We checked 18 Cheltenham shops, from Rossiter Books to The CheeseWorks, plus late-night opening on 3 and 10 December. Updated November 2026.
Cheltenham has 18 independent shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide lists them with opening hours and what each one sells. Rossiter Books, The CheeseWorks, the Gloucestershire Guild and Vinegar Hill are the names many people will land on.
Shops often change their hours close to Christmas, so check before a special trip.
Dates for the Christmas shopping diary
Saturday 21 November: the season starts. The town’s Christmas lights come on from 4pm. The Brewery Quarter holds a free launch party from 2pm to 8pm. Our lights page has the details.
Friday 27 and Sunday 29 November: Pittville Pump Room markets. Free artisan markets run from 5pm to 9pm on the Friday and from 11am to 4pm on the Sunday, says The Cheltenham Trust.
Thursday 3 December: first late-night shopping evening. Cheltenham BID says businesses will stay open until 7pm or 8pm. The film projection on the Municipal Offices also starts, running from 4pm to 10pm each evening until 16 December.
Thursday 10 December: second late-night evening. The same late opening applies, and the Christmas market opens on the Promenade. It runs until Wednesday 23 December, with 40 wooden stalls.
Late-night shopping and free parking
BID’s list had about 80 businesses signed up when we checked, and it says the list is not final. Eleven of the shops below are on it: Art Union, The CheeseWorks, FoodLoose, the Gloucestershire Guild, James of Montpellier, Loft & Spires, Paragon Gallery, Park Gallery, Rossiter Books, The Ultimate Balloon and Party Shop, and Vinegar Hill. John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Waterstones and Hatchards are also listed.
Council car parks are free from 3pm on both evenings. That covers Chelt Walk, St James Street, Rodney Road, High Street, Royal Well, Sherborne Place and Bath Parade. Town Centre East is included but closes at 8pm. Regent Arcade car park is not included. Our parking page has the usual charges.
Regent Arcade opens from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sunday. It had posted no Christmas hours on 5 November.
Montpellier
1. Rossiter Books
Rossiter Books is a small family-owned chain of bookshops in the border counties, opened by Andy and Victoria Rossiter in Ross-on-Wye in 2010. Its site says a free Christmas catalogue of gift ideas can be picked up from any of its shops.
The Cheltenham shop also runs a monthly book group. It is on the late-night list.
Call for this branch’s hours.
Call 01242 373815
Address 7 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street, GL50 1SW
Website rossiterbooks.co.uk
Good for books, children's books, book group
2. The Gloucestershire Guild
The Guild is a charity of designer-makers, founded in 1933 according to Visit Cheltenham. Its shop sells ceramics, glass, wood, textiles, jewellery and leather, and its site has a Christmas gift section with gifts under £50.
Last year it added December Sundays, 11am to 4pm, but it had not posted 2026 hours when we checked. It is on the late-night list.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm; closed bank holidays
Call 07562 516545
Address 18 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street, GL50 1SW
Website guildcrafts.org.uk
Good for handmade crafts, ceramics, jewellery, gifts under £50
3. Paragon Gallery
Paragon Gallery was established in 2013 and calls itself “Cheltenham’s leading contemporary art gallery”. Its site says it shows original paintings, prints and sculpture, and that it aims to help first-time buyers as well as collectors.
It is on the late-night list.
Open Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Call 07950 539861
Address 4 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street, GL50 1SW
Website paragongallery.co.uk
Good for original art, prints, sculpture
4. Park Gallery
Park Gallery is an independent gallery with paintings, sculpture, glass, bronze and ceramics by local and UK artists. Visit Cheltenham says it has three floors of work made in Britain, including paintings of Cheltenham landmarks.
Its site also sells gift cards. It is on the late-night list.
