A shopper’s guide to Bristol

Sep212023
A shopper’s guide to Bristol

Shop until you drop in Bristol! Bristol is home to night markets, Victorian arcades, modern shopping malls and winding streets of quirky independent shops. Perfect for all price budgets from high street fashion to one-off wonders.

Bristol Shopping Guide

From independent boutiques to big-brand household names, Bristol is a shopping utopia. Shoppers can rummage for bargains in the countless vintage shops across the city, potter aimlessly through the charming streets of the upmarket Clifton Village, or shop everything from high-street to high-fashion in Cabot Circus, which hosts shops in Bristol city centre. Bristol is the perfect place for a shopping excursion in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities.

Clifton Shops Bristol

The main shopping area in Clifton Village spans The Mall, Princess Victoria Street and Boyces Avenue. Not only will you get the chance to buy some stunning items, but you will also experience stunning Georgian and Regency architecture in all its glory. The restored Victorian Arcade - selling everything from vintage clothing and antiques to art – is a particular highlight.

Clifton Village is home to several upmarket independent retailers and hand-made items such as pottery, jewellery and homeware. If you're looking for a memento of Bristol, then there are lots of gift shops selling quirky west-country-inspired items.

Stokes Croft & Gloucester Road

For everything weird, wonderful and wacky (and even the odd Banksy), there can be only one destination: Stokes Croft. Gloucester Road Bristol is the beating heart of this hub of independent shops, artists’ studios and vintage clothes that really needs to be seen to be believed.

Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road lies to the north of the city and is one continuous road jam-packed with local, independent shops. In fact, it has the most independent shops of any street in the country, so if you love shabby chic, retro and vintage or grabbing a bargain in a charity shop, then this area is a must-visit for you.

Park Street & The Triangle

One of the most recognisable and iconic shopping streets in Bristol, Park Street packs a serious retail punch with leading brands and independent boutiques all nestled together. 

If you’re searching for that unique piece, check out the independent clothes and jewellery stores the area is famous for, packed full of items you just will not find anywhere else. Get some culture at the art, music, record and bookstores that make Park Street shops Bristol their home. 

The Triangle is an eclectic mix of independent stores and high-street favourites. When the rest of Bristol is closing up, the range of pubs, bars and restaurants make Park Street and The Triangle a popular place to start – and finish – a night out. 

Old City

The historic heart of Bristol, shopping in Bristol Old City is centred around St Nicholas Market and the beautiful Glass Arcade. Inside the Grade I listed building, you will enjoy getting lost while wandering around the maze of small stalls selling everything from clothing, gifts, cards, art, textiles and leather, sweets, chocolate and jewellery.

Every week sees an outdoor market: a vegan market on Monday, a farmer's and local producers’ market on a Wednesday, a food market on Tuesday and Friday, and the Nails Market every Friday and Saturday. They all offer you the opportunity to buy some of the freshest seasonal organic produce and meet local, independent traders selling an array of gifts. It is closed on Sundays.

St Nicholas Market Bristol

Take some time to experience this vibrant and buzzing marketplace that has been trading since 1743. For some of the best bargain shopping in Bristol, take a visit to St. Nicholas Market. Home to the most extensive collection of independent shops in the country, this Georgian arcade is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Under its stunning glass roof, punters can buy everything from stamps and fossils to independent clothes brands and accessories. Not to mention the amazing street food. The regular night markets are not to be missed.

Bristol Christmas Shopping

Celebrate the festive season at Bristol Christmas Market, where you will find an array of traders selling seasonal delights, crafts and unique items, which are perfect for those hunting for that special Christmas gift. From traditional food and drink to unique hand-made toys, Christmas decorations and scented candles, the stalls have so much to offer.

Christmas Steps Arts Quarter

The quirky and historic Christmas Steps area may charm you with its architecture, but you will fall in love with its shops. Just a stone’s throw from the city centre, the Christmas Steps (open all year round despite its confusingly seasonal name) at first appears untouched by the hand of modern-day commercialism. Like something out of a period drama, this tiny little alley is home to more independent boutiques, art galleries, pottery studios and creative talent.

Wapping Wharf

In Bristol’s historic harbourside, explore the city’s newest quarter, Wapping Wharf, where local Bristolians and visitors alike can shop, eat and relax by the glistening waterfront.

Wapping Wharf is an exciting new addition to the city’s already thriving shopping scene, with an eclectic mix of trendy independents. From a florist to an ethical clothes shop and from a butcher's to a barber. The shops are brimming with goodies not found on the high street. Pop into one of the shops, and you might end up coming away with a bamboo watch, antique jewellery or tasty local cheese.

Cribbs Causeway

The Mall at Cribbs Causeway offers the ultimate indoor shopping mall experience in Bristol. It's one of the most popular shopping centres in Bristol. It is the largest of its kind in the south-west. It is a favourite for locals and visitors if you are looking for department stores and all of your high-street preferences under one roof.

The Mall is located on the M4 and M5 interchange, so if you are travelling through Bristol, it is a great place to break up your journey and stretch your legs as you wander the two floors of shops. It is open until late, has a wide choice of restaurants and thousands of free car parking spaces. 

