We checked 13 shops near Bishop's Stortford, from Coopers on Bridge Street to Eye Mind Heart in Hertford, for hours and addresses. Updated November 2026.
Bishop’s Stortford and the towns around it have 13 shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide puts them in one place with opening hours, addresses and what each one sells. Most people start on Bridge Street at Coopers of Stortford and Finery and Co, then head for Florence Walk for Stock Florist and Pasticceria di Leo.
Seven of the 13 are in Bishop’s Stortford. The other six are in Sawbridgeworth and Hertford, which has the biggest cluster of independent gift shops in our patch. For the dates that matter this season, the town’s Festive Fun Day and lights switch-on is on Sunday 15 November, with free parking at Northgate End that day, and the Christmas Fayre fills North Street, Market Square, Potter Street and South Street on Saturday 5 December. Our Christmas markets guide has Hertford’s Christmas Gala and lights on Friday 27 November and Sawbridgeworth’s switch-on on Saturday 28 November.
In Bishop’s Stortford
1. Coopers of Stortford
Coopers trades from a timber-framed building on Bridge Street that it dates to the 16th century, made up of three linked premises including a 19th century malthouse. The shop says the site has been a saddler’s, a maltster’s, the town’s first post office and a hardware store before becoming Coopers.
Today it sells homewares, kitchenware, garden goods, cleaning products and fashion, and its Christmas 2026 catalogue promises “more than 200 gift ideas”. It is one of the few independents in town that opens on Sundays.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun and bank holidays 10am to 4pm
Call 0844 482 4409 (7p a minute plus your provider's access charge)
Address 11 Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2JU
Website coopersofstortford.co.uk
Listing Our listing
Good for homewares, kitchenware, gifts, open Sundays, free Christmas catalogue
2. Finery and Co
A family-run jeweller founded by Gary and Caroline Brooks, which began as The Jewellery Workshop because of its repair and making work. It now runs two shops, here and in Saffron Walden, and sells designer and branded jewellery and watches alongside its own bespoke pieces.
Both shops do repairs on site, and the business also offers valuations, engraving and remodelling, plus e-vouchers and gift cards if you would rather let someone choose.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm; closed Sunday
Call 01279 505407
Address 1 Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2JU
Website fineryandco.com
Good for jewellery and watches, repairs on site, engraving, gift cards
3. Stock Florist
An award-winning florist established in 2014, with one shop in the village of Stock in Essex and the other, in its own words, “proudly sat at the front of the stunning Florence Walk Arcade”. Its Christmas range runs to six wreath designs, Christmas bouquets from £40 to £150 and table centres from £60 to £155.50, all handmade to order for collection in store or delivery.
It also runs £85 Christmas wreath workshops, including some hosted at The Bishop’s Cave on North Street. Ring for opening hours before a special trip.
Price Christmas bouquets £40 to £150; table centres £60 to £155.50; wreath workshops £85
Booking wreaths and workshops online
Address Florence Walk, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NZ
Website stockflorist.co.uk/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for Christmas wreaths, table centres, workshops, local delivery
4. Pasticceria di Leo
An Italian pastry shop run by pastry chef Alessandro di Leo and his wife Martina, making handmade pastries, custom cakes and gelato. Its Christmas page describes panettone, pandoro and torrone as the traditional Italian Christmas sweets and the family’s own panettone recipe.
The Bishop’s Stortford BID lists a newer Delicatessen di Leo from the same team, selling Italian salumi, aged cheeses, olive oils and handmade specialities, which is the place for an Italian hamper.
Open Mon to Sat 7.30am to 5.30pm; Sun 8am to 4pm
Call 07939 943163
Address 8 Florence Walk, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NZ
Website pasticceriadileo.co.uk
Good for Italian pastries, custom cakes, Christmas sweets, open Sundays
5. Derosa Music
A music shop and music school in The Water House on Water Lane, selling guitars, orchestral instruments and accessories, with instrument rental and repairs. It is a Trinity College London registered exam centre and an RSL Awards Champion Centre.
If an instrument is the present, the shop also runs lessons for guitar, singing, drums, bass, saxophone, flute and violin, online or face to face. Note the shop closes at 4pm in school holidays and half terms, which covers the last days before Christmas.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5.30pm (4pm in school holidays); closed Sunday
Call 01279 465155
Address West Wing, The Water House, Water Lane, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2JZ
Website derosamusic.co.uk
Good for musical instruments, lessons, rental, repairs
6. Waterstones
The town’s bookshop, on South Street. It is a chain, but it is the only shop in Bishop’s Stortford selling new books across the range, so it belongs on a Christmas list.
It opens seven days a week.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Address 12 South Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 3AT
Website waterstones.com/bookshops/bishops-stortford
Good for books, open Sundays
7. Friends Dress Agency
“The little shop with big designer names”, buying and selling preloved designer clothing and accessories for women. Its owner, Victoria, was the Bishop’s Stortford BID’s Face of the Month in May 2026, nominated by customers and other businesses.
The shop has no website of its own, so the hours below come from the BID.