Open Tue to Sat 10.30am to 4.30pm
Address 3 Montpellier Avenue, GL50 1SA
Website parkgallery.co.uk
Good for original art, ceramics, glass, gift cards
5. Sanctuary & Sage
Sanctuary & Sage was once a Neal’s Yard Remedies franchise and is now an independent boutique with two treatment rooms. It describes itself as a place to “pause, nurture yourself, and feel at home”.
Visit Cheltenham says it sells natural skincare, make-up and candles, with free gift wrapping. It was not on the late-night list when we checked.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Call 01242 522136
Address 9 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street, GL50 1SW
Website sanctuaryandsage.co.uk
Good for skincare, candles, gift wrapping, treatments
6. James of Montpellier
James of Montpellier is a bespoke menswear shop with tailoring services. Its Visit Cheltenham listing says its fabrics and yarns come from British and Italian mills, with all garments made in Europe.
The same site’s gift guide picks out wool scarves and coats. It is on the late-night list.
Address 1 The Courtyard, Montpellier Street, GL50 1SR
Website jamesofmontpellier.co.uk
Good for menswear, tailoring
Regent Street
7. The CheeseWorks
The CheeseWorks is the cheesemonger on Regent Street, with a wine bar and kitchen upstairs that opened in May 2025. Its contact page warns that “Christmas opening hours may vary”.
Its site also takes orders for delivery. It is on the late-night list.
Open Mon to Fri 9.30am to 5pm; Sat 9am to 5pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Call 01242 255022
Address 5 Regent Street, GL50 1HE
Website thecheeseworks.co.uk
Good for cheese, delivery, wine bar upstairs
8. Loft & Spires
Loft & Spires opened in October 2025 in the former JoJo Maman Bebe unit. It is the second shop for owner Lauren Vianne Milton, whose first is in Bury St Edmunds.
Its listing describes gifts, home decor, cards, fragrance, jewellery and clothing. It is on the late-night list.
Call 01242 805842
Address 2c Regent Street, GL50 1HE
Website loftandspires.co.uk
Good for gifts, home decor, jewellery, cards
9. Horace Barton & Son
Horace Barton is a family menswear business covering country clothing and formal hire, plus a ski department with its own service centre. Its Visit Cheltenham listing says the ski department runs from October to April, and that the shop opens on Sundays in December only.
The listing carries no Sunday times, so call before a Sunday trip.
Address 12 Regent Street, GL50 1HE
Website horacebarton.co.uk
Good for menswear, ski wear, formal hire
10. The Ultimate Balloon and Party Shop
This Regent Street shop sells balloons, gifts and fancy dress, and its site currently leads on Christmas. Its listing also describes a costume hire department, with outfits that can be rented for the weekend.
It is on the late-night list.
Call 01242 254480
Address 68 Regent Street, GL50 1HA
Website ultimatepartyshop.com
Good for balloons, fancy dress, costume hire
The Promenade
11. Beards
Beards was founded in 1804 and says it is one of the oldest family-run jewellers in Britain, according to its Visit Cheltenham listing. It has jewellery and watch workshops on site and a bespoke design service, and sells brands from Omega to Gucci.
Two watch brand listings give different Monday opening times, so call first.
Call 01242 516238
Address 70 Promenade, GL50 1NA
Website beards.co.uk
Good for jewellery, watches, bespoke design
12. Vinegar Hill
Vinegar Hill is a family-run lifestyle shop established in 1997, owned and managed by siblings Beth, Debbie and Richard Austin. It has branches elsewhere.
Visit Cheltenham says it stocks gifts for children as well as adults, chosen from around the world. It is on the late-night list.
Address 110 Promenade, GL50 1NL
Website vinegarhill.co.uk
Good for gifts, homeware, children's gifts
Winchcombe Street and Grosvenor Terrace
13. Art Union
Art Union is an artist-owned gift shop and gallery. Its listing says the original art comes mostly from local artists, and that its products are made in the UK.
Its online shop lists Christmas cards at £3.50 and coasters at £6.95. It is on the late-night list.
