Christmas shopping in Bath – a visitors’ guide
Christmas shopping in Bath is a real treat. The city boasts a wonderful selection of tempting stores and markets all within easy walking distance of our Bath self catering properties.
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With Christmas fast approaching, any Bath weekend break or weekday visit in December wouldn’t be complete without some festive retail therapy.
Here is our quick guide to Christmas shopping in Bath:
For festive spirit: The Bath Christmas Market
Arguably the best place to get festive in the UK, the Bath Christmas Market which runs from the 22nd November to the 9th December draws visitors from all around the world. The market sees Bath city centre adorned with more than 180 stalls selling everything from festive trinkets to seasonal food and drink, all from local suppliers. It’s a great place to amble around getting in the Christmas spirit, sip on some mulled wine and maybe even buy a present or two.
For upmarket fashion: Milsom Street
Forming one of the city centre’s main thoroughfares Milsom Street and the streets that run from it such as New Bond Street are home to an array of upmarket high street names such as LK Bennett, Anthropologie, Ted Baker, Reiss and more. Tempting cosmetics and fragrance brands such as Jo Malone and Keihls sit alongside them making this a perfect area for those on the look-out for some truly spoiling gifts while Christmas shopping in Bath.
For major high street brands: SouthGate
Unveiled in 2009 after a major redevelopment, SouthGate now boasts more than 50 stores including major high street names such as H&M, Top Shop, Urban Outfitters, Superdry and many more making it a great place for Christmas shopping in Bath. You’ll also find staples such as Boots and M&S nearby. It is a perfect place for stocking fillers and gifts for fashion fickle teenagers.
For food: Bath Farmer’s Market
Running every Saturday from 9am to 1.30pm under the vaulted glass roof of Bath’s beautiful Green Park Station, the Bath Farmers Market is perfect for picking up some top quality local fare to be enjoyed throughout Christmas. You will find organic meats, fish, artisan cheeses, seasonal veg, sourdough breads, handmade pies, preserves, honey, olives and much more, all sold directly by the local producers.
The former Victorian train station, Green Park Station also boasts a handful of permanent stalls, visitors can drop from 9am to around 4pm throughout the week to pick up some organic groceries, flowers, street food, artisan wine and more.
For cheese and charcuterie fans, it would be worth making a detour to The Fine Cheese Company Bath, whose shelves and counters display an extensive array of mouthwatering cheeses, cured meats, olives and more. For wine, head to the recently opened Beckford Bottle Shop which provides a carefully curated selection of wines from all over the world or independent wine merchants Great Western Wine. Lastly, for handmade artisan chocolate, seek out Charlotte Brunswick Chocolates where the recipes are inspired by 18th century Bath chocolatier Charlotte herself.
For interiors: Walcot Street
Known as Bath’s artisan quarter, Walcot Street is home to a range of colourful independent crafts and interiors shops selling beautiful furniture, kitchenware, lighting, artwork, mirrors and much more. There are also some great vintage clothing stores thrown in for good measure. This is a wonderful place to deck out your home with beautiful Christmas decorations as well as to find some stylish festive gifts.
For antiques: Bartlett Street and the top of town
In the area between George Street and the Royal Crescent there is a cluster of antique stores, selling furniture, ceramics, glassware, old maps, prints and everything in between. For an even more eclectic selection, visit the Saturday Antiques and Flea Market on Walcot Street which sees a motley crew of traders congregate every Saturday to sell their assorted wares from retro furniture and vintage clothing to antique collectibles and vinyl. There is no shortage of unusual Christmas presents to be found here.
Department stores: Jolly’s and Rossiters of Bath
Located on Broad Street, Rossiters of Bath is an award-winning independent department store set over four floors of a classic Georgian building, with a focus on furniture, homeware, gifts and fashion. The store aims to showcase upcoming British designers and makers among its selection.
Jolly’s, on Milsom Street, is a Bath institution. Now owned by House of Fraser, but still determinedly referred to by its old name which remains on the historic shopfront, this elegant store offers everything from beauty and fashion to homewares. Jolly’s boasts big name brands such as MAC, Channel and Estée Lauder making it one of the best spots for Christmas shopping in Bath.
