We checked 12 Stratford-upon-Avon shops, from Curtis Brae's teddy bears to Vin Neuf's wines, for opening hours and Sunday trading. Updated November 2026.
Stratford-upon-Avon has 12 independent shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide puts them in one place with opening hours, addresses and what each one sells. Curtis Brae’s teddy bears, Vinegar Hill’s lifestyle store, Domino Style on Henley Street and the Chaucer Head Bookshop are the names most people land on.
Shops often change their hours close to Christmas, so check before making a special trip. Most of the list sits on Henley Street, Wood Street, Meer Street and Chapel Street, all within a few minutes’ walk of each other.
Dates for the Christmas shopping diary
Saturday 14 November: Christmas lights switch-on. Stratford BID’s switch-on day, with the market on Bridge Street, Wood Street and Henley Street trading from 10am to 7pm. Six streets, including Henley Street, Wood Street and the High Street, close to traffic from 4am to 10pm. Our switch-on page has the closures.
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November: Christmas market, first weekend. The district council gives Saturdays as 10am to 8pm and Sundays as 10am to 5pm, with over 200 stallholders.
Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December: Christmas market, second weekend. Same hours. The council is holding 12 and 13 December in reserve in case bad weather cancels a weekend. Road closures, Park and Ride times and the market map are on our Christmas market page.
Sundays 6, 13 and 20 December. Pragnell, which normally shuts on Sundays, opens from 11am to 4pm on these three.
We found no late-night shopping evening announced for 2026 by Stratford BID or either council as of 5 November. If one is published, we will add it here.
Parking
The district council’s twelve car parks in town charge from 9am to 6pm, and Bridgeway’s multi-storey and surface car parks give the first hour free. Our parking guide has every tariff. On market weekends the council points visitors to the Bishopton Park and Ride, which runs extra buses on both market Sundays; on other Sundays from November to Easter the dedicated bus does not run.
Henley Street
1. Curtis Brae
Curtis Brae says it was established in 2000, when it bought The Teddy Bear Shop, then in 16th-century premises at 32 Sheep Street. It moved to Henley Street in November 2011, to a shop it says has “more space, no steps and higher ceilings”.
It calls itself primarily a specialist teddy bear and Russian doll shop, and now also sells storybook characters including Beatrix Potter and Paddington, with brands such as Jellycat and Deb Canham on its site. It is opposite Shakespeare’s Birthplace, behind the Christmas shop, with a large bear it calls William Shakesbear IV outside the door.
It says it opens seven days a week except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5.30pm; Sun 11am to 4pm; closed 25 and 26 December
Call 01789 267277
Address 42a Henley Street, CV37 6QW
Website curtisbrae.co.uk
Good for teddy bears, Russian dolls, Jellycat, Beatrix Potter, step-free entrance
2. Domino Style
Domino Style says it first opened on Henley Street in 1978 and is now an award-winning independent boutique owned and run by Abigail Edmunds. It describes its stock as “a fabulous mix of aspirational and attainable fashion collections”, and its site sells jewellery, scarves, bags, gloves and homeware alongside clothing, which is where the smaller gifts are.
It has a second shop on Regent Street in Leamington Spa, with the same hours.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Address 65 Henley Street, CV37 6PT
Website dominostyle.co.uk
Good for women's fashion, jewellery, scarves and bags, gift cards
3. The Shakespeare Shop
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s own shop sits next to Shakespeare’s Birthplace; Visit Stratford-upon-Avon’s listing says every purchase supports the Trust, which is a charity. The Trust’s shop site says the front of the building, Hornby Cottage, dates from the late 15th century, when a blacksmith, Richard Hornby, lived there in Shakespeare’s time.
It sells books (plays, poetry, children’s books and Shakespeare’s life and times), prints, stationery, gift wrap and work by local makers. The Trust’s opening times page gives the Birthplace and shop the same hours.
Open daily 10am to 4pm from 2 November to 31 December; Christmas Eve 10am to 2pm; closed 25 and 26 December
Address Henley Street, CV37 6QW
Website shop.shakespeare.org.uk
Good for Shakespeare books, children's books, prints, local makers
4. House of Spells
House of Spells is a small group of film and fantasy merchandise shops, with branches near Leicester Square and in Liverpool as well as this one on Henley Street. It sells Harry Potter wands, books, clothing and collectables, along with Stranger Things, The Lord of the Rings and other ranges.
It has the longest published hours in this guide, seven days a week.
Open Mon to Sun 9am to 6pm
Call 01789 507577
Address 48 Henley Street, CV37 6QW
Website houseofspells.co.uk
Good for Harry Potter wands, film merchandise, collectables, open late
5. B&W Thornton
B&W Thornton describes itself as “leading stockists of Moorcroft Pottery and lamps, Royal Crown Derby, Dennis Chinaworks, Isle Of Wight Glass and the paintings of Debby Faulkner-Stevens”, and says it designs and commissions pieces with makers. It has also published Barry Thornton’s illustrated books about a theatrical mouse in Stratford; the newest, Much Ado About Mice, is £24 on its site.
The shop asks customers to phone with questions rather than email. Its site does not publish opening hours, so ring before a special trip.
Price Much Ado About Mice book £24
Call 01789 269405
Address 23 Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
Website bwthornton.co.uk
Good for Moorcroft pottery, Royal Crown Derby, studio glass, collectables
Meer Street and Sheep Street
6. Vinegar Hill
Vinegar Hill started in Stratford in 1997 and says it is still a close family-run business, owned and managed by the siblings Beth, Debbie and Richard Austin. It has two shops in town.
