A guide to shopping centres in Bristol
Posted on: 27 Aug 2019Bristol is teeming with brilliant places to shop. Here's a quick guide to help you fulfil all your retail therapy needs, allowing you to immerse yourself in the city's shopping culture.
The Arcade, BS1 3JD
The Arcade is a charming collection of over 20 mainly independent retailers, located in Broadmead. Since its opening in 1825, the Victorian shopping arcade has become part of the Bristol Shopping Quarter and also a focal point of Bristol shopping culture.
An eclectic collection of shops ranging from art, clothing, beauty, kids, gift and many more, The Arcade enables customers to not only support local independent businesses but also buy unique goods that are unavailable to purchase from larger retailers. The options for food & drink are also suitably diverse, offering authentic Italian cuisine, Asian street food or a quick healthy café lunch mid-shopping spree!
Broadmead, BS1 3DX
Broadmead, part of the Bristol Shopping Quarter, is a collection of pedestrianised streets adorned with a great variety of national shops to cater to all your shopping needs.
Department stores such as Marks & Spencer and Debenhams, high-street retailers including Waterstones, Boots and Wilko as well as the second-largest Primark in the UK are all located in Broadmead. However, the shopping ambience is thoroughly enhanced by a fantastic selection of independent shops, all completely unique.
These smaller shops heartily contribute both to Broadmead’s individuality and also to its ever-widening range of stores that give customers the opportunity to discover some new favourites.
The Galleries, BS1 3XD
The Galleries is a thriving three-storey shopping centre, situated in Broadmead, that has been satisfying its customers for over 25 years. It is home to over 100 stores, a mix of independent boutiques like The Bridal Boutique and Acu-Herbs, high-street retailers such as Argos and Poundland, as well as restaurants and cafés - for example, Butler’s and The Bristol Kitchen.
Crucially, The Galleries are incredibly child-friendly as they offer a huge variety of action-packed interactive shows and events to keep little ones entertained- as well as having opened ‘Jungle Mania’, a brand new indoor play centre on the ground floor in May 2019. Useful amenities include a Post Office and several Bureau De Changes and with almost 1000 parking spaces and parking priority for families, The Galleries is suitable for all.
Cribbs Causeway, BS34 5DG
Cribbs Causeway is a shopping complex located in the North of Bristol, consisting of over 150 stores. The main shopping area, The Mall, hosts an excellent variety of high-street retailers such as H&M and Boots, covering all bases from beauty to stationery to sports. Most excitingly perhaps, The Mall is the exclusive location of Bristol Fashion Week Festival where catwalk shows, styling workshops and expert speakers are organised in order to inspire you with next season’s trends!
In close proximity, The Retail Park is best known for its homeware and electrical stores including B&Q and Magnet. The Venue, which is similarly near, specialises in entertainment and is home to a luxe cinema and a huge ten pin bowling alley. It is easy to find something to everyone’s tastes, with a brilliant assortment of restaurants and cafés varying from Pizza Express and Wagamama to Subway and KFC.
Clifton Down, BS8 2NN
Clifton Down Shopping Centre has a small but thoughtfully chosen selection of shops, including independent gift boutiques, cafés and well-known high-street retailers such as Sainsbury’s and Boots.
It conveniently provides ample parking, accessible from Alma Road, and is constantly partnering with local charities or volunteer groups to support local worthy causes. Just outside of the shopping centre are some cosy pubs and bars, like Steam and Shebeen, that are ideal locations for spending the evening with friends.
Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road runs through the suburbs of Bishopston and St. Andrews and is absolutely brimming with local independent stores that are often eccentric but always exciting. Most notably, it is home to vintage shop Repsycho where you can find all the retro trends that are now emerging back into fashion as well as many bric-a-brac and gift shops. These unconventional gems certainly epitomise Bristol’s quirky culture.
Cabot Circus, BS1 3BX
Cabot Circus, part of the Bristol Shopping Quarter is a stellar location for shopping in Bristol, boasting upwards of 90 shops ranging from high-street retailers such as Topshop and popular department stores like Harvey Nichols.
Aside from satisfying your shopping desires, the Cabot Circus complex also includes a cinema and plenty of cafés and restaurants including Soho Coffee and Yo! Sushi. Cabot Circus also offers a great selection of in-store events, like student shopping nights and special deals that appeal to all.
St Mark’s Road, BS5 6JH
If you have not yet visited St. Mark’s Road in Easton, then you're in for a treat! While its shops are hugely popular with locals because of the strong sense of community, there is a friendly and cheerful vibe to the area that is reflected in eccentric local businesses.
Bristol Sweet Mart, a supplier of ethnic foods and spices, is a family-run business that has had a loyal following since it opened in 1978 and is now the biggest supplier in the South West! Also popular is the East Bristol Bakery which prides itself on its delicious handmade breads and cakes, proving once again that this treasure trove of a road is definitely worth your time.
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Article by:
Originally from Surrey, Orin is a second-year Classics student at the University of Bristol, where she edits the Style section of the university's independent newspaper. She loves anything fashion, beauty or food-related and can often be found engrossed in a book or exploring Bristol!
