Most of Cambridgeshire’s town centres have the same chain shops as everywhere else, so the independents take a bit of finding. They tend to sit down passages, in old maltings and farm buildings, above auction rooms and in one long road east of Parker’s Piece. Some of the best are run by families who have been at it for decades, and a few by people who simply took on an empty unit and made it work.
This guide covers twelve places split across Cambridge and the south, Huntingdonshire, and Ely, the Fens and Peterborough. We have kept food shops light, because farm shops and delis have their own guide, and we have flagged anywhere that keeps unusual hours or where we could only find thin recent evidence.
Details were accurate at the time of research in November 2026. Independent shops change their hours more often than most, so please check each shop’s own website or social media before you travel.
Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire
Central Cambridge hides its independents in the passages and side streets around the Market Square and Trinity Street, away from the Grand Arcade and Lion Yard. Further out, Mill Road has its own character, and Burwash Manor at Barton turns a set of farm buildings into a shopping stop with free parking.
Mill Road, Cambridge
Indoor and outdoor
- Mill Road runs south east from near Parker’s Piece, over the main railway line, to the ring road, and is lined with independent businesses for most of its length
- Visit Cambridge points shoppers there for international food shops, second-hand books and furniture, and bike shops rather than chains
- The Gateway from India, a hand-carved archway made in Rajasthan, now stands in the public gardens at Ditchburn Place after a Mill Road trader bought it for £1
- The Mill Road Winter Fair is traditionally held on the first Saturday in December; the 2025 fair on 6 December marked 20 years since the first one in 2005
- Mill Road bridge is a bus gate, so drivers without an exemption should not cross it; come by bike, bus or on foot, or park on the side of the bridge you plan to shop
Address: Mill Road, Cambridge CB1
How to book: No booking needed
Mill Road is the place to shop if the centre of Cambridge feels too polished. The railway splits it into two halves, with Petersfield on the town side and Romsey beyond the bridge, and the shops change character as you walk. Expect hardware, bikes, second-hand furniture and books between the grocers and cafés, and plenty of window shopping on a dry afternoon. The Winter Fair closes part of the road, including the bridge, and has drawn crowds of 20,000 or more, so go early if you want to browse rather than shuffle.
St Edward’s Passage Bookshops, Cambridge
Indoor activity
- St Edward’s Passage is a narrow lane between Peas Hill and King’s Parade, home to two of the oldest second-hand bookshops left in Cambridge
- G David traces its roots to a market stall opened in Cambridge in 1896 by Gustave David, a Parisian bookseller, and still trades at 16 St Edward’s Passage
- G David sells antiquarian, second-hand and remaindered books, plus old maps and prints, with an antiquarian room at the back specialising in English literature, early science and travel
- The Haunted Bookshop at number 9 is home to Sarah Key Books, which has specialised in children’s and illustrated books since 1987 and moved into the shop in 1993
- The Haunted Bookshop occupies an 18th century Grade II listed building that is said to have two resident ghosts
- Both shops are small and narrow, so they do not suit pushchairs or groups
- The Haunted Bookshop opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm
Address: G David, 16 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ; The Haunted Bookshop, 9 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ
Website: uk.bookshop.org (G David); sarahkeybooks.co.uk (The Haunted Bookshop)
How to book: No booking needed
These two shops face each other across a passage that most visitors walk straight past on their way to King’s College. G David is the bigger of the pair, with baskets of cheap paperbacks out front and a back room of leather bindings and early science that can absorb a collector for an hour. Over the years its shelves have held a first edition of Newton’s Principia and several copies of On the Origin of Species. The Haunted Bookshop is tiny and fits one or two browsers at a time, which is part of the appeal if you are hunting for an old illustrated children’s book. Heffers and the Cambridge University Press Bookshop on Trinity Street are a two minute walk away if you want new books afterwards.