Kilver Court Designer Village

Found in Shepton Mallet, Kilver Court Designer Village was created by Mulberry founder and English designer Roger Saul. Kilver Court focuses on bringing the best designer brands to Somerset, home to over 50 designer brands which offer up to 70% off RRP all year round. 

The outlet in Bristol champion British products and designers across the village, whether fashion or food, featuring brands such as Eileen Fisher, Joseph, Hackett and Whistles. As well as their concessions, they have several standalone stores on-site, including TOAST, Rapha, Yves Delorme and L.K.Bennett. 

Kilver Court is truly an experiential shopping destination home to a stunning 3.5-acre public garden and Garden Nursery offering unusual but beautiful plants, garden accessories and outdoor furniture. 

Bristol Shopping Quarter

The Bristol Shopping Quarter is home to hundreds of shops in the heart of the city centre. With Bristol high street shops, designer names to independent boutiques. Check out this list of shops in Bristol. There is so much for shoppers here. It is made up of the following areas:

Broadmead

The pedestrianised streets of Broadmead offer a great environment in which to shop or sit and watch the world go by. National stores include Debenhams, Marks and Spencer and the UK’s second-largest Primark. 

The Galleries

The three-story indoor shopping centre, The Galleries, is where you will find more high street names such as Argos, Boots and a further 100 stores. Plus, there is a covered car park with 1000 spaces.

The Arcade

The Grade II listed Victorian shopping arcade is beautiful and is worth a visit even if you are not into shopping. At The Arcade, you will find independent retailers. 

Quakers Friars

A very chic and upmarket stretch of the shopping district, Quakers Friars is the place to come for pricey gifts. Harvey Nichols stands proudly on one end, and the shops cascade in varying degrees of poshness down towards Broadmead, where, abruptly, the tone shifts.

It is all stylish, gorgeous, and at the higher end of high-street shopping. Even if you are not here to buy anything, grab a coffee and sit outside and enjoy watching people shopping, and listen to the tills ringing.

Cabot Circus

Cabot Circus is a fantastic shopping centre, providing city centre visitors with over 130 stylish stores, including Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and clothes shops in Bristol. There is also a range of tempting restaurants, including our very own Chophouse Bar & Restaurant. It is often labelled as the best shopping centre in Bristol. It's a Cabot Circus where you can enjoy late night shopping in Bristol, with shops open until 8pm. Shops in Bristol Cabot Circus.

Covered by a unique shell-shaped glass roof the size of one and a half football pitches, Cabot Circus has everything you need for the perfect day out for the whole family, with a Showcase Cinema de Lux, Virtual Reality gaming, and Jungle Rumble Golf to choose from. Conveniently situated at the bottom of the M32, the shopping centre offers over 2,500 parking spaces.


Bedrooms at Future Inn Bristol

Stay at Future Inn Bristol

Located in Bristol city centre, directly opposite Cabot Circus, our Bristol hotel boasts 149, spacious, air-conditioned, en-suite bedrooms offering all the facilities and services you would expect of a quality 4-star hotel at affordable prices. 

  • Comfortable accommodation, with large spacious bedrooms
  • Sleep up to four adults or a family in the Superior Double Room
  • Interconnecting bedrooms between the City Twin and City King
  • Furnished with authentic Canadian furniture
  • Individual air conditioning or heat control
  • Private bathroom or shower facilities
  • Soft seating area or double sofa bed
  • Iron and ironing board and a hairdryer, too
  • Tea and coffee-making facilities and bottled water
  • A flat-screen TV with Freeview
  • Vegan-friendly toiletries in your bathroom
  • Parking at Cabot Circus for £9 per stay
  • Plus, free WiFi

Make a Reservation

With our super flexible rates, you can book with confidence when staying at Future Inn Bristol. Book direct for the best rates guaranteed, with rooms from £67 per room per night. Plus, kids stay free!

Book your stay online or with our Reservations Team on 0117 304 1010 or check availability by emailing reservations.bristol@futureinns.co.uk.

Future Inn Rewards

For additional benefits, you can join the Future Inns hotel loyalty program. For every £1 you spend on accommodation, you earn 1 reward point. Plus, get double points when you dine in the restaurant. Points can then be used to upgrade your bedroom to a suite or a free night's stay. You also get a complimentary drink voucher to redeem when you dine in the restaurant and a member's discount rate. It's also completely free to join!


Dishes on the menu in Chophouse Restaurant

Fuel up before you hit the shops

Chophouse Restaurant serves excellent steaks, chops and grills alongside contemporary British food. There are many choices to get your taste buds tingling with options to suit all diets, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Dishes are homemade, using local produce and fresh ingredients

Start the day with breakfast, or if you miss that, enjoy a bottomless brunch. As well as lunch and evening a-la-carte menus, where you can also taste the 3 courses for £26 menu. Plus, under 5's eat for free with a paying adult.

A wide range of beer, lager and wine is on offer – almost all of which are available by the glass and bottle. Our local selection includes Buttcombe, Bristol Harvey Cream and Bristol Rum. Plus, an extensive gin and mixer menu and 2 for £16 cocktails

Bookings can be made on 0117 304 1020 or chophouse@futureinns.co.uk. Alternatively, you can book online:


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