Price cards £3.50 and coasters £6.95 on its online shop
Call 07942 095639
Address 1 Gaumont Parade, Winchcombe Street, GL52 2NE
Website artunion.uk
Good for local art, cards, Cheltenham gifts
14. Be More Bob
Be More Bob calls itself “probably the best dog shop ever” and has a Christmas range it calls Woofmas. It sells beds, coats, collars, leads and treats.
Its site says it has a secure garden, and offers “pawsonal shopping” by arrangement for shy or reactive dogs. It was not on the late-night list when we checked.
Open Tue to Sat 10.30am to 5pm
Call 07932 508008
Address 45 Winchcombe Street, GL52 2NE
Website bemorebob.co.uk
Good for dog gifts, secure garden, private shopping
15. FoodLoose
FoodLoose is a plastic-free refill shop, and it is registered as a community benefit society. Its site says it sits a short walk from the Town Centre East car park.
A dated Visit Cheltenham table shows it open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sunday, without times, so check before you go. It is on the late-night list.
Address 15 Grosvenor Terrace, GL52 2SA
Website foodloose.co.uk
Good for refills, plastic-free, community-owned
Cambray Place, The Suffolks and Tivoli
16. The Union Project
The Union Project was founded in Cheltenham and sells clothing and accessories. Visit Cheltenham names Rains, Nudie Jeans, Finisterre and Stepney Workers Club among its brands.
It was not on the late-night list when we checked.
Address 32 Cambray Place, Cheltenham
Website theunionproject.com
Good for clothing, accessories, gifts for men
17. Bodega
Bodega is an independent womenswear shop in The Suffolks. Its listing describes a boutique mix of casual brands.
Its site also sells gift cards and runs a free UK delivery offer. It was not on the late-night list when we checked.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5.30pm; Sun 12pm to 3pm
Call 01242 300899
Address 34 Suffolk Parade, GL50 2AE
Website shopbodega.co.uk
Good for womenswear, accessories, gift cards
18. Tivoli Wines
Tivoli Wines calls itself a boutique wine shop and wine library. Its site sells mixed cases, olive oil and gift cards, and lists in-store events.
It opens later than most shops here, every day of the week. It was not on the late-night list when we checked.
Open Mon to Thu 11am to 7pm; Fri and Sat 11am to 7.30pm; Sun 11.30am to 5.30pm
Call 01242 269886
Address 56 Andover Road, GL50 2TL
Website tivoliwines.co.uk
Good for wine, mixed cases, gift cards, events
How we chose
We started from Cheltenham BID’s late-night list, the Visit Cheltenham independent gift guide and each shop’s own site, and kept independents we could tie to a current address. Four named shops stayed out because we could not confirm them from a current source: Pink Vintage, Little Interior Co, Inside Out and Monty Smith. That does not mean they have closed.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@cheltenhamjournal.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@cheltenhamjournal.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
For more of the season, see our Christmas market page, Christmas dinner guide, Christmas trains and buses, things to do in Cheltenham, what’s on this month and the local business directory.
Frequently asked questions
When is late night Christmas shopping in Cheltenham in 2026?
Thursday 3 December and Thursday 10 December. Cheltenham BID says businesses across the town will stay open until 7pm or 8pm, and individual closing times may differ.
Is parking free for late night shopping in Cheltenham?
Yes, in most town centre council car parks, from 3pm on 3 and 10 December. They are Chelt Walk, St James Street, Rodney Road, High Street, Royal Well, Sherborne Place, Bath Parade and Town Centre East, which closes at 8pm. Regent Arcade car park is not included.
Which independent shops in Cheltenham open on Sundays before Christmas?
Sunday hours are published by The CheeseWorks, Sanctuary & Sage, Bodega and Tivoli Wines. Horace Barton’s tourism listing says it opens on Sundays in December only. The Gloucestershire Guild opened on December Sundays last year but had not posted 2026 hours on 5 November.
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