Open Tue, Wed, Fri and Sat 10am to 5pm; Thu 10am to 4.30pm; closed Sunday and Monday
Address 29c North Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2LD
Website bishopsstortfordbid.co.uk/face-of-the-month-victoria
Good for preloved designer clothing, accessories
Sawbridgeworth
8. Herts and Essex Antiques Centre
One of the antiques centres in The Maltings by Sawbridgeworth station, a stop south of Bishop’s Stortford on the line to London. The centre’s own site is short, promising “a warm and friendly welcome” and a new website soon, but it gives hours and a coffee shop open every day except Monday.
Other centres share the Maltings, so it is worth a morning’s browsing for an old print, glass or a piece of furniture.
Open Tue to Sun 10am to 4pm; closed Monday
Call 01279 722044
Address The Maltings, Station Road, Sawbridgeworth, CM21 9JX
Website herts-essex-antiques.co.uk
Good for antiques, coffee shop, near the station, open Sundays
Hertford
9. Eye Mind Heart
A gift shop on Fore Street that opened in November 2017, describing itself as “filled with fun, creative & interesting items”. Its range runs from candles and scents, kitchen and dining, vases and cards and wrapping to children’s toys, activities and books, plus art, design and food and drink books.
It opens seven days a week, so it suits a Sunday trip.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Address 41 Fore Street, Hertford, SG14 1AL
Website eyemindheart.shop
Good for gifts, candles, cards and wrapping, children's books and toys, open Sundays
10. Frankie and Olive
An independent women’s boutique on Old Cross run by its owner, Louise, who has had shops in London and New Zealand. It sells sustainable women’s clothing in natural and organic fabrics from labels the shop says are ethically produced, with a small range for children and accessories, jewellery, gifts and homewares.
Prices on its website run from £30 for a neckerchief to £179 for a knitted cardigan.
Open Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Price on the website, from £30 for a neckerchief to £179 for a cardigan
Call 01992 677150
Address 19 Old Cross, Hertford, SG14 1RE
Website frankieandolive.co.uk
Good for sustainable clothing, accessories, gifts
11. Magpie Amore
A shop on St Andrew Street selling vintage and new clothing for women and men, jewellery, homewares, bath products and a children’s corner. The Hertford Town Council directory describes its styles as “ranging from Rockabilly, Punk, Steampunk, Gothic to elegant classics”.
Gift cards from £10 to £100 are on sale online. The opening hours below come from that council directory, as the shop’s own site does not publish them.
Open Tue to Sat 9am to 5pm (Hertford Town Council directory)
Call 01992 535818
Address 6 St Andrew Street, Hertford, SG14 1JA
Website magpieamore.co.uk
Good for vintage clothing, jewellery, homewares, gift cards
12. Cavavin
A wine shop on Maidenhead Street, part of a network of independent wine merchants that started in France and says it is “supported by over 300 independent and accredited winegrowers”. The Hertford shop sells wine, champagne and spirits, and holds monthly Friday night tastings with tickets.
It opens every day, though for shorter hours on Sundays and Mondays.
Open Tue to Sat 10am to 5.30pm; Sun and Mon 12pm to 5pm
Call 01992 558311
Address 22 Maidenhead Street, Hertford, SG14 1DR
Website hertford.cavavin.co.uk
Good for wine, champagne and spirits, tastings, open Sundays
13. Messages
A family-run party shop that has been selling party goods since 1984, with branches in Hertford and Welwyn Garden City. It is a balloon and partyware specialist, so it is the place for Christmas and New Year party tableware, decorations and fun gifts.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm
Call 01992 551516
Address 25-27 Fore Street, Hertford, SG14 1DJ
Website messagespartyshop.co.uk
Good for balloons, partyware, Christmas and New Year parties
How we chose
We started from the Bishop’s Stortford BID’s business directory and Hertford Town Council’s Go Hertford directory, kept the independent shops that sell things people buy as presents, and checked each one’s own website on 5 November 2026 for its address and opening hours. Waterstones is the one chain, because it is the town’s only bookshop. Christmas opening hours often change in December, so check before a long trip.
Run a shop that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@bishopsstortfordnews.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these shops? Email it to newsdesk@bishopsstortfordnews.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
More for the season: Christmas markets, Christmas dinner, carol concerts, ice rinks, Christmas trains and travel, parking, what’s on this month, things to do and the business directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is there late night Christmas shopping in Bishop’s Stortford in 2026?
We found no separate late night shopping evening on 5 November. The town’s Christmas launch is Festive Fun Day on Sunday 15 November, with performances by the tree from 12pm to 5pm, special offers in businesses and the lights switched on around 4.30pm. The Christmas Fayre, with over 100 stalls, is on Saturday 5 December from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Which Bishop’s Stortford shops open on Sundays before Christmas?
Coopers of Stortford and Waterstones open 10am to 4pm on Sundays, and Pasticceria di Leo 8am to 4pm. Finery and Co, Derosa Music and Friends Dress Agency are closed on Sundays. In Hertford, Eye Mind Heart opens 10am to 4pm and Cavavin 12pm to 5pm; the Herts and Essex Antiques Centre in Sawbridgeworth opens 10am to 4pm.
Where can I find independent gift shops near Bishop’s Stortford?
Coopers of Stortford trades from a 16th century timber-framed building on Bridge Street and sells homewares, kitchenware and gifts. Hertford has Eye Mind Heart on Fore Street, Frankie and Olive on Old Cross and Magpie Amore on St Andrew Street.
Have your say