Cambridge Contemporary Art, Trinity Street
Indoor activity
- A gallery at 6 Trinity Street that has been selling work by living artists since it opened in 1990
- It shows handmade prints, paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass by more than 100 UK-based artists and makers
- A new exhibition opens roughly every month, so the walls look different on each visit
- The Mixed Winter Exhibition 2026 runs from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, following an autumn show of paintings by Alasdair Lindsay with ceramics by Tricia Thom and Rhian Malin
- Opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm, and Sundays and bank holidays from 11am to 5pm
- The gallery takes part in Own Art, the Arts Council-backed scheme that lets buyers spread the cost of original work
- There is no parking outside, so use the park and ride or a city centre car park
Address: 6 Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1SU
Website: cambridgegallery.co.uk
How to book: No booking needed
Cambridge Contemporary Art is a sensible place to buy a first original picture, because it sells small prints and ceramics as well as large paintings, and nobody minds if you are just looking. The ceramics shelves are worth a slow look, as recent shows have paired painters with studio potters. Because shows change monthly, it is worth putting on your list whenever you are in the city. The winter mixed show is the busiest time of year and the best choice for Christmas presents with a local link.
All Saints Garden Art and Craft Market, Cambridge
Outdoor activity
- An open-air market of handmade work held in All Saints Garden on Trinity Street, opposite Trinity College
- Cambridge City Council runs the market every Saturday from 10am to 4pm
- Stalls sell art, jewellery, pottery, sculpture, photography, paintings, prints and clothing, and the council says everything is handmade
- The traders’ long-standing motto is “we make what we sell”, so you are usually buying from the person who made the piece
- The market won Best Small Speciality Market at the Great British Market Awards in 2018, when it was in its 43rd year
- Stalls are outdoors with no cover for shoppers, so dress for the weather on winter Saturdays
- There is no parking at the garden itself; the city centre car parks and park and ride are the practical options
- Stallholders set their own prices and payment methods vary by stall, so bring some cash as well as a card
Address: All Saints Garden, Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1TQ
Website: cambridge.gov.uk/all-saints-garden-market
How to book: No booking needed
All Saints Garden is a small garden opposite Trinity College, and on Saturdays it fills with gazebos run by potters, jewellers, printmakers and photographers. It has been going for around half a century, which makes it one of the longest-running makers’ markets in the region. The best thing about it is the conversation: ask how a glaze was made or where a photograph was taken and you will get a proper answer. It pairs naturally with Cambridge Contemporary Art and the St Edward’s Passage bookshops, all within five minutes’ walk.
Burwash Manor, Barton
Indoor and outdoor
- A group of independent shops in converted farm buildings at Burwash Manor on New Road, Barton, about three miles south west of Cambridge
- The site is open seven days a week and has free parking, which is the main draw compared with shopping in the city
- Backstitch, a fabric and haberdashery shop, sells dressmaking, quilting and interiors fabric, yarn, sewing patterns and Brother sewing machines, and runs classes
- Backstitch opens from 10am to 5pm every day, with shorter hours over Christmas
- Other shops on the site include Amber B Pottery, Persian Tribal Rugs, Providence, Leech and Sons, The Secret Garden and Freda and Bert
- Flock Café serves coffee, brunch, light lunches and home-baked scones and cakes
- Burwash Larder, the farm shop on the same site, is covered in our farm shops and delis guide
- An Artists Marquee Winter Show for a local artists’ collective is advertised on the Burwash Manor website for 21 November
Address: Burwash Manor, New Road, Barton, Cambridge CB23 7EY
Website: burwashmanor.com
Phone: 01223 778118 (Backstitch)
How to book: No booking needed for the shops; Backstitch classes are booked through backstitch.co.uk
Burwash Manor is the easy answer for anyone who wants independent shops without paying for city parking. The units are small, so a full lap takes about an hour, and the mix leans towards craft, home and gifts rather than fashion. Backstitch is the reason many sewers and knitters make the trip, with fabric, yarn and machines under one roof and classes in the studio. The old farmyard setting gives the place a slower pace than a high street, and Flock Café makes it easy to stay for lunch.
Huntingdonshire and the Great Ouse
Huntingdonshire’s independents cluster in St Ives and Huntingdon, where old market streets run down towards the Great Ouse. St Ives in particular is the county’s best bet for antiques, with a permanent centre in the town and a regular fair at the Burgess Hall.
