Where to shop in the Cotswolds

Whilst many people choose to holiday in the Cotswolds for the beautiful countryside and pretty villages, there is also a plethora of eclectic, independent shops and boutiques all waiting to be discovered. From clothes and fresh market produce, to trinkets, handicrafts, homewares and antiques, you will be spoilt for choice with mementos and gifts that are unique to the Cotswolds and cannot be found anywhere else.

During your stay, take the time to explore a few of these wonderful stores with our handy guide to the best places to shop in the Cotswolds.

Where to buy local produce in the Cotswolds

If you’re staying in one of our Cotswolds holiday cottages, you’ll want to stock up on essentials at some point during your stay. Although the region is bursting with fantastic cafes, restaurants and bistros, there’s times when you just can’t beat spending an evening in with good company, a glass of wine, and eating home cooked food in front of a crackling log fire. For these occasions, we have chosen a few of our favourite places to purchase some of the best local produce in the Cotswolds.

Foodies will love bohemian Stroud which boasts the country’s first organic café among a wide selection of lovely eateries and an award-winning weekly Farmers’ Market every Saturday morning. For a foodie destination in the Cotswolds that is frequented by celebrities, head to Daylesford, an organic farm shop stocking everything from mouth-watering produce and elegant homewares, to clothes and flowers – it even has its own spa if you need a foot rub after all that fabulous shopping!

If you’re planning a picnic, we recommend picking up some local treats from the Broadway Deli or the Cotswold Food Store in Moreton-in-Marsh; the latter also claims to sell the best olives in the Cotswolds! Whilst you’re there, also pop into The Cotswold Cheese Company which offers a smorgasbord of tasty local cheeses to sample and buy.

For the adults, there is an abundance of breweries and distilleries in the Cotswolds where you can try before you buy on a tour (booking in advance is advised). We love The Cotswolds Distillery in Shipston-on-Stour which has created an award-winning Cotswold Dry Gin made from locally grown lavender in Snowshill. There is also The Cotswold Brewing Company in Bourton-on-the-Water and Hook Norton Brewery in Hook Norton, both of which offer a fine selection of local beers.

Designer shopping in the Cotswolds

For the serious spenders, the Cotswolds offers a variety of high fashion outlet stores and speciality boutiques boasting big names. Chic Cheltenham features a wonderful selection of shops along its tree-lined avenues – from the upmarket Promenade where you will find one of the largest shopping thoroughfares in the country, to the High Street and The Brewery offering an exciting range of shops mixed with bars and restaurants. For smaller, more unique boutiques, take a stroll to the Montpellier Quarter, while if you are looking for antiques, visit the Suffolks.

Gloucester Quays is a great place to pick up designer brands at reduced prices as well as antiques in its colossal antiques centre. Not far away from here is the Swindon Designer Outlet – a large shopping village housed in a beautifully renovated listed railway building. Another top destination for designer shopping in the Cotswolds is at Bicester Village, the ultimate shopping experience where more than 160 designer brands at discounted prices can be found including Gucci, Burberry, Prada, Michael Kors and Dolce & Gabbana.

The best antique stores in the Cotswolds

Wherever you choose to stay in the Cotswolds, you’ll never be far away from an antique shop – this is the ideal place to pick up classic pieces that may be perfect for your own home or as a unique gift for someone else. Antiques aficionados are sure to love the collection of antique stores in Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, Moreton-in-Marsh, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe. You could easily while away a day exploring a cornucopia of antique delights, perhaps combining a shopping trip with a delicious pub lunch.

The Corn Hall in Cirencester is a must-visit on a Friday when the antiques and collector’s market takes places – get ready for a spot of haggling! Amy Perry Antiques in Tetbury specialises in hand-dyed linens and furniture, while Bonds Lifestyle in Stratford-upon-Avon is home to 40 individual concessions offering everything from vintage and retro products to upcycled industrial pieces, as well as quirky collectables and stamps from all over the world.

The Malt House Emporium in Tewkesbury boasts over 70 experienced traders with all manner of curios from various eras, while Blighty in Cheltenham goes for country-inspired antiques and Station Mill Antiques Centre in Chipping Norton is a treasure trove of furniture, kitchenalia and collectibles from a whopping 80 unique dealers.  Another of our favourites is the Winchcombe Antiques Centre in Winchcombe where after exploring over two floors of porcelain, jewellery, paintings and furniture, you can take a break with a freshly brewed cup of tea and a slice of home-made cake in its tearoom.

For antique furniture, pay a visit to Pavilion Broadway, a family business founded in the picture-book countryside village of Broadway at the heart of the Cotswolds. Number 62 showcases stunning home accessories in a more rural setting, displaying a blend of period and contemporary room styles and home accessories in a beautiful countryside Cotswolds townhouse. Established in 2008, Pavilion Broadway is now home to a fine showroom featuring contemporary brands such as Eichholtz, Duresta, Theodore Alexander and Jonathan Charles.

Discover all of the antique stores and dealers across the Cotswolds on the Cotswolds Art & Antique Dealers' Association's website.

Arts, crafts and gift shops in the Cotswolds

If you’re searching for the perfect memento to remember your Cotswolds holiday by, you won’t be short of options. The Cotswolds is home to more bijou retailers than you can shake a credit card at! As well as gift shops, there is also a fine selection of art galleries hosting regular exhibitions such as The Richard Hagen Gallery and John Noott Galleries in Broadway, the John Davies Gallery in Moreton-in-Marsh and the Gallery at the Guild in Chipping Campden.

If you’re a fan of the royals, a visit to the Highgrove Shop in Tetbury is a must – everything sold here is made by local artisans and craftspeople and chosen for their ethical and sustainable pedigree. The products reflect the passions of HRH The Prince of Wales, with all profits made from the goods paid to the Prince's Charities Foundation.

For something special, you can commission a new piece of artwork from the New Brewery Arts in Cirencester, as well as browse the artwork in their gallery and pick up exquisitely designed jewellery and textiles from their craft shop. We also recommend Aston Pottery, an award-winning gift shop and traditional pottery in Aston where you can purchase hand decorated ceramics along with jewellery, bags and textiles.

Lastly, if you’re visiting the Cotswolds at Christmas and are searching for the perfect presents, explore the Victorian Christmas Market in Bourton-on-the-Water with a warming cocoa or mulled wine in hand – there are all manner of locally made arts and crafts on sale.

Where to stay in the Cotswolds

If we have inspired you with some of our favourite shopping destinations in the Cotswolds, why not take a look at our holiday cottages in the Cotswolds and start planning your next trip? From idyllic hideaways in the rural countryside, to quaint thatched cottages in chocolate box villages where antique shops are on your doorstep, there is something for everyone.