shop local allerdale
Welcome Back Fund - funded by ERDF
Allerdale is the ideal place to shop local
Our towns and villages are home to a wealth of independent producers, retailers, hospitality businesses and more.
We have some of the best food and drink, beautiful arts and crafts, gorgeous homewares, clothes and shoes, as well as the practical things you need for your house, garden and cars – and they are all available on your doorstep.
There are things that are too special to buy on the internet – things that are unique, or quirky, or hand-made by someone who really knows their business.
But shopping local is about more than just what you can buy – it’s about the whole experience. It’s about getting to know that local butcher, or baker, or even candlestick maker! It’s about the service with a smile, the cheery wave through the shop window, and the aftercare if something goes wrong.
And it’s definitely about the hands-on experience that you can’t get in an anonymous online store – the haircut or manicure, the coffee and cake with friends, the sociable pint after work, or the discussion with the shopkeeper so you know you’re getting exactly what you need.
There are so many reasons to shop local in Allerdale. You’ll find something different in each of our towns – Aspatria, Cockermouth, Keswick, Maryport, Silloth, Wigton and Workington.
Keep coming back to this website to find out more. We have many fabulous stories to tell.
Our Shop Local stories
Cumbria Life Castings - Silloth
‘Making memories’ is a phrase everyone is familiar with, and Cumbria Life Casting in Silloth is taking this to a whole new level with its range of handmade jewellery.
“There’s a little piece of Silloth all over the world,” says Victoria Rudkin, the creative behind the creations of Cumbria Life Casting. She’s seen her jewellery commissioned by customers as far away as South Africa and the USA, though most of her clients are much closer to home. Read more …
Gift & Stitch - Aspatria
Dawn Richardson’s Gift & Stitch Aspatria business began as a small home-working embroidery enterprise to fit around her family – but her West Cumbrian customers had other ideas…
When Dawn Richardson’s home was filled with helium balloons, her husband James delivered a heartfelt plea: “Please get a shop!”
She had been running her small gift business from their house in the village of Plumbland but it had expanded so much due to customer demand, every room was overrun with products. Read more …
Redmayne 1860 - Wigton
Behind an unassuming shop front on Wigton’s High Street lies a business with international reach. It counts some of the most influential people in the world among its customers, and it is keeping the traditions and craftsmanship of its trade alive.
Redmayne 1860 is rooted firmly in this town, even while the skills of its team are known across the world. The company has been the home of Savile Row tailoring for more than 160 years, creating beautiful clothing for men and women, and selling them the accessories to go with it. Read more …
Tidal Reach Gallery - Maryport
What artist could fail to be inspired by the shoreline of Allerdale? From its dramatic skies and tides, to the calmness of its sunsets, this is a beautiful place to be.
And what better place to capture it on canvas than Maryport, the historic harbour town at the heart of this coastline? It’s where artist Barrie J Baker returned after living and working in London, and it’s now where he has the Tidal Reach Gallery and his studio. Read more …
JB Banks & Son - Cockermouth
Walk through the doors of this shop and museum in Cockermouth’s Market Place and the sight of this historic and traditional shop stops you in your tracks. It’s crammed with thousands of items, some of which you’ll recognise, some of which you won’t and some which you may never see again.
You may have never seen a shop quite like JB Banks – but once you’ve been in, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. Read more …
Podgy Paws - Keswick
In a town that’s been voted the most dog-friendly in Britain, Podgy Paws is a perfectly placed pet shop.
You don’t have to peer behind the counter of Podgy Paws to see the shop’s four-legged resident – Buddy, the Great Dane-Mastiff cross, stands head and shoulders above many of the store’s doggy visitors.
Those lucky enough to live in around the town come for their staples – the food and the treats or toys for furry or feathered friends Read more …
The Garden Bar & Restaurant - Workington
The Garden aims to bring a city vibe to West Cumbria – in colourful, quirky style.
They’ve gone all out on the colourful interior design, with flower walls, rustic pergolas and fun fake foliage on the seating booths to really bring The Garden’s theme to life. And it’s more than just a restaurant – it’s an all day foodie experience. They serve breakfasts, there’s a cocktail menu and they’re hosting live bands and DJ sets at the weekend. Read more …
A special thank you to all of the local businesses who gave so generously to our prize hamper giveaway!
Tony Harrison Butcher
Rendezvous Coffee & Cake
Zebra Fashion
Lesley Cleeland Ltd
Fagans Gifts
Norham House Coffee Shop
Cockermouth Country Market
Billy Bowman Music Shop
Desire Cockermouth
Chrysalis Wholefoods Wigton
Keswick Museum
The Trout Hotel Cockermouth
Lakes Distillery
Carvetii Coffee
Go Your Own Way Apparel
Podgy Paws Pet Shop Keswick
Peter Rabbit & Friends Keswick
Skylark Studio
Percy House Gallery
Love the Lakes Keswick
The Linden Tree Cockermouth
Lakeland Muesli
Fellside Candle Co
Wild & Fruitful Jams
North Lakes Clinic
Moshi Beads
White & Green Interiors
RTSN Huddart Supplies
The Bridge Gallery
Taste of the Lakes
Cumbrian Tea
Salon 5 Hairdressing
'My favourite local shop' competition terms & conditions
- The winning entrant will win £100 in total to spend in their nominated favourite shop.
- The competition is being organised on behalf of Allerdale Borough Council and the Welcome Back Fund – funded by ERDF.
- Entry to the competition is free of charge and no purchase is necessary.
- Entries are limited to a maximum of 1 per person.
- All entrants must be aged 16 years or over at time of entry or have the consent of a responsible parent / guardian.
- The deadline for entries is midnight on the 10th March 2022. Any entry received following this will not be considered.
- The winning entry will be decided by the Shop Local Allerdale Team.
- Prizes cannot be exchanged for the monetary equivalent.
- Any alcohol provided as part of the prize can only be claimed by winners aged over 18 years.
- The only entries considered valid must be comments on the Facebook post titled ‘My Favourite Local Shop’. This post will be pinned to the top of the Shop Local Allerdale Facebook page for the duration of the competition.
- The shop you nominate must be located within the Allerdale borough.
- Where the organiser is unable to contact a prize-winner so that a prize remains unclaimed for 1 week following the organiser’s first attempt to notify the prize-winner, the organiser may apply the prize as it sees fit.
- The Council reserves the right to reproduce / publish all competition entries in part or in full.
- The winning entrant must agree to being filmed or photographed when receiving their prize. Subsequent footage will belong to Allerdale Borough Council and published as we see fit.
- Allerdale Borough Council Councillors, members of staff and their immediate family members will not be selected as prize-winners as part of this competition
- In the event of an error, howsoever caused, whether a printing error or otherwise and whether obvious or otherwise, which affects the competition in any way, the organiser reserves the right to administer the competition as though the error had not occurred. Where the organiser deems it appropriate and/or feasible it will notify entrants of the error
- Failure to comply with any of these rules may result in the disqualification of the entry. The organiser reserves the right to disqualify any entry at their absolute discretion.
- The organiser’s decision in all matters relating to the competition is final.