Shambles Market

A 1950s market with older neighbours

The market was created in the 1950s on land cleared beside The Shambles, and stalls displaced from Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square moved here in 1955. It was first named Newgate Market after the nearby street. A refurbishment of around £1.6 million in 2014 gave it its current layout and the Shambles Market name. The clearance that made space for it took away almost all of Little Shambles, something now seen as a loss to the historic streetscape.

What you'll find

There are 86 stalls. Meat and fish traders have permanent pitches, while other stalls change, and seven kiosks, most of them selling food, give the market its street-food corner. Long-standing traders include Cross of York, a fishmonger trading here since 1957, and Swain Family Butchers. Cross of York was named national Fishmonger of the Year in 2020, and Swain Family Butchers marked fifty years of trading in 2022, so the fresh counters are worth a look even if you are not cooking.

How to fit it in

Come at lunchtime for the food kiosks, or earlier for the produce stalls. The market is a few steps from The Shambles itself, so it pairs naturally with that street and with York's Chocolate Story on King's Square, under 100 metres away. Being open-air, it is at its liveliest on a dry day.

Highlights

• 86 stalls behind The Shambles
• Permanent butchers and fishmongers
• Food kiosks for a quick lunch
• Refurbished and renamed in 2014
• Short walk to King's Square

Good to know

• Open-air, so dress for the weather.
• Next to The Shambles, one of the busiest parts of the city centre, so expect crowds at weekends.

Frequently asked questions