The lifestyle store on Meer Street sells homeware, gifts and cards; Vinegar Hill Wardrobe, its fashion store, is at 8 Sheep Street (01789 266699), open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm. The hours below are the lifestyle store’s, from the shop’s stores page.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Call 01789 415191
Address 11 Meer Street, CV37 6QB
Website vinegarhill.co.uk
Good for homeware, gifts, cards and wrap, women's fashion
Wood Street and the High Street
7. Pragnell
Pragnell says it has more than 170 years of jewellery making behind it and calls itself one of the UK’s last family-owned, full-service jewellers. Its Wood Street showroom sells fine and bespoke jewellery, vintage and antique pieces, and Swiss watches including Rolex and Patek Philippe, and recommends booking an appointment for a personal consultation.
It has published its Christmas 2026 hours, including three Sunday openings.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sundays 6, 13 and 20 December 11am to 4pm; Christmas Eve 9.30am to 4pm; closed 25 to 28 December
Booking appointments recommended for consultations
Call 01789 267072
Address 5-7 Wood Street, CV37 6JA
Website pragnell.co.uk
Good for fine jewellery, vintage pieces, Swiss watches, click and collect
8. Knights Fine Jewellery
Knights Fine Jewellery is a family-run jeweller on Wood Street, which says it works by “traditional values, quality workmanship and sound business ethics”. It offers bespoke jewellery design, pre-owned watches, lab-grown diamonds, valuations and repairs, and sells gold and silver bullion, including sovereigns and Britannia coins.
Its site does not publish opening hours.
Call 01789 266595
Address 42 Wood Street, CV37 6JG
Website knightsfinejewellery.co.uk
Good for bespoke jewellery, pre-owned watches, gold sovereigns, repairs
9. Shakespeare Distillery High Street Shop
The Shakespeare Distillery was set up in 2015 and says it remains “an independent family business” making its gins, rum and other spirits at its own distillery. Its town-centre shop shares 1 High Street with Judith’s School of Spirits, where it has started late “Judith’s After Dark” openings on Friday nights.
The distillery itself, on Drayton Manor Drive, CV37 9RQ, also has a shop, open Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm, closed Monday and Tuesday. Gift vouchers and experiences are sold on its site.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Call 01789 336559
Address 1 High Street, CV37 6AU
Website shakespearedistillery.com
Good for local gin, rum, gift vouchers, distillery experiences
Chapel Street and Union Street
10. The Chaucer Head Bookshop
The Chaucer Head Bookshop is a second-hand bookshop at 21 Chapel Street. It stocks fiction and non-fiction, “old and new”, and its stock is not listed online, so the only way to browse is in person.
It says it is worth a visit whether you want “an inexpensive holiday read or a very special present”. The hours are short and the shop warns not to make a special journey on a Wednesday.
The owner is deaf, so the shop cannot take phone calls; email from its contact page instead.
Open Thu to Sat 12.30pm to 4.45pm; Wed sometimes, between 12pm and 4.30pm; closed Mon, Tue, Sun and bank holidays
Address 21 Chapel Street, CV37 6EP
Website chaucerhead.com
Good for second-hand books, old and rare books, book gifts
11. Montpellier Gallery
Montpellier Gallery opened in 1989 and calls itself one of England’s longest-established independent retail craft galleries. It shows studio glass, contemporary jewellery and ceramics alongside paintings, prints, sculpture and wood by British makers, in three rooms of a 400-year-old building opposite the Shakespeare Hotel.
It does not sell directly online, but takes orders by phone or email and posts them.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm
Call 01789 261161
Address 8 Chapel Street, CV37 6EP
Website montpelliergallery.com
Good for studio glass, handmade jewellery, ceramics, original art
12. Vin Neuf
Vin Neuf is a family-run independent wine merchant that opened its Stratford shop in 2006, with a cellar it uses for tastings. It says it specialises in wines from the Languedoc and neighbouring regions, along with champagne, port, sherry, whisky and gin.
Its online shop offers click and collect, it sells gift vouchers, and it runs wine tastings and courses locally.
Open Tue to Sat 9.30am to 6pm; closed Sun and Mon
Call 01789 261747
Address 6b Union Street, CV37 6QT
Website vinneuf.co.uk
Good for Languedoc wines, champagne and port, gift vouchers, wine tastings
How we chose
These are independents from the shop lists on Visit Stratford-upon-Avon and Stratford BID that sell things people buy as presents, with addresses, hours and stock taken from each shop’s own website in November 2026. Chains are left out because they appear in every town. The Nutcracker Christmas Shop on Henley Street, Parkinsons on Meer Street, Bensons House of Tea and the Stratford Sweet Shop are not listed yet because none of them publishes hours we could confirm.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@stratfordavonnews.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@stratfordavonnews.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
More for the season: Christmas dinner in Stratford, Shakespeare’s Birthplace Christmas opening times, the Stratford ice rink, Santa’s grotto, the pantomime, what’s on this month and things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Frequently asked questions
Which independent shops in Stratford-upon-Avon open on Sundays before Christmas?
Of the 12 shops in this guide, six publish Sunday hours: Vinegar Hill (both stores), Domino Style and Curtis Brae from 11am to 4pm, the Shakespeare Distillery High Street shop from 10am to 4pm, House of Spells from 9am to 6pm, and the Shakespeare Shop on Henley Street from 10am to 4pm. Pragnell adds three December Sundays, 6, 13 and 20 December, from 11am to 4pm.
When is the Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas market in 2026?
Over two weekends: Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, then Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. The district council gives Saturdays as 10am to 8pm and Sundays as 10am to 5pm, with 12 and 13 December held in reserve if a weekend is cancelled for bad weather.
Is there late night Christmas shopping in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2026?
We found no late-night shopping evening announced for 2026 by Stratford BID or either council as of 5 November. The Christmas market Saturdays run to 8pm, and individual shops set their own hours, so ring before relying on a shop being open late.
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