The 10 best shopping centres in Newcastle for style, steals, and finds
Exploring Newcastle, whether through its museums or its shops, is easily one of the most flexible ways to spend a day. It works even if you’re out for errands or just for a walk; it delivers on that front with variety and charm.
Shopping in Newcastle means discovering everything from high-street favourites to quirky local finds. Each spot brings something different, and it’s way too easy to lose track of time.
No matter the budget or the mood, there’s something satisfying about leaving with a new favourite item. Just don’t check your bank app immediately after.
1. Grainger Market
Media credit: thegraingermarket
Website: https://newcastlegateshead.com/business-directory/shopping/grainger-market
Location: Grainger St, NE1 5QQ
Contact: +441912115541
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Grainger Market is a historic covered marketplace dating back to 1835, located in the heart of Newcastle. It houses over 100 traders, ranging from traditional greengrocers and butchers to modern street food vendors.
Several alleys have permanent stalls, while others rotate traders throughout the year. Notable shops include Dumpling & Bun, Acropolis Street Food, and the original M&S Penny Bazaar.
The market combines Georgian architecture with functional updates, such as card-ready tills and QR menus. Foot traffic peaks during weekday lunch hours, driven by workers and students.
Stalls are independently run too, so opening hours vary, but most are open from mid-morning until late afternoon.
Pro Tip:
Every Tuesday, the market’s official “Trader Tuesday” promotions go live via its Instagram Stories. It offers real-time deals on fresh produce, ready meals, and baked goods.
2. Eldon Square
Media credit: eldonsqncl
Website: https://eldonsquare.co.uk/
Location: Percy St, NE1 7JB
Contact: +441912611891
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday (except Thursday): 9 AM – 7 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM – 8 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Eldon Square is Newcastle’s largest indoor retail complex, home to more than 150 shops across multiple interlinked corridors. It’s a central hub between Northumberland Street, Clayton Street, and the Monument Metro.
Key brands include Apple, Zara, John Lewis & Partners, and The Body Shop. In the Grey’s Quarter wing, several fast-casual dining chains are also present. Public rest areas and amenities are also distributed evenly throughout.
Digital wayfinding screens are installed at most entrances, and escalator banks are placed near anchor tenants. Even better, several stores now offer click-and-collect counters separate from main tills.
Pro Tip:
Download the “Shop Newcastle” app before visiting. It features exclusive Eldon Square discounts not advertised in-store, as well as live updates on quieter car parks and crowd levels.
3. Fenwick Newcastle
Media credit: sarahjayneburkee
Website: https://www.fenwick.co.uk/pages/newcastle
Location: 39 Northumberland St, NE1 7AS
Contact: +448007831783
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday (except Thursday): 9 AM – 7 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM – 8 PM
- Sunday: 10:30 AM – 5 PM
Fenwick is a five-floor department store on Northumberland Street offering premium fashion, homeware, and food. It has remained family-owned since 1882 and is considered a regional retail landmark.
The lower ground hosts a luxury food hall with wine merchants, delis, and patisseries. Upper levels feature brands like All Saints, Barbour, Hugo Boss, and Mulberry.
The store also offers tailoring, personal shopping, and skincare consultations with no walk-in fee required. And the top-floor restaurant, Fuego, serves Mediterranean small plates and is one of the only rooftop dining options in the area.
There’s also a Fenwick loyalty program that can be utilised across all departments, including food and gift services.
Pro Tip:
Check the Fenwick Food Hall clearance fridge (next to the cheese counter) around 4:30 PM. Chilled items, such as ready meals, desserts, and deli pots, are often marked down by 30–50% before closing.
4. Metrocentre
Media credit: metrocentre
Website: https://themetrocentre.co.uk/
Location: St. Michaels Wy., Metrocentre, NE11 9YG
Contact: +441914930200
Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 9 PM
- Saturday: 9 AM – 7 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Metrocentre is a super-regional shopping and leisure centre divided into colour-coded zones: red, green, yellow, and Qube. It offers over 300 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
The Red Mall includes higher-end fashion and designer outlets, while the Green Mall focuses on home goods and family retailers. The Qube area includes an IMAX cinema, Namco Funscape, and several casual dining chains.
Floor decals and free mobile maps accessible via QR code aid navigation. Metrocentre has its own rail station and direct access from the A1 motorway.
Retailers operate across multi-level spaces with specific loading bays and large-scale stockrooms, which support the regular arrival of new products.
Pro Tip:
Metrocentre’s “Quiet Hours” run every Tuesday and Saturday from 9 AM to 10 AM. During these hours, shops reduce lighting and music volume, making it ideal for shoppers with sensory sensitivities or those who want to avoid overstimulation.
5. Tynemouth Market
Website: https://tynemouthmarkets.com/
Location: Station Terrace, Tynemouth, NE30 4RE
Contact: +447907468441
Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 9 AM – 3:30 PM
Tynemouth Market takes over the glass-roofed Victorian train station every weekend, with up to 150 rotating traders lining both platforms. We love its variety: vintage clothes, old records, and one-off antiques all under one roof.
Food vans gather just outside the station’s main gate, serving proper coffee, crepes, and plenty of veggie-friendly options. The station is dog-friendly and pushchair-accessible, making it feel relaxed and welcoming.
It’s an easy 25-minute ride from Newcastle on the Tyne & Wear Metro, and getting off at a functioning market station is part of the charm.
