All is fayre in our cities
SHOPPING at Christmas time in England’s cities is a whole new experience. KATIE ROWE recommends places to visit to really feel the festive spirit …
YORK
YORKSHIRE’S historic capital takes on a distinctly Dickensian feel as the St Nicholas Fair adds even more olde-worlde charm to a city festooned with Tudor beams, ‘Snickelways’ (small streets and footpaths) and crooked shop windows. Mooch around 100-plus twinkling chalets selling everything from Whitby jet jewellery to artisan cheeses along Parliament Street and St Sampsons Square, and at new sites such as The Judge’s Lodging and Coppergate until December 23.
For something even more unusual, stop by the Medieval Market at Barley Hall to pick up traditional gifts and soak up the 14th Century surroundings at the tavern bar.
CHESTER
RETAIL therapy and time travel go hand-in-hand in a Roman city that’s home to a one-ofa-kind shopping quarter dating back hundreds of years. Shop for Christmas presents as you wander through a mixture of medieval and Victorian ‘rows’ – the continuous half-timbered, twotiered galleries found in the heart of Chester. There are independent shops along the upper galleries in Watergate Street and Bridge Street, or try the Antique, Collectables and Vintage event held every Tuesday at the Chester Indoor Market for quirky festive gifts.
LEEDS
EXPLORE a shopper’s paradise where swish fashion boutiques complement grand Victorian architecture. Consider pushing the boat out as you browse opulent offerings from Mulberry, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood in the gleaming Victoria Quarter.
For something less draining on the bank balance, visit The Corn Exchange for independent shopping under a vast, Grade I listed dome. Grab a coffee at the Cosmopolitan Hotel before heading for the Christkindlmarkt at Millennium Square, a charming German Christmas market with more than 40 wooden stalls selling plenty of stocking-fillers, until December 20.
MANCHESTER
THIS Northern heavyweight has enough designer brands, high-street stores and independent boutiques to satisfy even the most ardent of shoppers, and with the Christmas markets adding plenty of festive sparkle until December 22, there’s even more reason for a shopping spree. Indulge in mouth-watering cuisine from around the globe, with everything from Italian pastries to fine French wines, as well as a huge range of unusual gifts from hundreds of festive chalets spread across the city’s squares and shopping streets.
Once you’ve filled your bags with festive goodies, browse luxury fashion labels at The Avenue in Spinningfields and New Cathedral Street.