Hepworth Arcade

Polly Checkland Harding

Visit now

Hepworth Arcade

Silver Street, Hull, HU1 1JU
07796 203904
Hepworths Arcade
Book now

Located in the Old Town, this beautiful Grade II-listed Victorian arcade is home to some of Hull’s best-loved and best-known retailers and, with vintage buys and legendary establishments, it’s as good for window shopping as it is for actual shopping.

Almost the more retro version of the Paragon Arcade, it sits adjoining the recently refurbished Trinity Indoor Market and Market Square – a foodie hotspot with the likes of Tapasya Kitchen and Vittles & Co resident in its stalls – and Hepworth Arcade is where Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer opened one of their first penny bazaars, later becoming the now world-famous M&S brand.

Joseph Hepworth was the man behind Hepworth Arcade, starting to buy up plots along Market Place in 1888 to build his dream covered thoroughfare, housing chemists, milliners and confectioners. The grand building, with its impressive glass roof and welcoming shop frontages, was completed in 1897 and it is the only L-shaped Victorian arcade in the country.  

These days, Hepworth Arcade is home to local landmark Dinsdales Joke Shop, a fancy dress, pranks, novelties and joke emporium passed down through the family for over 90 years. Equally legendary is Fanthorpes HiFi, the longest established electrical retailer in Hull. Trading since 1948, Fanthorpes sold army surplus radio equipment in its early days, and now deals in everything from radios to complete home cinema sound systems. Beasley’s clothing store, meanwhile, has been resident at the arcade for over 30 years, importing vintage and retro wares from America to the heart of Hull.

Relative newcomers include occult shop Brambles, where you’ll find wicca, witchcraft and crystal balls alongside incense sticks, salt lamps and tarot cards, as well as collectibles and figurines. Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) sells shabby chic, kitchenalia and boudoir vintage, while Hotham’s Gin School is a multi-award-winning visitor experience. A four-hour class here begins with a Hotham’s G&T on arrival, before being taken through the process of distilling your own bottle of gin – right up to dipping the stopper in wax to seal it. With a total of four G&Ts throughout the class, and a comprehensive introduction to the history of gin, including Lord Hotham himself, it’s quite the way to spend an afternoon.

What's on near Hepworth Arcade

A mushroom growing on a stump of mossy wood
TourLeeds
Fungus Foray at Temple Newsam

Guided walk for families and beginners looking at Fungi at Temple Newsam. 

The walk aims to find examples of all the major genus of fungi so that the participants can more

From £8.00
Africana and Caribbean Food Fest
FestivalsLeeds
African & Caribbean Food Fest 2025

Calling people of Leeds and beyond! The city’s favourite African and Caribbean Food Fest is back, and this year it’s turning up the heat with Harmony of Colours, a celebration…

Free entry

Where to go near Hepworth Arcade

Ye Olde White Hart
Hull
Bar or Pub
Ye Olde White Harte

A pub with two well-stocked bars and a large beer garden, Ye Olde White Harte is an incredible historic gem, constructed in 1550, and Grade II*-listed.

Hull
Hotel
Hull Trinity Backpackers

If you’re looking for affordable accommodation right in the heart of Hull Old Town, the highly rated, independent hostel Hull Trinity Backpackers is hard to beat.

Hull
Hotel
Hideout Apartment Hotel

Independent and run by a small family team, Hideout Apartment Hotel offers 15 contemporary and stylish self-contained self-catering apartments in the heart of Hull Old Town.

Hull
Bankside Gallery Hull

Bankside Gallery Hull isn’t a single building, but a sprawling, outdoor exhibition space for Hull’s street artists

The Old House
Hull
Bar or Pub
The Old House

The Old House is offering collection and delivery from its home in the oldest domestic building in Hull.

Hull
Place of worship
Hull Minster

The UK’s largest medieval ‘town church’, Hull Minster was awarded £3.9 million by Highways England in 2019 for restoration and the addition of a heritage centre.

Hull
Restaurant
Hitchcock’s Vegetarian Restaurant

Strange, but highly rated, Hull’s very first vegetarian restaurant, Hitchcock’s, has been an unconventional spot for over 25 years, with a warren of rooms full of curios.

Wilberforce House
Hull
Museum
Wilberforce House

The birthplace of William Wilberforce, the British politician, abolitionist and social reformer, Wilberforce House tells the story of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition.

Hull
Tourist Attraction
The Deep

One of the UK’s biggest aquariums, with over 5,000 different species across 50 different displays in a dramatic building overlooking the Humber estuary.

Hull
Gallery
Ferens Art Gallery

Opened in 1927, Ferens Art Gallery houses a superb collection, including masterpieces by Stanley Spencer, David Hockney, Helen Chadwick and Gillian Wearing.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.