Penrith Town Centre

Katie Hale
Penrith Town Centre
Creative Tourist

Travel to Penrith, and you’ll be part of a tradition dating back eight centuries. The town was granted its market charter by Henry III in 1223, and people have been gathering here ever since, to buy and sell goods, but also to swap news and stories. 

Today, many of those stories are still told through the town’s historic buildings. If you look closely, you can read Penrith’s violent border history in the thick walls of the castle and in the beacon which watches from the nearby hill. The memory of William Wordsworth and the Romantic poets lives on in the street names and the buildings where Wordsworth lived and went to school. You can see the historic market town in the narrow yards (or ‘ginnels’) that wend between the shops, and were used to help stable the horses of farmers who carted their produce to town. The act of droving (moving animals between pasture or to market for sale) is celebrated annually through the Winter Droving festival, which sees a masked and torch-lit procession drove enormous lantern animals through the streets. 

It’s this blend of historic and contemporary that gives Penrith its edge, ancient tradition sitting side-by-side with trendy wine bars, hipster cafes and fine dining. Walk from the museum to the cinema, and you’ll travel four centuries over about twenty paces. Or, if you’re in for a bit of retail therapy, you’ll find a selection of independent and high street shops. 

It’s also a town with a sense of humour and fun. Look out for the #SignsOfPenrith: an installation of apparently ordinary street signs, proclaiming things such as “only an idiot would take a selfie next to this sign” and “walk slowly, softly humming to yourself”! 

And, once you’ve done all that (including the humming), Penrith’s location makes it the ideal base for exploring the northern Lake District. 

Penrith Tourist Information Centre, MiddlegatePenrithCA11 7PT View map
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Opening Hours

  • MondayOpen 24 hours
  • TuesdayOpen 24 hours
  • WednesdayOpen 24 hours
  • ThursdayOpen 24 hours
  • FridayOpen 24 hours
  • SaturdayOpen 24 hours
  • SundayOpen 24 hours

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Penrith Town Centre

Until
ActivityLiverpool
Old Dock Tours, Liverpool

The Old Dock tour is a treat for younger and older visitors alike, fans of Liverpool’s maritime past, and anybody curious about local history.

£8.50 with concessions
Until
ComedyManchester
Creatures of the Night Comedy Club

An insanely committed seven-nights-a-week, Creatures of the Night Comedy Club opens its doors (20.30-22.30 typically, though please check) for evening after evening of side-splitting comedy.

from £5.00
Until
ComedyManchester
The Comedy Vault

Every Monday night upstairs at Fierce Bar, The Comedy Vault hosts an outrageously funny open-mic night. Come and try your hand or just to watch and laugh.

free entry
Until
ComedyManchester
Comedy Balloon

Every Wednesday at Ape & Apple, Manchester’s official underground comedy club, Comedy Balloon’s friendly and warm comedy night takes place.

free entry

Where to go near Penrith Town Centre

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Brewery
Springwell

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Ring O'Bells
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Ring O’Bells

Popular country pub based in Ormskirk, serving classic British food and local ales.

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Abington Street Market

Abington Street Market is a go-to for independent retail, housing 12 shopping units selling everything from handmade ceramics to clothing, crystals and cake.

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Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

Located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach resort, this museum of oddities is the perfect place for families to discover the strange, the unusual and the extraordinary.

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Saoko Cocktail Club

This cocktail bar may be the new kid on the Blackpool block, but it’s already renowned for its excellent service and imaginative drinks that offer an ‘experience and a story’.

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Little Black Pug

Head to Balckpool’s Little Black Pug for an historic, laid-back, family-friendly pub with a huge malt whiskey collection.

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C Fresh is an old school, decidedly affordable chippy near Blackpool prom, consistently busy with locals – a sure-fire sign it’s doing something right.

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