Blackpool Shopping and Districts

(Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK)

Be sure to bring your biggest shopping bags when you visit Blackpool, because there is always plenty to fill them with. Blackpool is of course home to the ultimate in seaside souvenirs and tacky gifts, such as 'kiss-me-quick hats', with traditional Blackpool rock being especially famous and always popular.

However, there are plenty of high-street shops available around the town centre's pedestrianised precincts, next to the Pleasure Beach, and on the outskirts of Blackpool, together with enormous hypermarkets and out-of-town shopping developments. Popular shops in the area include Argos, BHS and HMV, to name but a few.

The Ocean Boulevard is a good place to start your shopping and a large selection of shops can be found in this area, standing side-by-side many cafes and eateries. Those intending to do some serious shopping should pay a visit to the centrally located Tower Shopping Centre, and also the nearby Houndshill Shopping Centre on Victoria Street.

Opening Hours

In general, most shops in Blackpool are open seven days a week, with slightly reduced shopping hours on Sunday. Most open at 09:00 Monday to Saturday and always stay open to 17:30 or later, particularly on Thursdays, when many shops close at around 19:00. To encourage late-night shopping on Thursdays, the car parks at Houndshill, Talbot Road and West Street are all free from 17:00 onwards. Public buses too also operate return fares for just a penny or two on Thursday nights.

On Sunday, shops tend to open between 10:00 and 17:00. Supermarkets usually open much earlier and many stay open until 22:00 Monday to Saturday, or even later, closing at 16:00 or 17:00 on Sundays.

Where to Shop

The best place to shop in Blackpool is without doubt the Houndshill Shopping Centre and this is where many head on a rainy day, so be warned, it can get extremely busy at times. Houndshill is close to the central car park, although it does also have plenty of its own parking spaces. With a number of department stores and high-street favourites, such as Boots, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Primark and WHSmith, Blackpool's Houndshill Shopping Centre is located between the Winter Gardens and also the Tower itself.

Houndshill Shopping Centre
Address: 17 Victoria Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4HU, England, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1253 624 722
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:30, Sunday - 10:00 to 16:00

Other great places to shop in Blackpool include Queen Street, where you will find an excellent selection of stores and leisure outlets, plenty of seating areas and impressive sea views. Church Street and Victoria Street have also both become popular shopping areas and boast many large stores and well-known chains.