Hyperion Home and Antiques Centre and The Courtyard, St Ives
Indoor and outdoor
- An antiques centre and outdoor shopping courtyard attached to Hyperion Auction House on Station Road, close to the centre of St Ives
- The Home and Antiques Centre has about 30 independent traders selling silver, jewellery, fine art, militaria, books, glassware and vinyl records
- The centre opens Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm
- The Courtyard is a cobbled, market-style space where more than 30 traders run small pods selling crafts, homewares, retro and upcycled furniture, gifts and picture framing
- The Courtyard opens seven days a week and has a coffee pod for drinks and snacks
- Hyperion holds Antiques and Interiors auctions in the same building, with sales on 21 November and 12 December 2026 and further dates in January and February 2027
- Auction viewing usually takes place on the Thursday and Friday before each sale, which is a good time to see the saleroom without bidding
- The Courtyard is outdoors, so dress for the weather in winter
Address: Hyperion Auction House, Station Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 5BH
Website: hyperionauctions.co.uk
Phone: 01480 464140
How to book: No booking needed; register online or in person to bid at auction
Hyperion is three things on one site, and the combination is what makes it worth the drive. The antiques centre is a proper dealers’ floor, good for silver and jewellery, while the Courtyard is more relaxed and better for homeware, gifts and upcycled furniture. On viewing days you can wander the saleroom and see what is going under the hammer at the weekend. Leave time to walk down to the Old Bridge and its chapel on the Great Ouse afterwards. Check the auction calendar before you go if you want to time your visit with a viewing day.
St Ives Antiques Fair, Burgess Hall
Indoor activity
- A two-day antiques and collectors’ fair held around six times a year at the Burgess Hall in the One Leisure St Ives centre on Westwood Road
- About 50 specialist dealers take part, filling the hall with jewellery, clocks and watches, small furniture, postcards, paintings, militaria, glass, porcelain and Asian pieces
- The next fairs are on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026 and Sunday 27 to Monday 28 December 2026
- Opening hours are 10am to 4pm on both days
- Admission is £3.50 for adults and £3.00 for over 65s and students, according to the fair and the venue
- Parking at the venue is free, and there is catering on site
- Fairs in 2027 are on 20 and 21 February, 28 and 29 March (Easter), 30 and 31 May, 29 and 30 August, and 20 and 21 November
Address: Burgess Hall, One Leisure St Ives, Westwood Road, St Ives PE27 6WU
Website: stivesantiquesfair.co.uk
How to book: Pay on the door
The St Ives fair is a good way to see a lot of dealers in one go without traipsing between shops. It is indoors, warm and flat, which makes it far easier with older relatives than a field fair. The December fair falls just after Christmas, which makes it an easy outing over the quiet days before new year. Go in the first hour if you collect anything specific. Pair it with Hyperion across town on the same day for a full antiques trip.
Niche Comics and Bookshop, Huntingdon
Indoor activity
- An independent bookshop and comic shop at 147 High Street, Huntingdon, opened in 2011
- The shop occupies a restored Tudor building said to date from 1573, spread over two floors with a courtyard garden at the back
- It has been recognised with a Civic Society plaque for its restoration of the building
- Stock covers books and comics for all ages, local and self-published titles, tabletop games, Games Workshop products, cards and gifts
- Niche was a regional finalist for Independent Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2022
- The shop describes itself as autism-friendly, with quiet browsing spaces and a small children’s reading corner
- It runs book signings, weekly gaming nights and acoustic music evenings in the courtyard, with bigger author events at the Commemoration Hall
Address: 147 High Street, Huntingdon PE29 3TF
Website: huntsbooks.co.uk
Phone: 01480 412315
How to book: No booking needed to shop; some events are ticketed
Niche is the shop that proves a small town can support a good bookshop if it does more than sell books. The timbered building is worth seeing on its own, and the courtyard at the back is an unexpected bit of calm off a busy high street. Comic and gaming fans travel from across the county, but the general book stock is well chosen too, with a strong local shelf. It is a short walk from the Cromwell Museum, so it fits neatly into a Huntingdon morning. Check the shop’s social media for evening events and signings before you go.
