Scarborough
Shops and shopping in Scarborough
By Jon Cosson · Updated 6 October 2026
A restored Victorian market hall with a warren of vintage traders in the vaults beneath it, streets of antique and curiosity shops climbing away from the front, one of the best independent bookshops on the coast, and a conventional high street when you need one.
Scarborough's compact centre climbs the hill behind South Bay.
Shopping in Scarborough at a glance
- Highlight
- The Market Hall & Vaults, St Helen's Square
- Good for
- Vintage, antiques, gifts, books
- High street
- Westborough & the Brunswick Centre
- Independents
- St Nicholas Street & St Nicholas Cliff
Scarborough Market Hall and Vaults
The restored Victorian market on St Helen's Square is the shopping highlight. The main hall holds fresh produce, food stalls and a café; the mezzanine carries handmade crafts, gifts and confectionery from small makers, The Ivy Cavern among them; and beneath it all the atmospheric underground Vaults are full of vintage, records, curios and independent traders.
It is open Monday to Saturday. Check current opening before making a special trip, and allow longer than you think for the vaults.
Independent, vintage and antique shops
The streets around St Nicholas Street and St Nicholas Cliff are the independent heart of the town. The Vintage Window deals in collectables, vinyl and curios; Harry's Antiques & Collectables is on St Helen's Square by the market; the Antique & Collectors Centre sits on St Nicholas Cliff; Very Very Vintage is on South Street; and Lilly's Treasures on St Nicholas Street is a handmade gift boutique.
Bookshops
Mrs Lofthouse's Emporium on Queen Street is a superb independent new-and-used bookshop, comics and manga included. It sits on the way up towards the castle and Anne Brontë's grave, both covered in our things to do in Scarborough guide. There is also a Waterstones on the main high street.
The high street
Westborough is the main shopping street, with the covered Brunswick Shopping Centre and the usual high-street names, running down towards the railway station. The seafront and old town add the classic seaside gift and rock shops, which is where the sticks of rock and the buckets and spades live.
Where the shops are
Westborough and the Brunswick Centre for the high street; St Nicholas Street, St Nicholas Cliff and Queen Street for independents, antiques and books; St Helen's Square for the Market Hall and Vaults; and the old town and seafront for gifts. It is a compact, walkable centre, park once and do the lot on foot, then finish with something to eat.
For comparison up the coast, see shopping in Whitby, the town for jet jewellery and gothic curiosities, and inland shopping in Pickering. The rest of the coastline is in our coast guide.
Shopping in Scarborough: FAQs
What is Scarborough Market Hall?
A restored Victorian market on St Helen's Square and the town's shopping highlight. The main hall holds fresh produce, food stalls and a café; a mezzanine has handmade crafts, gifts and confectionery from small makers such as The Ivy Cavern; and the atmospheric underground Vaults are full of vintage, records, curios and independent traders. It is open Monday to Saturday, check current opening before a special trip.
Where are the independent and vintage shops in Scarborough?
The streets around St Nicholas Street and St Nicholas Cliff are the independent heart, along with the Market Vaults. Look for The Vintage Window for collectables, vinyl and curios, Harry's Antiques & Collectables on St Helen's Square, the Antique & Collectors Centre on St Nicholas Cliff, Very Very Vintage on South Street, and Lilly's Treasures, a handmade gift boutique on St Nicholas Street.
Is there a good bookshop in Scarborough?
Yes, Mrs Lofthouse's Emporium on Queen Street is a superb independent new-and-used bookshop, with comics and manga as well, and it sits handily on the way up towards the castle and Anne Brontë's grave. There is also a Waterstones on the main high street.
Where is the main shopping street in Scarborough?
Westborough is the main shopping street, with the covered Brunswick Shopping Centre and the usual high-street names, running down towards the railway station. The seafront and old town add the classic seaside gift and rock shops, and the whole centre is compact and walkable.
A good wet-afternoon town
The market hall, the vaults and the antique shops make Scarborough the coast's best rainy-day browse, and it is 40 minutes from the southern edge of the moors.
Browse places to stay