Worcester Shopping and Districts

(Worcester, Worcestershire, England, UK)

Central Worcester may not be enormous, but it does deliver on the shopping front, being famous for everything from its beautiful porcelain, to its tasty Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce. The city centre shops are a pleasant mixture of independent stores and High Street chains, with some of the largest department stores here including a popular branch of Marks & Spencer.

The shopping centres of Worcester are considered to rank amongst the very best that the Midlands has to offer, and with the city boasting close connections to the M5 motorway, these malls are certainly easy to reach. Much of the city centre is pedestriansed and therefore traffic-free, with shops being interspersed with eateries of all description, perfect for those who need to take a break, put down their shopping bags and have a relaxing cup of coffee, whilst enjoying views of the cathedral.

Where to Shop

There are a series of adjoining shopping centres and districts in Worcester city centre, each having its own selection of outlets. The High Street forms the backbone to this part of the city, being lined with department stores and leading to Broad Street, Charles Street, the Cross and St. Swithun's Street, the latter of which is home to a large branch of Lakeland and its famous kitchenware gadgets.

Directly to the west of the High Street and close to the Huntingdon Hall concert venue is the CrownGate Shopping Centre. Residing on Friary Walk, the CrownGate is an indoor mall and home to more than 70 individual outlets, which include the likes of Boots the Chemist, Debenhams, HMV, the House of Fraser, Iceland, New Look and Peacocks.

Head southwards on the High Street and it won't be long until you reach the Cathedral Plaza Shopping Centre, another important mall with fashion stores such as H&M, Monsoon and Next.

Nearby, this part of Worcester is rich with antiques stores and jewellers. Running parallel to the northerly section of the High Street is the Shambles, which leads to Mealcheapen Street and its specialist shopping centre known as Reindeer Court. Neighbouring New Street and Friar Street are also filled with appealing stores and tempting eateries.

Many markets take place in the city and include the CrownGate Outdoor Market on Angel Place and the Worcester Indoor Market on the Shambles, both of which are held each week between Monday to Saturday. The Country Market at the St. Clement's Church Hall is also popular and staged each Friday, while the Worcester Farmers' Market on Severn Street is held on the first Sunday and fourth Saturday every month.

For out-of-town shopping in Worcester, there are three retail parks to choose between. Blackpole Retail Park and Elgar Retail Park stand alongside each other and within the Blackpole suburb, while the Shrub Hill Retail Park is conveniently situated near to the Shrub Hill train station.