Shopping in Chester

Charm and tradition are partnered with the latest designer stores and boutiques selling the best names in fashion, big names we know and love, and a wealth of independent specialist shops selling items from the mainstream to the quirky and different.

Chester’s great draw is the Rows, a series of two-level galleried arcades along the four streets that fan out in each direction from the central Cross. The architecture is a handsome mix of Victorian and Tudor (original and mock) buildings that house a fantastic collection of individually owned shops.

The origin of the Rows is a little unclear, but it is believed that as the Roman walls slowly crumbled, medieval traders built their shops against the resulting rubble banks, while later arrivals built theirs on top.