are plenty of big name shops in the city centre, but what most shoppers want to see are the small independent ones, which flourish alongside the stylish boutiques and fashion labels. Away from the busy roads, the Georgian streets of Bath offer a compact and relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of side streets and hidden gems to explore.

In 2010, Milsom Street in Central Bath was voted ‘Britain’s Best Fashion Street’ by an online search engine, and they must have struggled to come to that conclusions, given that Bath has no less than six shopping districts. The different retail areas are within easy walking distance of each other, and all have their own unique charms, with a large range of shopping centres, independent boutiques, and markets. The Central Area is perhaps the most well known part of Bath, as it’s home to all the big name chains, such as Marks & Spencer, Next and W H Smiths, but there are lots of smaller retailers and market traders who offer arts and crafts, from hand made jewellery to home-made sweets, most of which can be found around Bath Abbey.

The Milsom Quarter is the fashion district of Bath, it houses many international designers, like Armani, Nicole Farhi, Karen Millen, Reiss, and lots more. Not only is it an award winning fashion hotspot, Milsom is also famous for its huge shopping centres and department stores, not something you’ll find in Upper Town or the Artisan Quarter, where there are dozens of independent craft shops. These places are particularly popular with visitors to the area, as they give a taste of Bath’s creative side, and there’s something much more personal about them that you won’t find in the major shopping districts. For bargain shoppers, The Western Area is the place to be, it has a fantastic mix of local retailers and food and drink outlets, it’s also home to the Green Park Station Market that has great quality produce at low prices.

Finally, the Southgate shopping centre is the newest addition to Bath. Located in the heart of the city, Southgate it designed to blend with the Georgian-style streets and houses, creating a spacious, relaxed environment to shop in. It has over 55 new stores, mixing eclectic local tastes with high fashion outlets.