Ely, the Fens and Peterborough
Ely is the strongest shopping town in the north of the county, with an antiques centre on the river, a long-standing independent department store and a retail village on the Stuntney Estate just outside town. Peterborough’s independents are fewer and mostly gathered in one arcade inside Queensgate.
Waterside Antiques Centre, Ely
Indoor activity
- A large antiques centre on Ely’s riverside, which bills itself as the largest in East Anglia, with around 10,000 square feet of floor space
- More than 65 dealers sell from the centre
- Stock covers small collectables and china, large pieces of furniture, farm tools, vintage clothing and military medals
- There is free parking directly outside the centre on Waterside
- It is about five minutes’ walk from both Ely city centre and Ely railway station
- Peacocks Tearoom and the Babylon Gallery are next door
Address: 55a to 55b Waterside, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4AU
Website: watersideantiques.co.uk
Phone: 01353 667066
How to book: No booking needed
Waterside Antiques is the sort of place where an hour turns into an afternoon. Dealers’ stalls run room after room through an old riverside building, and with more than 65 traders the stock is never the same twice. Combine it with a walk along the Great Ouse and lunch at one of the riverside cafés.
Cutlacks and the Fore Hill Independents, Ely
Indoor activity
- Cutlacks is a family-run independent department store at 19 to 21 Forehill, the steep street between Ely Market Place and the river
- It sells kitchenware, tableware, bedding, curtains, paint and wallpaper, garden furniture, DIY and cleaning supplies under one roof
- The Ely store opens Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4:15pm and does not list Sunday opening
- Farrow and Ball is among the paint brands it stocks
- A Little Something on Market Street sells silver and gold-plated jewellery, scarves, bags, candles, cards and new baby gifts
- Topping and Company, the independent bookshop on the High Street, is a short walk away; we covered it in our literary Cambridgeshire guide
- Forehill and Newnham Street car parks in the city centre are free, and Ely station is about 15 minutes’ walk downhill
Address: Cutlacks, 19 to 21 Forehill, Ely CB7 4AA; A Little Something, 54a Market Street, Ely CB7 4LS
Website: cutlacks.co.uk; visitely.org.uk for other Ely shops
Phone: 01353 662881 (Cutlacks Ely)
How to book: No booking needed
Cutlacks is the shop Ely people go to when they need a bread tin, a tin of paint and a doormat in the same trip. It feels like an old-fashioned town department store, with a lot packed into a narrow frontage. The streets around it hold a cluster of small gift and jewellery shops that are good for presents without the city prices. Thursday and Saturday markets on the Market Place add more stalls to the mix. Note that Cutlacks closes at quarter past four, earlier than most shops, so do it first.
Ben’s Yard, Stuntney
Indoor and outdoor
- A rural retail village of independent shops and cafés on the Stuntney Estate, just south east of Ely on the Soham road
- It was built by Alastair and Victoria Morbey and opened at the end of June 2023
- The units cover fashion, homeware, gifts, handmade furniture, bridal wear, hair and beauty, plus a farm shop and café
- Unit 14 hosts a rotating line-up of pop-up shops until 31 December 2026
- Late Night Christmas Shopping runs on Thursday 19 November 2026, with shops open until 8:30pm
- Ben’s Yard is also the park and ride for the Ely Cathedral Christmas Fair from 19 to 21 November 2026
- Parking is free, the retail village is wheelchair and pushchair friendly, there is an adventure playground, and dogs on leads are welcome; the wildflower trails are not suited to wheelchairs
Address: Ben’s Yard, Stuntney Estate, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5TR
Website: bensyard.co.uk
How to book: No booking needed for the shops; check the website for events that need booking
Ben’s Yard is the newest place in this guide and it shows in the clean, purpose-built units. It is designed for a slow browse rather than a quick errand, with a café, a playground and wildflower walks to stretch out a visit. The shops lean towards gifts, interiors and clothes, so it suits Christmas shopping well. The late-night opening on 19 November is a good evening out if you want to avoid weekend crowds. If you are going to the Cathedral Christmas Fair, parking here and taking the shuttle saves the hunt for a space in town.
