The pretty little cathedral city as good as Birmingham or Manchester for X-mas shopping

While it may be impossible for Britain's smaller cities to compete with the likes of London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Newcastle when it comes to Christmas shopping, a surprising survey from Consumer champions Which? placed one small city on a par with its much bigger rivals.

None of the UK cities surveyed was given the coveted five-star rating, but this particularly picturesque cathedral city scored four, putting it on a par with the big hitters.

Typically, smaller cities struggle to compete with the UK's larger cities, which often have more shops and a wider variety. In the Which?Annual shopping survey: 18 out of 19 smaller UK cities only received two stars or fewer.

But this one particular city stands head and shoulders above other small cities for shopping, receiving four stars in the 2024 survey of more than 3000, Which? members who rated recent stays in more than 50 UK cities.

Winchester in Hampshire stands head and shoulders above other small cities for shopping.

England's medieval capital might not have as many shops as London, but it's a much more pleasant place to wander around in the weeks before Christmas. You'll also have a better chance of quickly finding something special and different.

Its narrow streets are pedestrian-friendly and lined with independent shops selling clothes, crafts or food that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.

It also boasts one of the country's most impressive cathedrals and a number of excellent cafes and restaurants. On top of all that, it gets four stars for lack of crowds and four stars for value for money, which must surely be nicer than queuing down Oxford Street or battling round Birmingham's Bullring.

It also provides a much more traditional shopping experience than the modern shopping centres of big cities, such as Bluewater in Kent or Manchester's Trafford Centre.

Visitwinchester.co.uk say: "We love Winchester all year round, but the beautiful city and its surrounding district provide the perfect backdrop to the festivities and look especially pretty during the winter months, thanks to twinkly lights, stunning shop window displays and the annual Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market.

"Each year the festive season kicks off with the Christmas Lights Switch On, followed by the annualWinchester Cathedral Christmas Market, recognised as one of the best in Europe - and then there's so much more while you're here.

The 2025 Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market is open from Friday, November 21, to Monday, December 22, 2025. The city operates a park and ride scheme to make visiting a breeze. All Park & Ride locations accept coins, debit/credit cards, and RingGo as payment methods.

Winchester was also named one of the prettiest places to go Christmas shopping in the UK, according to readers of The Times, who cited the praises of several readers.

Annie Green was one of those to heap praise on the city, saying: "Our beautiful historic city labels itself the'Christmas capital' of England - even of the UK."

Denise Milford shared similar sentiments, saying that "Winchester is beautiful at Christmas and often has a skating rink too, with a Christmas fair".

Meanwhile, Neil Gent commented: "A friend of mine used to take his wife Christmas shopping to Winchester every year. He'd sit in the bar at the hotel; she'd go round the shops and bring things to show him. The shops didn't seem to mind."

The city's "excellent independent shops" were cited as a big plus, and The Times recommended The Old Vine, an 18th-century inn located close to the centre of the city.