Retail

The key retail destinations can be found in Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon and Nailsea. However across the area there is a mix of high street names, long established independent traders and craft centres offering a varied and high quality retail experience for shoppers.

Weston-super-Mare

is the largest town in North Somerset. It accommodates approximately 642 units with 318 of those units being A1 retail. It is anticipated that the future regeneration of Weston retail core will be achieved though the allocation of land for major retail development. Dolphin Square is regarded as the highest priority to provide enhanced retail and leisure floor space. This is followed by sites located between the seafront and the High Street. Notably the St James Street area and Victoria Square. Additional redevelopment opportunities are also identified in the council's draft Sites and Policies Plan.

The hub of the towns shopping facilities are currently located in the High Street, the majority of which is pedestrianised and the modern indoor Sovereign Shopping Centre which is home to over 35 shops and stores. Orchard Street, Meadow Street and Grove Village areas are small streets full of local character and feature largely independent specialist businesses and boutiques. Weston also has a number of retail parks e.g. Gallagher Retail Park, Weston Retail Park, Winterstoke Road Commercial Centre and Flowerdown Way Retail Park.

Clevedon

has two main shopping areas - the Triangle and Hill Road area. The latter offers a ‘cosmopolitan’ shopping quarter, with many distinct independent shops and eateries including galleries, jewellers, boutiques restaurants, bistros and delis. Overall the town offers shoppers a varied retail offer with two major supermarkets outlets in the town, high street names, a good choice of cafes, restaurants, high quality independents, and the nearby Clevedon Craft Centre which is a real hidden gem that hosts a number of designers and makers selling handmade pottery, jewellery, glass, cards, leather-craft, photography, paintings and illustrations.

Portishead

offers a wide range of retail facilities with many long established businesses in the High Street including a homemade chocolate shop, jewellers, children’s clothing, gifts and ornaments, two major supermarkets and the Marina development which brings new businesses opportunities for Europe’s fastest growing town.

Nailsea

has two main shopping areas - the shopping precinct which includes 88,568sq ft of retail accommodation and the High Street which offers a range of independent shops and cafes.

Across North Somerset

a range of everyday and specialist goods can be bought from a wealth of independent retailers, including a bookseller specialising in rare and unusual books, model railway specialist and artisan bakery all based in Yatton, a gallery in Cleeve that is crammed with local arts and crafts, restored and reproduction antique beds in Chelvey, an outdoor clothing and equipment shop in Congresbury and specialist and custom built mountain bike shop at Burrington Combe.

For great local produce there are many farm shops selling all sorts of local produce at Redhill, Puxton Portbury, Brockley and Flax Bourton.  These farm shops are a fantastic opportunity to support local businesses and the farming industry and are a key part of the North Somerset Shop Local campaign. There are also a variety of rural craft centres such as Clevedon and Barley Wood where products can be purchased year round.

For more information about the towns and surrounding area visit our town and village profiles section.

(© Photo source: Weston Town Centre Partnership)