{"id":32345,"date":"2020-09-24T17:32:58","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T17:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/?p=32345"},"modified":"2023-06-29T12:07:20","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T11:07:20","slug":"best-uk-high-streets-you-need-to-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/things-to-do\/best-uk-high-streets-you-need-to-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Best UK high streets you need to visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK is bursting with characterful cities boasting unique boutiques, marvellous markets, designer outlet treats as well as the household brand names you know and love. There’s no better time to go out and discover some of the best UK high streets.<\/h2>\n
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1. York<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s so much to see and do in the beautiful city of York with its historic city walls, 13th Century Cathedral and peaceful River Ouse making it the perfect staycation escape. What better way to experience this medieval city than a shopping trip. York has a thriving indie scene with cafes, boutiques and award winning restaurants dotted all around the city. A wander through the <\/span>Shambles Market<\/span><\/span><\/a> with its cobbled streets is a great place to start your retail therapy. With over 70 stalls boasting retro and vintage fares from fantastic independent traders, you\u2019re sure to find something uniquely crowd pleasing.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"UKIf you fancy treating yourself to something more luxurious, <\/span>McArthurGlen\u2019s designer outlet<\/span><\/span><\/a> is right up your street with over 120 UK and international designer brands such as Ted Baker and Reiss for 60% less. <\/span>Coppergate<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Monks Cross<\/span><\/span><\/a> shopping centres also offer great high street shopping alternatives with Coppergate being home to <\/span>JORVIK Viking Centre<\/span><\/span><\/a>– a museum where you can discover York\u2019s Viking roots.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in York<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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2. London<\/h3>\n

London has so much to offer with hundreds of great attractions and action-packed activities across the city day and night to give you an unforgettable staycation. While many of the sights and attractions are world-class, so is London\u2019s shopping experience. From the vibrant atmosphere of <\/span>Covent Garden<\/span><\/span><\/a> where contemporary shopping meets designer stores with crowd-pleasing live street performances, al fresco dining all within the centuries old open-air piazza, to <\/span>Carnaby Street<\/span><\/span><\/a> in the heart of London\u2019s West End with international and British heritage labels, over 60 bars and restaurants with a range of global cuisines, indie boutiques and one-off retail gems and a quirky character.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"UKIn the northern part of the city at Camden, you\u2019ll find one of the most <\/span>famous markets in the world<\/span><\/span><\/a> where you\u2019ll not only find a quirky and alternative shopping scene but a whole culture and community set around it. There are over 1000 unique shops, stalls and cafes offering up some rare finds, delicious food and an unrivalled atmosphere. There\u2019s also an open-air cinema, mini golf and music venues to keep you entertained throughout the day and night. <\/span><\/h4>\n

Head west to the trendy Notting Hill and you\u2019ll find <\/span>Portobello Road<\/span><\/span><\/a>– home to the world\u2019s largest antique market with a buzzing communal feel. There are 5 distinct sections selling all sorts of wares including food, clothing and secondhand goods. For more high street brands, Westfield shopping centres in both White City and Stratford are the best choice. With multiple floors filled with popular household brands, restaurants and a cinema, you\u2019ll be spoilt for choice.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in London<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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3. Brighton<\/h3>\n

Brighton is well known for its sandy beach and bold character. But if you venture away from the seafront and delve deeper into the city centre, you\u2019ll find an exciting variety of independent and quirky boutiques as well as high street favourites. For a peek into the local independent art world, or even a taste of wizarding magic, <\/span>North Laine<\/span><\/span><\/a> should be your first port of call. <\/span>Oliver\u2019s Wizarding Shop<\/span><\/span><\/a> offers all manner of magical gifts and trinkets from the wizarding world, while <\/span>Snoopers Attic<\/span><\/span><\/a> boutique is a haven of vintage and creative designs from local makers and collectors. There are also galleries to look around as well as bakeries offering mouth-watering treats.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\" To carry on the independent shopping tour of the area, head to <\/span>The Lanes<\/span><\/span><\/a> where shopping and live jazz music come together to make a truly unique and funky experience. Take a wander through the lanes and alleyways and discover a mix of antiques and jewellery shops nestled alongside high street and designer boutique fashion stores. For alfresco shopping and dining a little closer to the seafront, Brighton Marina<\/span><\/a> is the perfect choice and for high street brands Churchill Square<\/span><\/a> is a one-stop shop.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in Brighton<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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4. Manchester<\/h3>\n