Pro Tip:
The west platform hosts the “collectors’ stalls”. Traders dealing in rare coins, old football programmes, and antique maps always set up along that side and offer bundle pricing if asked directly.
6. Quayside Market
Media credit: quaysidemarket
Website: https://newcastlegateshead.com/business-directory/shopping/quayside-market
Location: Quayside, between Swing Bridge to Gateshead Millennium Bridge, NE1 3DE
Contact: +44 0191 211 5512
Hours: Sunday: 9:30 AM – 4 PM
Quayside Market takes place every Sunday along the River Tyne, stretching from the Law Courts to the Millennium Bridge. It features local artisans, micro-retailers, and gourmet street food vendors.
The market offers a diverse selection of handmade gifts, regional produce, prints, candles, and pet treats. Product offerings change weekly, depending on the availability of traders and weather conditions.
Most stalls accept cards, though a few still operate cash-only, particularly the food trucks near the Guildhall. Nearby benches and public toilets make casual browsing a convenient experience.
We like that the entire route is flat and scenic, making it ideal for combining with a riverside walk. Several buskers perform during lunch hours near the end of the bridge.
Pro Tip:
If you arrive after 1 PM, start at the far end (near the Swing Bridge). It’s less crowded, and vendors there are more likely to negotiate multi-item deals or throw in extras as they prepare to pack up.
7. Eldon Garden
Media credit: eldon_garden
Website: https://www.eldon-garden.co.uk/
Location: Percy St, NE1 7RA
Contact: +441912610117
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 9 AM – 6 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Eldon Garden is a quieter, glass-roofed shopping arcade located beside Eldon Square. It houses specialist retailers, including independent clothing brands, tailoring services, and art dealers.
The centrepiece is the North East Art Collective, which displays and sells original works from over 150 local artists. Surrounding units include bridalwear boutiques, gift framing studios, and plant stores.
Accessibility is strong, with wide walkways, lifts, and less crowding than neighbouring retail zones. Footfall also remains low throughout the week, offering a slower-paced alternative to the high street.
Retailers occasionally participate in seasonal events, but there are no large anchor stores in the complex. Most tenants operate on standard business hours and close earlier than chain-based malls.
Pro Tip:
Use the Percy Street lift entrance after 3 PM. Foot traffic is lower, the indoor lighting is calmer, and you’ll reach art galleries and gift stores without walking through the entire shopping centre.
8. Central Arcade
Media credit: newcastle.life
Website: https://newcastlegateshead.com/business-directory/shopping/central-arcade-newcastle
Location: NE1 6EG
Hours: Monday to Sunday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Central Arcade is a 1906 heritage shopping passage renowned for its Edwardian tilework and mosaic floors, situated between Grey Street and Grainger Street, near Monument Metro Station.
JG Windows is the arcade’s anchor tenant—a long-running music store selling instruments, vinyl, sheet music, and vintage audio gear. Other tenants include designer menswear tailors and gift shops.
This one’s definitely one of our favourites on the list: compact, beautifully preserved, and full of old-world charm you don’t get in most modern malls. The lighting and signage are intentionally subtle to preserve the original details.
Most shopfronts have been occupied by the same businesses for years, giving the arcade a timeless, slow-paced feel. It’s fully covered too, making it a lovely detour on rainy days or when Northumberland Street gets hectic.
Pro Tip:
Visit during daylight hours if you’re taking photos. The arcade isn’t artificially lit like a mall, so mornings and early afternoons are best for safe walking and great interior shots.
9. BALTIC Shop
Media credit: balticgateshead
Website: https://baltic.art/experience-your-baltic/baltic-shop/
Location: S Shore Rd, NE8 3BA
Contact: +441914781810
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday: 10 AM – 6 PM
The BALTIC Shop is located on Level 2 of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, just a 15-minute walk from Newcastle Central Station across the Millennium Bridge. It offers goods by UK and international artists, from handmade jewellery to limited-edition prints.
Product collections change seasonally to reflect current exhibitions and featured creators. Many items are exclusive to the BALTIC and cannot be purchased elsewhere or online.
We appreciate how the shop focuses on design-led, sustainable goods, including recycled notebooks, ethically sourced toys, and striking statement gifts. Prices range from a few pounds for zines to hundreds of pounds for original, framed works.
Entry to the shop is free and does not require a gallery admission ticket. The space is also wheelchair accessible and well-lit, with staff available to explain the details and origins of the artwork.
Pro Tip:
The BALTIC Shop offers a 10% discount on all items if you show proof of attending a paid BALTIC event, such as a workshop or guided tour, during the same week. Just present your booking confirmation.
10. Ouseburn Market (Pop-ups)
Media credit: theouseburnmarket
Website: https://newcastlegateshead.com/events/ouseburn-market
Location: Stepney Bank, NE1 2NP
Hours: Sunday: 10 AM – 3:30 PM
Ouseburn Market is a temporary market featuring rotating stalls from local creatives, vintage collectors, and sellers of handmade goods. It’s hosted at venues like The Cluny or the Boiler House during special events and weekends.
Stalls feature risograph prints, upcycled furniture, homemade skincare products, and pet accessories. Each market is promoted individually through social media, and line-ups vary from week to week.
It’s great that most vendors accept card payments via Square or SumUp, although cash may be preferred for low-cost items. Many stalls offer samples or demonstrations, and dogs are also welcome at nearly all venues.
Pro Tip:
Bring a backup power bank or charge your phone at The Cluny before entering. Many vendors use QR-only menus or cashless apps, and indoor market venues often have poor mobile signals.