Market day seems to be a construct from days gone by, olde worlde fairytales where little piggies went to market.
Growing up I had the good fortune to be a regular patron of Bolton Market. I remember as a circa 10-year-old, the loud hubbub on the Ashburner Street Bolton Market site when I’d take my weekly trip out with my grandpa. The sights, smells, endless rows of gleaming produce, fresher than the sea fish and more, oh so much more.
The state of markets may be a talking point in Derby and the wider country – the problem isn’t geography specific – but one site that is getting it right is Sneinton Market Avenues.
I used to live in Sneinton in a former life and Nottingham has been my stomping ground since forever, which is how I can see first-hand the city’s evolution over the years.
Sneinton Market has been around since the 1930s.
Nottingham Corporation, the historic municipal governing body of Nottingham (now Nottingham City Council) paved the way for brick avenue unit construction at the end of the 1940s. Following around 70 years of decline, the brick units were refurbished and given a new lease of life in 2015 as a contemporary creative hub.
Today the market is filled with a host of independent traders which I had the pleasure of visiting on a sunny Saturday (September 26, 2026), when the market was just stirring into life.
Sneinton Market Avenues is around 10 minutes on foot from Upper Parliament Street and a stone’s throw from Motorpoint Arena.
I had only planned on doing a quick round and being done within 45 minutes or so.
I spent the whole morning there, there is honestly so much to discover.
One of my favourite things to do is having a mooch in a pretty curiosity shop, packed with trinkets galore. Luckily Curious? is an ‘emporium of creative delights’ which I am still thinking about today. Imagine shelves packed with the most fascinating items, my magpie brain kept getting sidetracked by shiny things that demanded attention.
One of my top loves is baked treats. I had heard about Breadmill Bakery which is why I made a beeline for the shop.
The artisan bakery’s main draws is long-fermentation sourdough breads and vegan-friendly sweet buns.
I try to avoid eggs whenever I can (more on that some other time), which is why I got a cinnamon swirl. It had a great texture and cinnamon wasn’t overpowering like in most bakeries.
The bakery says everything sold at site is made from scratch and baked all within the one unit, which somehow made eating the cinnamon swirl and sourdough roll all the more special.
I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the giant purple hare aka Herbie Hare on the pavement. That, and the wonderfully jaw-dropping light installations in Herbie Hare Art & Furniture shop made me smile.
Run by the creative and eccentric Herbie, he has lovingly curated a gallery filled with unique pieces of art that are proper ice breakers and will give your home that va-va-voom.
Luisa’s Vegan Chocolate is a chocolatier creating bean-to-bar chocolate that just so happens to be vegan. I had the passionfruit chocolate bar and it was tropical, creamy and luscious.
Drinks tick came from Brew Cavern which specialises in craft beer, cider, natural wine, stocking a generous 250+ beers, wines and ciders.
I didn’t really miss partaking in my beloved DIPA thanks to Lethal Hop Dose: Vial 002, which is a juicy 6.8% super hoppy tipple. The beer selection is solid and good, it is one of the big draws that will have me returning to the markets.
I discovered an oasis of calm at The Watered Garden, a houseplant and terrarium shop replete with old library style rolling stepladder and entire walls filled with gorgeous greens.
Sneinton Market Avenues is more than just a place to grab a few things. It’s an experience which draws you in, it makes you want to linger and luxuriate in the products lovingly made and curated by these hardworking independent institutions.
I hadn’t realised Bustler Nottingham is also at the Sneinton site. Set-up is similar to Bustler Derby – think industrial vibes, open air drinking and dining, if that is your jam.
Next time I will box off an entire afternoon to explore all the businesses. I see there is also Viet Centric, a Vietnamese culture hub that in the past has put on cookery classes. As a giant fan of East Asian and South East Asian food, I cannot wait to hear more about making new Vietnamese dishes and exploring more of the markets.
Location: Sneinton Market Avenues, Nottingham NG1 1DW
For more information click here: sneintonmarketavenues.com