Known for its lively music, art and theatre scene and industrial past Manchester is well worth a visit even for the culture alone. However, with an intriguing mix of alternative, independent, high street and discounted designer shopping experiences to choose from, you\u2019d be silly to pass up a shopping trip in this characterful city. Both <\/span>Arndale<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Trafford<\/span><\/span><\/a> shopping centres offer the best in high street shopping with international brands as well as the big UK department stores such as Debenhams and John Lewis.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"UK If you\u2019re looking for something a little different, <\/span>The Northern Quarter<\/span><\/span><\/a> is definitely the place to go. Known as the beating heart of the city\u2019s creative and alternative scene, there are countless vintage shops, record shops, quirky cafes, restaurants and bars. <\/span>Afflecks<\/span><\/span><\/a>, self named \u2018emporium of eclecticism\u2019 located in the Northern Quarter, is where you\u2019ll find everything indie, alternative and quirky complete with Mancunian charm. If it\u2019s a treat for someone special- or even yourself- you\u2019re after then the <\/span>Jewellery Quarter<\/span><\/span><\/a> offers the best from well-known chain jewellery brands as well as some independent brands you may not have seen before. For designer labels at high street prices, <\/span>Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a great choice if you want to venture a little further afield.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in Manchester<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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5. Leeds<\/h3>\n

Leeds is home to some of the UK\u2019s best shopping experiences. In the centre of the city, you\u2019ll find <\/span>Trinity Leeds<\/span><\/span><\/a>, a huge leisure and shopping complex which offers high street brands as well as more high end options, a wide variety of food choices including street food finds from Trinity Kitchen, and an Everyman Cinema. Even more choice is available in the <\/span>Victoria Quarter<\/span><\/span><\/a> with its elaborate glass and architectural grandeur. The Quarter is made up of many arcades including The Grand Arcade which dates back to 1897 and it is proudly the \u2018home of independents\u2019 which is perfect for someone wanting something a little more than the norm. <\/span><\/h4>\n

\"UkTo carry on your venture for independent shopping, the <\/span>Leeds Corn Exchange<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a must-see. Built on years of creative craftsmanship and a friendly community atmosphere, you\u2019re sure to find a hidden treasure in this emporium of independents. For a traditional market stall atmosphere, head over to <\/span>Leeds\u2019 Kirkgate Market<\/span><\/span><\/a>. Known as one of Europe\u2019s largest indoor markets, you can find fresh food, drink, fashion and haberdashery aplenty.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in Leeds<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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6. Bristol<\/h3>\n

Home to a prosperous maritime history, a strong cultural character and dozens of independent shops, Bristol is a great choice for a shopping break away in the south west. Whatever your budget, the city has a whole variety of shopping experiences. In the heart of <\/span>Bristol’s Old City<\/span><\/span><\/a>, St Nicholas Market, housed in the beautiful grade 1 listed Glass Arcade is where you\u2019ll find a huge array of small stalls selling everything from clothes to art, textiles, gifts and sweet treats.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"Bristol For all your high street favourites, <\/span>Cabot Circus<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a great choice. Right in the heart of the Shopping Quarter, you can search for a bargain, grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants and cafes, take a swing at the crazy golf course or enjoy a film at the Showcase Cinema De Lux. For local independent options, head out of the city centre and south for <\/span>Bedminster and Southville<\/span><\/span><\/a>, an area which hosts the yearly Upfest Street Art Festival and the local foodies and shoppers flock regularly to take advantage of the weekly fair trade food markets and independent local businesses. In the north of the city, you\u2019ll find <\/span>Gloucester Road and Stokes Croft<\/span><\/span><\/a>, home to one of the longest stretches of independent shops and where you\u2019ll find some of Banksy\u2019s best work.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Stay in Bristol<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The UK is bursting with characterful cities boasting unique boutiques, marvellous markets, designer outlet treats as well as the household brand names you know and love. There’s no better time to go out and discover some of the best UK high streets. 1. York There\u2019s so much to see and do in the beautiful city […]","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":32346,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1361],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32345"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32345\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}