Westgate Arcade, Peterborough
Indoor activity
- A covered arcade of small units inside Queensgate Shopping Centre, which Queensgate describes as full of independent retailers
- Shops listed by Queensgate include The Oculist, Elsie and Me, Cavani, Fusion Flair and Mayson’s
- Long-standing tenants include Clues, a menswear shop, and Style, a jewellery and accessories boutique
- Because the arcade is inside Queensgate, it keeps the shopping centre’s opening hours and is under cover in any weather
- Queensgate is a short walk from Peterborough bus and railway stations
- Tenants change more often here than in older shops, so check the Queensgate store directory for the current line-up before travelling for a particular shop
Address: Westgate Arcade, Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough
Website: queensgate-shopping.co.uk
How to book: No booking needed
Peterborough does not have a Mill Road or a St Edward’s Passage, but Westgate Arcade is the closest it comes to an independent shopping street. The units are small, so expect specialist fashion, jewellery, bridal and gift shops rather than big stores. It is an easy add-on to a city centre trip, and a few minutes’ walk from Cathedral Square. Because the line-up changes, treat it as a browse rather than a destination for one shop. Peterborough Cathedral and the Guildhall are close by if you want something else to see.
Seasonal Highlights
Spring: Free Comic Book Day on the first Saturday in May, which Niche Comics and Bookshop in Huntingdon has marked in past years, and the St Ives Antiques Fairs at the Burgess Hall on 20 and 21 February and over Easter on 28 and 29 March 2027.
Summer: The wildflower trails at Ben’s Yard and the August bank holiday St Ives Antiques Fair at the Burgess Hall, on 29 and 30 August 2027. All Saints Garden market is at its busiest on summer Saturdays.
Autumn: The Mixed Winter Exhibition at Cambridge Contemporary Art from 14 November 2026, the St Ives Antiques Fair on 21 and 22 November, Hyperion’s Antiques and Interiors sale on 21 November, and Late Night Christmas Shopping at Ben’s Yard on 19 November, the same week as the Ely Cathedral Christmas Fair from 19 to 21 November.
Winter: The Mill Road Winter Fair, traditionally on the first Saturday in December, Hyperion’s sale on 12 December, the reindeer at Ben’s Yard on Saturday 19 December, the post-Christmas St Ives Antiques Fair on 27 and 28 December 2026, and Hyperion’s January and February 2027 sales.
A Note From Inside Cambridge
We wrote this guide because shopping local in Cambridgeshire is easy to talk about and harder to do, and most of the good independents never make it onto a tourist map. These twelve are a starting point, picked to spread across the county and to cover books, antiques, crafts and homeware.
If you run an independent shop that should be in the next edition, or one of these has changed its hours or moved, please get in touch. Small shops change quickly, and we would rather hear it from you than send a reader to a locked door.
Before You Go
- Check opening hours before a special trip, as several independents here close earlier than chain shops or open fewer days
- Bring a card and a little cash, in case a small market stall or antiques dealer does not take cards
- Use the park and ride for central Cambridge shops, as there is no parking at St Edward’s Passage, Trinity Street or All Saints Garden
- Do not drive over Mill Road bridge unless you have an exemption, as it is a bus gate with fines for non-exempt drivers
- Burwash Manor, Ben’s Yard, Waterside Antiques and the Burgess Hall all have free parking, which makes them easier with bulky purchases
- Ely’s Forehill and Newnham Street car parks are free and a short walk from Cutlacks and the High Street shops
- Measure your space and bring the measurements if you are shopping for furniture at Waterside or Hyperion, and ask about delivery before you buy
- Antiques fairs and auction viewing days get busy in the first hour, so arrive early if you collect something specific
- Small shops such as the Haunted Bookshop and G David are tight on space, so leave large bags and pushchairs outside if you can
