Affleck’s in the Northern Quarter is often regarded as the best place to shop in Manchester. But there’s a strong argument for the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, too.
Shopping in Manchester’s Northern Quarter
Manchester’s Northern Quarter is renowned for its bars and restaurants, but it’s a great place to go shopping, too. In fact, two of the best places to shop in Manchester can be found in the Northern Quarter.
Of the Northern Quarter’s shopping destinations, Affleck’s is the best known. This is a maze-like, multi-floor building, which isn’t quite a market and isn’t quite a department store. It is, however, the home of more than 60 independent retailers gathered in one place.
The stores of Affleck’s in Manchester’s Northern Quarter
No-one is pretending that Affleck’s is the classiest place in the world, and it is certainly not the place to go if you’re claustrophobic. But much of the joy of Affleck’s comes in separating the surprising diamonds from the dross.
Particular highlights include Elysia, which focuses on the sort of goth clothing you might expect Helena Bonham-Carter to show up in, the vegan cosmetics and soaps of Soapy J and the hats of Beanie Box.
Why visit the Manchester Craft and Design Centre?
For a more genteel Northern Quarter shopping experience, head to the Manchester Craft and Design Centre. It’s inside a former fish and poultry market, and provides a home for ceramic artists, painters and jewellery makers. The stores are often workshops, too – you’ll often find the artists making something at a desk at the back of the shop.
The Manchester Craft and Design Centre is a perfect place to buy home decorations or gifts for other people. Highlights include ceramic artist Linzi Ramsden’s decorative tiles, jeweller Collette Hazelwood’s chunky rings and earrings, plus Helen Tiffany’s gorgeous coloured glassware.
You can make an argument for either Affleck’s or the Manchester Craft and Design Centre being the best place to shop in Manchester. But whichever you prefer, they both show off a very different side to the Northern Quarter.
More Manchester travel ideas
Other things to do in Manchester include a Manchester City stadium tour, a river cruise with commentary and a walking tour around the city’s highlights.
If you’ve enjoyed this small guide to Northern Quarter shopping, there are other Manchester stories on Planet Whitley. These include:
- The best free attraction in Manchester.
- How to get into the John Rylands Library if you aren’t a student.
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