10 Best Places to Go Shopping in York

Parliament Street and the streets around it are the main hubs of York City Centre. The broad, mostly pedestrianised street is lined with high street stores and cafés, including Marks & Spencer, New Look, and Pret A Manger.

The nearby Coney Street has a few more big brands and the Shambles Market is a short walk away. If there are any special markets or events in York, you’ll certainly find them here. It's also easy to get to, with many bus stops on Piccadilly, just a short walk away.

The Shambles Market is a riot of colour and sound among the small squares and narrow alleys that connect Parliament Street and The Shambles. The 70 stalls of the outdoor market trades in anything, from flowers to fruit, vegetables to vintage fashion, and souvenirs to street snacks, plus plenty more, generally at good prices. There’s usually also live music playing in the food court area.

Be sure to check out the shops around the market, too. The Shambles, already worth a visit for its remarkable historical look, is home to some remarkable niche shops. Check out Ye Olde Pie & Sausage Shoppe and The Shop That Must Not Be Named, for starters.

The Coppergate Shopping Centre is a convenient little alley and square that’s lined with interesting shops. It’s located just off Coppergate (obviously), with easy access from the many bus stops and the multi-storey car park on Piccadilly as well as the parking around Clifford’s Tower.

The pedestrianised area contains mostly high street stores like Primark and Topshop and The Body Shop, as well as a couple of specialist stores like The Whisky Shop and Castle Fine Art. It’s also the home of the famous Jorvik Viking Centre and the charming old St. Mary’s Church.

York Designer Outlet is exactly what it sounds like – an outlet for designer goods in York. Strictly speaking, it’s just outside of York, on the southern outskirts of the city, but the rest of its name rings true. You’ll find more than 120 leading UK and international high street names in the 350,000-sq-ft mall, often with up to 60% savings available.

Formerly known as McArthurGlen York, and still occasionally known by that name, the mall has a small children’s playground, occasional special events and plenty of dining options to keep you going.

Stonegate is a narrow, historical street that runs from near the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms up to the approaches to York Minster. Pedestrianised for most of the day, it’s lined with interesting and mostly unique stores and eateries.

The street is packed most days, being very popular with tourists. Standout places to look out for include Ye Olde Starr Inne, Betty's Tea Rooms' second outlet, York Armoury, Abraham Moon, Stonegate Teddy Bears, and Käthe Wohlfahrt. Be sure to explore some of the nearby alleys and streets for more quirky local stores, especially Low Petergate and Little Stonegate.

The Monks Cross Shopping Park is a selection of big stores towards the north-eastern outskirts of York. With plenty of car parking in the middle of the park and bus lines leading directly there from the city centre, it’s a convenient spot for browsing high street fashion names.

The main stores around Monks Cross Shopping Park include Debenhams, New Look, H&M, and TK Maxx, but there's also a lot of other options. You'll find hobby and stationery shops, cosmetics outlets and a couple of restaurants, too. If you still can't find what you're looking for, the Vangarde Shopping Park is just down the road.

Vangarde Shopping Park is a mall on the north-eastern outskirts on York, built around a selection of department stores. The main one is John Lewis & Partners, but there’s also Next and Marks & Spencer – all of which are massive venues. There are also some big-brand food outlets to choose from.

The Vangarde Shopping Park is just down the road from the Monks Cross Shopping Park but is an indoor mall as opposed to its outdoor, strip mall-style neighbour. They pride themselves on their high level of customer service, making this one of the more luxurious shopping experiences in York.

The Murton Sunday Market is held at the York Auction Centre, which is on the eastern outskirts of the city. It’s a fascinating market, with a huge array of fruit and veg outside, and a bizarre array of antiques and random bric-a-brac inside.

The market is generally quite busy and, being held in a farmer’s market, the venue is a bit rough and grubby. However, the banter with the stallholders and the amazing bargains you can find makes it well worth a visit.