Cobblestone Walk

Like entering Aladdin’s Cave! You don’t know what to expect! Don’t put on too much weight and keep your head low as there is not a lot of room!
The same cannot be said of the shops. they seem to produce space from nowhere. All sorts of areas covered ie clothes, antiques, handcraftsand so much more. Prices are reasonable and free car parking for two hours across the roadIF, you remember to get your pass from one of the shop.

a great historic shopping place in the centre of steyning high street full of great shops my favarite is the new cake shop called cake-​deelicious love it

This is the weirdest little place. It’s like a mall for gnomes. It refers to itself as an ‘historic shopping arcade,’ and basically it consist of this; someone has bought up an old building with a cobblestone courtyard, shoved a load of cutesy green sheds in there, and then rented them out to people to use as these gingerbread shops. By that I don’t mean that they all sell gingerbread of course, I mean they look like gingerbread… oh nevermind. Anyway, there are wagon wheels leaning up against the walls (again, not the confectionery variety) and there are flower baskets hanging from overhead trellises. It’s a nice idea, but in reality its just a bit creepy. Also, the fact that the shops are in these tiny sheds means that the proprietors sit in the doorways, and you would feel rather awkward going in, you’d virtually have to squeeze past them, and you can forget about browsing in peace. Perhaps it’s better when it’s busier, but to be honest I can’t see how they would cater for many customers in one go, unless it was a coach trip of Lilliputians on a shopping holiday. Many of the shops sell gift items, there is a sweet shop (further adding to the weird fairy story quality of the place), a knitting shop a nail parlour, a few others, as well as some empty lots. I didn’t buy anything, and to be honest I was a little to freaked out to stay long, but I think maybe if you had a few elderly relatives in tow, they might go for it. There is a tea room in the Tudor, timber framed building in the middle that you can stop off at, which I think is the old bakery. I didn;t go in their either, so I couldn’t testify as to the quality of its cakes. I wouldn’t be surprised however, if it just sold bowls of porridge in three different sizes…

Cobblestone Walk is an array of miniature shops set in a small network of paths, hidden behind the clock tower in the small historic town of Steyning. You enter through a covered walkway between clustered shops and a small fruit and vegetable cart — this walkway is the original Cobblestone Walk, but later developments came in the collection of sheds and summerhouses at the back, which are used as small shops. An effort has clearly been made to make this part of Steyning feel authentic — boot scrapers and stone baths are dotted around, and greenery is trailed up the outer walls, making the little area feel atmospheric and picturesque. Everything is just slightly smaller than normal, which contributes to the welcoming feel, although it does perhaps feel rather too cute, rather as if one ought to be wearing a pink cashmere twinset and a string of pearls, carrying a golden Labrador puppy. As the rents are comparatively low, these shed-​dwelling shops are able to cater to more specific tastes than perhaps they might if they were to compete for space on the high street — for example there is a wear-​once-​worn shop that sells nearly-​new designer formal dresses, a wool shop and a shop that makes teddy bears by hand. There is a fast turnover of new businesses in this place, probably due to their specialist nature — some go on to bigger premises, some die out as quickly as they began. This is more positive than negative for Cobblestone Walk itself, however, as the ever-​changing environment keeps things fresh in what could otherwise be rather a chocolate-​boxy backwater of Steyning. The costume shop on your left as you enter is well worth a visit, with everything from basic face paints to Venetian carnival masks parcelled efficiently into a tiny space. The Cobblestone Café is also shortly to re-​open following refurbishments, and if the original ambience has not been lost, will be a welcoming fug of hot chocolate steam, croissants and friendly conversation in which to curl up and survey your purchases. A good visit as part of a day out in Steyning.

What a great treat! This hidden gem is like an aladdins cave. The market is made up of the bog standard garden sheds. These little sheds are then leased out to individuals to sell their arts & crafts. Also it is possible to get hot food or just a cream tea! This award winning venue is a must visit when in Steyning. It does seem though not all the small retailers are open all of the time. It is then best to check what days/​time your favourite outlet is open.