Trading since 1743 in the old city, St Nicholas Market, also known locally as St Nicks, is the oldest market in Bristol and was named one of the top 12 markets in the UK in 2021.
The vibrant market houses the largest collection of independent retailers in the city, with over 60 stalls spread across The Glass Arcade, Covered Market and the Exchange.
St Nicks is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm, and also hosts the Bristol Farmers’ and Producers’ Market, Street Food Market and Bristol Indies' Market.
We visited St Nicks on a sunny Tuesday and chatted with some of the traders to see how the summer has treated them and what impact the living crisis has had on their trade. Here's what we found:
5. Treasure Island
At retro sweet shop Treasure Island, also known as Bristol Sweets, Gareth said there had been a lot more tourists this summer but that people are buying less than they did before. He said: “They are a little bit more mindful about what they do buy, but I’m still seeing all my regulars. They might not be buying as much, but they’re still coming through. We used to have three people working here on a Saturday, which when you consider the size of the shop is quite crazy. And it’s only just me now, but we do so much more online.” | Adriana Amor
6. Memories at the Exchange
At Memories at the Exchange, Colin told us that the summer was not too bad, with foreign tourists visiting, but the business is still picking up from COVID. He said: “We’ve had to put the prices up on a lot of things because everything is costing a lot more for us to buy in. We’re trying our best to keep our prices as low as we can for our customers as well, so our margins are nowhere near as good as they would have been in previous years. But we’re still getting by.” | Adriana Amor
7. Vicbricart
Victoria, an artist, illustrator and author of two children’s books, told Bristol World it was hard to tell the impact of the living crisis on her business since being an artist was a tricky profession where sometimes she gets commissioned and sometimes sold nothing for weeks. Over the summer, tourists have been buying her t-shirts, which she is discontinuing to focus on her paintings and is selling at a reduced price of £10 each. She has also reintroduced a canvas size that used to be her best seller. | Adriana Amor
8. Crafty Beans
Summer was good for Crafty Beans since it was a cloudy, not-too-hot summer. When asked about the impact of the living crisis, Pablo, one of the managers, said: “Our prices are not so expensive and we didn’t raise prices during this year to try to be there for the people. So I don’t feel we lost too many customers. Our numbers are pretty much the same as last year, so I think our regulars never left because of that. But in terms of the profit and sustainability of the business, it puts us at risk because all the products we buy are very expensive compared to last year or two years ago. So our benefits are quite tight now. So, yeah, it’s tough for us now, but it’s a moment to survive.” | Adriana Amor